Part of me says it's an easy way to "bling" out the bike, to make it "pop."

(I'm hip and cool, using the "lingo" that the kids all use these days)

The other part says that it's kind of gaudy...

I have a dark blue metallic Trek with the old-old style Trek logo on the seat tube. I was thinking about using a gold paint pen around the lugs...

Opinions?

Should look very nice when finished

Nothing to it if you take your time, correct mistakes immediately and let it all dry properly. Have a peek at the paint pen lining on my Legnano Gran Premio...


I just did the fender striping but it is just as easy to do the lug outlining...

Pick up a vintage Motobecane and the pinstriped lugs come standard equipment. Classy. And yes, there is the pop factor.

Did you just do the red? (also by the chainstay tips?) Or did you also do the black on t he seat tube?

That looks sharp-

You did that all freehand- I don't have those artistic superpowers.

Tracing lugs, coloring by numbers, staying inside the lines... I can sorta do that. Sorta.

Many bikes from this era came stock with outlined lugs like my centurion, and just a matter of opinion I think white outlining on a blue frame would look killer, gold would look good too though

imo, lug outlining can make a bike go from looking great to cheap and awful. it is a very fine line (pun intended). i think white is the worst color to use. i would use something very, very subtle.

I am an old guy who can't see all that well anymore and my hands are not as steady as they used to be. I do not get perfect results, but prefect results were rarely, if ever, offered on the original machines.

I followed a groove in the fenders to get the fender striping done. Had to wipe off a mistake or two, and then resume. There is tons of room for error, if you correct the situation soon enough, which, put another way, is immediately.

The rings on the stays, fork blades and seat tube are automotive decorative tape in varying widths. Ensure cleanliness, apply with care and seal the ends with a touch of clear nail polish. This might not be permanent, but it is easy to change and does a good job of hiding the transition line between color and chrome plated surfaces.

It is inexpensive and repairable, for little or no cost, if the tape ever does fail...

I just became the proud owner of my first C&V last night. (I traded a really nice, but hardly lovable Trek road bike for my new 1986 Schwinn Super Sport.) I was thinking that outlining the lugs might send it over the top. What would be the best material for something like this? A paint pen? Hardly seems durable. I would assume some type of high-tech auto paint might be in order. But then again, what do I know? I'm new to all of this old steel stuff. . .
After putting the paint down would you need to clear coat it? I think nothing would look crappier than to have the accent paint start peeling/flaking away. If you put clear coat on the lug accent paint would you just go ahead and clear coat the whole darn thing?

What have I begun? ? ? ?

(Yes, before you say it, I realize I have broken the code of discussing a new bike acquisition without providing the requisite photos! In my defense, I picked it up last night at almost 10pm. No time to produce quality bike p0rn just yet--trust me, it's coming!)

EDIT: randyjawa's post came in just ahead of mine. Auto detail tape is a genius idea. Nice crisp looking lines without the scary-ness of paint. (I have very little trust that I could do a crisp line with a brush!)

I think gold outlining on a dark blue frame could look very nice! Plus, I've always liked Trek's lug patterns. I don't think outlining them would be gaudy in any way. Here's my 1988 Trek with investment-cast lugs (not found on the older Treks), which I outlined in white. The lugs are pseudo-windowed, and the white really fleshed out that detail:

Wow, that fender came out wonderfully, and the color combo is very nice. Well done. I would love to go back to some of my Honjo-fendered bikes and use some bolder contrast colors! I painted the flutes on one set of Honjos I have, but I used gold to bring out the gold decal work on the frame, and learned that the gold doesn't really contrast with the aluminum. It's barely visible-- much more visible in this saturated photo than by eye in regular daylight:

I haven't found it too difficult yet but you can run into some snags. It adds a bit of detail that I think goes well with the older look of steel lugged bikes. If its a super racy frame then maybe it would be out of place.

Subtle is good.

I agree. Keep it subtle and, very thin if you can. Looks pretty bad if thick and rough. Another, slightly different shade of blue might look nice. Good luck with it and show us the results.

Ah- the Window.

My 1986 400 Elance has the lugs with the windows- but they're painted with the silver from the headtube.





I was thinking of doing this with a repainted 1978/79 Trek 736. It's plenty of classy by itself- just looking for a little something else with it.

I probably shouldn't have done this- I really shouldn't have done this on this bike as my first attempt. The two areas I screwed up on are on the drive side.

I guess it's "character."








I used a Testors paint pen- it had the nicest, most gold-iest gold. I cut the tip at more of an angle to try a more finer line- but it was still difficult to control. I really don't have those artistic superpowers...

Looks good.

I like it a lot. It looks good and nicely accentuates the bike.

I'm not into lug lining, I'm into double lug lining.

My latest attempt....

The blog lovelybike has a "how to" on pin striping lugs. I used her technique to re- outline the lugs on my Nishiki Riviera mixte. Used Deco Color brand enamel in "liquid Gold" fine tip enamel paint pen. I bought silver also and they come in different tip sizes. Bought them at a local craft store.

My favorite brush for lug lining. I have three, just in case.







I'll be doing freehand box lining on my Black Mondia's top tube. Painting the top tube only, I can't stand they way the Original Owner chipped the paint on one side of the TT. I have to try to replicate thin box lining.

Hello Michael Angelo,

Your latest work looks fantastic, really sharp and eye catching colors!

I'm intrigued by your seatpost tool, what do you have there?

Thanks for sharing!

-DON-

That's really sharp looking.

You all did a LOT better than guy at the Peugeot factory who outlined the lugs on my UO-8 and left an obvious black fingerprint on the white head tube!