Cool. Now we all yell at each other about CycleArt for the next three pages!

<edit> Keep the pictures somewhere safe, and include them if you ever sell the frame: it deserves a full restoration, someday. Speaking personally, I consider powder coat a "preservative" that will keep the fame in good shape until it gets restored to its former glory.

I would not select Cyclart without some more due diligence. I can almost predict... "your frame / fork needs an alignment, chasing of the BB threads, alignment of the dropouts... seat tube honing... that will be $XX.xx extra, boxing to ship back, XX.xx, media blast to remove existing paint... $XX.xx, powdercoat, $XX.xx, detail the hearts on the fork crown...$XX.xx, tap the dropouts so you can thread derailleur and the adjusters back in $XX.xx..., toxic disposal fee, added percentage as we don't really want to fix price quote... images of the bare frame for your records, $XX.xx grand total, 1.7x the price of the basic powder coat job price we verbally discussed on the phone, but we have your frame here and it will cost you for us to box and ship it back if you don't want to go forward....

A basic wet spray job can easily be found with a bit of referencing for probably the same amount and a "fixed price" or no surprise price concluded elsewhere. Cyclart can do good work, if you reference a few threads on this forum you might well come to my conclusion.

Cyclart's value is where handholding is necessary and budget is not. The also can recreate oddball graphics from time to time but you pay for that handsomely, again, as a one stop, write the check when its done and wish no project management yourself, they are useful.

Trying to be fair at the end of the year.

Where is the original poster located?

Can't disagree with you, except maybe about the cost of wet paint. Maybe an auto body place or something...

My local powdercoat shop does a good job on bicycle frames starting at about $70. Last I checked, Cyclart asks $200 plus the inevitable fees.

This thread is useless w/o a picture of the bike.

Agreed.

There's a link to the pics on the first page?,,,,BD

Doh!

Thanks.

my head is still spinning. the frame was boxed and ready for UPS when I read the criticism on Cycle Art. I did not pull that shop out of thin air--it was recommended to me by the owner of my LBS, who rides a dainty little Sirota that was redone by CA.

based on conventional websearching, there does not seem to be a dedicated bike paint shop between Richmond and Philly. There are few motorcycle painters around, if you want skulls, flames, or scantly clad babes. There are also some (shudder) powder coaters around--a few that cater to bicyclists ("Boneheads," near Doylestown PA is one--a good opportunity to tour the Mercer castle and tile works...)

at the risk of repeating myself--I am not into preservation for its own sake. I am an architect and builder that works on "historic" houses--at least they are old and in historic districts--and some of the crap that the HP commission imposes on design is so far removed from what is valuable and relevant that it has no doubt ruined my attitude anyway.

to me, the beauty of the bike is in the abstract--the lines and angles, and the delicacy--not to mention the performance--that I really don't give a hoot about decals and chrome. I want to ride the bike wherever, and not be mortified with fear or get enraged if I lock it on a parking meter and go to a restaurant, and someone comes along and chains his beater to the same post and scratches my bike.

this is not to say that I don't appreciate and admire a beautiful restoration. Just that it's not for me. (plus I'm already committing heresy with a Suntour RD and FW ;^)

bottom line is I value all the opinions that have been offered here, because they all have clarified what's at stake, and helped me make a decision.

That particular frame is not the best choice for a commuter type bike. The SLX tubes are quite thin and dent easily. It is a fine steel frame though, and will feel great on the road.

ETA: Also, if that's your Nuovo Record derailleur in the pics, you can replace those broken pulleys with Shimano ones, they are an exact fit. You can get a set for $5 from many parts places online.

SLX is just SL with ribs at the butt regions, I would not worry THAT much. I do ride any bike I own, even lock them up, I do care about where I lock them up and do it strategically though.

For Paint from where you said geography wise:

http://www.bilenky.com/Services.html

A BF member had his Cinelli repaired and repainted by them and I think he was quite happy. Others here have their bikes.

It is ALWAYS better to do a paint transaction face to face. I can state this from experience.

Yeah, looks like a Colnago I picked up a little while ago. If I had the cash to throw at it I would do a full resto, if not just clean it up to the best of your ability and enjoy the character it gathered through the years! :thumb:

Geezer, I wouldn't worry too much about Cyclart. They've always done a good job for me. They're the most expensive option I'm aware of, and don't always (ever?) get it done on time, but the end result will be top quality.

Now, I also have reservations about locking a frame like that to a light pole and such, as it is a very nice frame - 30 years ago, frames like were used to win the Tour de France, etc - but what the hey, it's your frame. The guy who gets it after you will just have add "dent removal" to the list of refinishing tasks.

Not sure if you're implying that you can powder coat over the rust or not with this statement, but all the rust and flaws and paint in the chrome etc would be removed before the powder coating took place. I've done some small (jewelry scale) powder coating (looking to make an oven to do frames this summer), and even just a little bit of surface flaw/dirt screws the whole project up.

Just for that reason alone if you're going to refinish, you're going to want to go with a powder coat. The powder coat is quite remarkable, as a welder I've had to grind powder coat off to make welds and it's harder and takes longer to remove than zinc galvanze. Likewise is also strong enough that I can powder coat a piece of say flat 10 gauge half round wire, and then bend it with mandrel and rawhide hammer into a bracelet or ring with no surface damage.

Though looking at your pics I personally would just do touch ups and keep it clean. It's not in that bad of shape.

That seems just a nice patina to me, authentically showing its C&V-ness. I'd ride it as is.

after countless weeks of dithering, the deRosa frame was delivered down an unmarked gravel lane to Granted Antique Auto Restoration in Fairfield PA, just across the MD line. Grant, the proprietor, was in full shooter's regalia, ducking in an out of his immaculate booth as he laid down several coats of turquoise on a '57 Chevy wagon. Posters and magazine covers of his prize winning hot rods adorned the shop.

The original chrome was almost entirely shot--it literally peeled off the chain stays like onion skin. The chrome on the fork crown was pitted, and on the dropouts it was suspect. It will all go away and will not be replaced. New paint will be conventional and uniform, matching the original lipstick red. I never liked the decals--they will not be replaced, although Grant has a neighbor who does detailing, and could have replicated them with an airbrush. The only ID will be a head badge I found on eBay (which looks exactly like the decal), and Grant will recreate the recessed white lettering at the top of the seat stays.

cost??? To be determined. Number one son will do the prep at $25/hr. Grant is $55. Paint material will be +/-$150.

will post a full report with photos in a coupla weeks.

BTW, the warning to check the frame was heeded--sort off. Using the Sheldon Brown ball of string method, it was within 2mm, and rims seemed to spin true. I figured that any better alignment is beyond my discernment, so off she went.

I had my Viner resprayed by Rob at Bing Bicycle in Richmond VA. Much cheaper than cycleart. Work is pretty darn nice. Easy guy to work with, really decent. I'd do it all over again. A little more local to you, and probably quicker as well.

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/P4290009.jpg

Thread on said bicycle

Yikes. The DeRosa purists on this forum are collectively shaking their heads in disbelief. :)

Probably. But again, it's not like it's a really rare treasure, or was ridden by Eddy Merckx. The OP's not doing anything that can't be undone, which can't actually be said of the more hardcore "patina" crowd: at some point it stops being patina and starts being rust, which is not something that should be left alone.