chrome / nickel plating a fork
 

Hello again,
If I were to chrome / nickel plate my fork, should i plate the entire fork (besides the threads off course) including the steerer tube, or should I only have the bottom part (fork crown downwards) of the fork plated?
Thank again, Tom

If it were my bike I'd just nickel/chrome plate the part that would otherwise be painted. I wouldn't want the interior of the steerer tube to be plated since it might cause problems with the quill stem if the plating starts to chip or corrode. Granted I use threadless forks now so I don't know how much of an actual problem it might pose, it's still something I'd rather not have to worry about.

I agree with J.C.. Another option is to chrome just the bottom 1/3rd of the fork. If you chrome the entire fork (not the steerer tube of course) including the lugs then it might look odd that the other lugs aren't chromed and or the entire chain and seat stays aren't chromed, so if you do what a lot of vintage bikes did and do just the lower third of the the fork then the painted fork lug will match the other painted lugs. Of course there were some vintage bikes that did just chromed the entire fork and lugs and not chrome anything else which always looked a bit odd to me personally, but you may like it that way. Also if you only chrome the lower third of the fork it will be cheaper but the forks upper third will need to be repainted because I don't think you can chrome a part without damaging the paint nearby, but maybe they can?

I think that CyclArt charges around $225 to chrome a fork but check with them for the actual price but usually local platers can do it for less but they may not have the skill to do a bicycle fork.

Do be aware that chrome is porous which will allow water molecules to pass through and get the underlying metal to rust over time, and the chroming technique used on bike frames and forks is extremely thin vs chrome car wheels for example, so either have the chrome clear coated or you need to regularly use a chrome cleaner and chrome wax (actually use a wheel wax) on it to seal out the water. Some people say to use a chrome polisher after washing then use a wheel wax problem is that as I mentioned before that a bike frame and fork that is chromed uses a very microscopic thin layer of chrome that I would be worried about using an chrome polish that uses abrasives to get that polish look and in turn could, over time, take some of the chrome right off. For a more maintenance and worry free chrome I would clear coat it.

I have an old chromed fork (which I will soon be posting on EBay, FWIW), and it is chromed all the way up the tube and threads.

Having said that, one thing to consider is this: just how much will the chrome build up in your threads and on your seating area for the headset bearing races? If the chrome builds up, say, .001", that means a .002" increase in tube/seat diameter, and often a .004" buildup on the threaded pitch diameter. You might have to chase the threads before and after plating.

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Crown race down is what they did for mine. I guess they knew what they were doing. The company I used doesn't do bikes very often, they are mainly for industrial stuff, but they knew how to approach the bike fork. They asked me specifically if I want a proper 3-step chroming. I believe it is first coppered, then nickeled, then chromed. This process keeps it from ever rusting or corroding (thanks copper).

I paid 180 or so. But then we know the guys and order a lot through them.

Thanks for the great info guys! And what are your thoughts about chrome vs nickel plating?

Honestly it's probably cheaper to buy a new or used already chromed fork

if you want a polished look you must polish the base metal first.. factories that intend to paint over parts of the chrome
dont polish that part, but leave it sandblasted. the chrome will be rough like the surface under it.

I think chrome gives the shiniest coverage. A good plating job, however, might have multiple layers.
Triple Chrome Plating Process with Nickel, Copper and Chrome | Vernes Chrome Plating

As far as what to chrome on a fork. Some vintage bikes would just have a chrome fork, and painted rest of the bike, although that was often a sign of a replacement fork.

My old Colnago just has a chrome fork crown, with the rest of the bike and all lugs being painted. Cheaper bikes might have had a chrome cap put over the fork crown.

Contrast between chrome and paint is nice, so you might choose to chrome from the crown to the fork tips, then paint the middle section. However, I'd probably also chrome the ends of the seatstays/chainstays.

It is hard to beat the prices on new Asian parts. But, it would depend on the bike. Many people prefer a matching fork frame on vintage road bikes.

go to CyclArt, they will explain all this for you: Frequently Asked Questions | Cyclart Here you'll learn that some of the advice given here to you today is not correct.

Chrome plating has nickel in it. metal is dipped in an acid solution, then in copper, then nickel(for the color, as chrome is clear), and finally the chrome coating.

Structural vs decorative plating; anything subjected to stress that is plated should be post treated to remove hydrogen embrittlement which can weaken the fork. Treatment involves baking at moderate temps for several hours. Not all platers do this.

mmm... baked forks! :)