Tornike

I got my Bergamont Prime 4.0 2015 a year ago, and even thought I would've preferred the black version to the red, the former wasn't available in my size, so I had to go with the latter.

With time I've grown confident I would attempt repainting it black, however I have no necessary paint or instruments, so I thought I'd ask here for hints.

(1) What kind of paint should I look for? Is there anything specific that should be used on frame like this one?
(2) Is it necessary to remove the existing paint, or can I just sand it with sandpaper and then spray the new paint on top?
(3) What is the actual process? Remove previous paint > remove/cover elements you don't want painted > apply anything before paint? > apply how many coatings of paint? > let it dry - anything missing from these steps?

Thanks in advance.

rpenmanparker 

Don't do it. It will be a fiasco. IMO.

A proper bike paint job utilizes reactive paint like polyurethane. That is not for amateurs. And you have forgotten about the protective clear coat.

bikemig 

This has bad idea written all over it.

ShortLegCyclist

Have it professionally done.

If you live in or near a major city, auto body shops should be able to do that for you.

Or, just use lots of bottles of black nail polish!

Tornike

So what's the difference with cases when people repaint their bikes and it's not an issue? I've read many stories including threads on this forum.

indyfabz

The difference? They know what they are doing.

rpenmanparker 

And their expectations are low. Old bike. No decals desired. And so on.

Tornike

Well, that is why I came here with questions on what I need to have, and how I need to do it.

I could take it to a car body shop, but I would prefer it as a backup plan, if there is chance that I could do it myself, because I have ideas on details like stripes of different colours I want to have on the frame, and I'm not sure they would be diligent enough to do it.

rpenmanparker 

This is getting better and better...or worse and worse.

rpenmanparker 

And BTW, black will lose you at least 2 MPH over red.

velociraptor

Don't listen to all these naysayers. They're holding you back!

Just go to your local Wal-mart and get a few cans of generic spray paint.

Don't even take your bike apart, just use some masking tape to cover the important bits.

Then spray away!

It'll look great, fantastic even!

I mean, how hard can it be, right?

Other people have done it. And if someone else did it, so can you.

Because we're all equal. Skill & experience don't matter at all.

Just promise to post pics of your masterpiece when you're done.

indyfabz

LOL! You took the words right out of my keyboard.


OP: Make sure you post photos of the finished product.

Tornike

I'm not looking for a perfect paint job, even decently done repainting would be better than the original red of this bike in my books, so I'm just asking what the process is, and what type of paint people use in their repainting efforts. If I fail, that will be because I could not do it properly, but I don't see why I can't have some information on how it is usually done.

velociraptor

Google.

ShortLegCyclist

Here you go, brother. Please do post the results, hope it works out nice.

How to Paint a Bike: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Tornike

I have, and that is how I know people do it, but I can't find specific information on the questions I listed - some sources say remove original paint before sanding, some apply more or less number of coatings, etc.

velociraptor

Oh dear. The fact that you can't use Google does not bode well for your project ambitions.

How to Paint a Bike: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

rpenmanparker 

Yes, that is right. Some people do one thing. Some people do another. The right way is to completely remove the old paint. Then sand the surface with ultra-fine paper. Use reactive paints. Use a top notch spray gun powered by a compressor. Prime one or two coats. Apply color with a couple of coats with ultra-fine sanding in between. Then cover with a heavy clear coat. If you have decals, apply them UNDER the clear. Done and done. Easy-peasey.

eric1971

Get a cheep bike off of craigslist and practice.

Tornike

Many thanks, I will take this into consideration when collecting more information on paint type, etc.

alathIN

Sorry you got such a harsh response here, but there is a point to all this sarcasm - painting a bike and having it come out even halfway OK looking is a very involved multi-step process. It requires specialized equipment and skills that very few people have. Even people who are relatively skilled at painting cars find tube structures tricky.

Adding in multiple colors, stripes, and other graphics just makes it even more difficult.

One way that you can get a decent finish is to have it powder coated. You would strip the frame and take it in to a powder coating shop to have it done. They do all the prep work and return the finished frame to you. I did this for an older bike my wife loves but was starting to look pretty ratty, and it came out pretty decent. I ordered some custom graphics decals online and applied them myself, which came out OK. They're not as durable as factory graphics which are usually under a layer of clear coat.

My father has an auto racing business, and they paint race cars there all the time. I've done a bit of that kind of work myself. In the old tube frame days, it took a special touch to be able to paint frames. Having some background in this kind of work and access to professional grade equipment and materials, I still wouldn't touch this job. And if I did, I absolutely would not even think about stripes or a multi color scheme on tubes. And even if I were willing to do all that, I still wouldn't because by the time I put in all the time and effort and materials costs, I could easily just pay to upgrade the bike a notch or two, and get the color I wanted at the same time.

Tornike

Thanks for the explanation on the related difficulties. I will bear the powder coating part in mind.

Sidney Porter

I painted this bike but it was rough to begin with. I stripped it ti the bare metal. Then a couple coast of primer, color and clear(this was enamel but I laquer is easier to work with but more expensive) . My compressor is a 29 gallon emglo I use the cheap harbor freight purple gun. Even if you buy a cheap compressor you are going to spend some cash I would not want to paint with less than my 29 gallon tank.

I grew up with 2 different uncles who were auto body men. They would paint cars on the side. They taught me to paint when I was a teenager. I have also painted houses with airless sprayers. So handling a spray gun was not an issue. That being said I would not paint a new bike in good shape

Maelochs

Only thing i will add---if you are not worried about the finished product looking like someone went at it with a rattle-can ... go at it with a rattle-can. Mask the stuff you don't want painted, and accept a little random overspray. It will look like a hack job, but it will be a hack job, so that's alright.

At the very least I would strip the bike to its bare frame. If you don't want to do that much work ... don't. The little bits of red showing through, and the chrome with balck overspray, will be quaint personal touches ...

You cans trip a frame using CitriStrip ... wear rubber gloves, but it is non-toxic and environmentally friendly (they claim.) Takes a lot of the work out of it.

Otherwise ... decide if you want to rent a professional spray rig, and for how long ... because you might want to practice. The idea about getting a Craigslist junker for practice is Not a bad idea.

Likely you will not achieve professional results, but you will not pay professional prices either. If you are fairly adept in general you can count on having a decent-looking finished product, with maybe a few grainy sections and maybe a couple drips which couldn't entirely be sanded away, or maybe everything will come out pretty well. The main thing is laying down the right amount of paint, which is why practice makes sense.

Don't be scared of it. You might well end up with a shiny black bike with no visible flaws in the paint and be pretty (and justifiably) proud of your results. So long as you know exactly what you are supposed to do and give it your best shot ..... it isn't rocket surgery. Lots of people have managed to paint heir bikes decently well.

And of course make sure you have a proper place to do it ... I have done some decent rattle-can jobs in my garage (After I took out anything I didn't want painted) and even hanging up outside ... but in the latter case one gust of wind and a bunch of dust or pollen could suddenly become a part of your graphic scheme.

Oh, and don't forget to plug the holes where you don't want paint.

If it is really important to you that the bike look super sharp, consider laying out the couple of few hundred for a pro finish. Possibly when you add up the equipment rental and materials cost: drop clothes, masks, solvent, mixing cups, thinner, sand paper in many grades, maybe steel wool to help strip it, gloves, then base coat and clear coat, and the sprayer and compressor, you might find that paying a little extra to get it done by a pro makes sense.

Dean V

If you are patient and careful and your expectations are not too high it is possible. You really need an air brush, compressor, sandpapers, paints, hardeners, clear coats etc. Then you will have to practice a reasonable amount on something else before doing the real thing. Quite a lot of work and expense and really only worth doing if you want to start painting stuff regularly or are desperate to do it yourself.
Possible to do with spray cans which would be cheaper but even harder to get a good result.
I would just get to like the colour it is if it were my bike. Too many black bikes around anyway.
Resale value would also be less if you paint it.