or powder coated? I'm buying a cheap Leader TT frame and I'd like to get it painted solid black. Any estimates for prices I should look for?

Thanks.

It'd be best to call around locally. I called about three people and their estimates were around $100-$125. However one (rude) guy told me it would just be cheaper to buy a new bike.

yeah, $100-$150 sounds about right for a powder job at most places that'll do a frame. Wet paint you can about double that. Painting, especially bike frames, done well, is very labor intensive. Even with the cost of oil, and thus paint, going down, materials aren't cheap either.

I just had my vintage Raleigh powder coated for $108. (Denver CO)

Here is a price list for a local shop. They're expensive, the average is $495, but I've seen a couple examples and they're top notch.
https://www.cyclart.com/refinish1.html

$150, candy blue/silver, strip/prep/powdercoat. basic single color should be cheaper.

BTW, take a look at my location in case you are close I'll hook you up with the shop which did my frame.

Can't just do it yourself?

If you could do it yourself, why would anybody bother to pay? Professionals have access to more sophisticated paints that will produce a much more durable finish than anything you can buy and apply yourself.

FWIW, I think I paid $150 to have the frame and fork I built powder coated. That included bead-blasting, masking+plugging, and everything else. $150 was the minimum charge from my powder coater; I probably could have had two frames done for that price! If you want fancy powder (metallics, translucents, etc) expect to pay extra. In my area, a good wet paint job costs $350-400 for a basic job. If you want multiple colors or require fancy masking, the price goes up quite a bit.

If you want gloss black get it done professionally. Satin or flat, do it yourself. Ive done it many times and it always comes out looking good.

Don't forget that you have to strip and rebuild the frame. If you have the tools and knowhow, the cost is minimal (cables and tape). If you don't, it adds up!

I do like a matte finish... what kind of paint/primer/clear coat did you use? How durable was the paint?

I've seen them done for as little as 80 from autobody shops.

You can certainly pay more than that if you go with multiple colors and such. For example, I paid a whopping $575.



--Steve

I would suggest a self-etching primer and rustoleum american accents. It was pretty durable without a clear.

If that's what you're going for, just scuff the existing paint, no need to strip it if it's a new or good condition frame, and black primer the frame. You can follow that with a matte clear if you want. Rustoleum should be very durable for a DIY job. Or, look into a shop that will strip and epoxy prime the frame black and ask if they can throw a clear over that for you.