I will soon be at the point to prep my bike for paint.
(the bike PUCH Mistral,reynolds 531,all campy SR-9.2kgs)
Honestly the paint is in pretty good shape...it just.... the color

champagne...AKA metallic pink

the point is
I will most likely paint strip it down (save weight!)

and start over from there.
my LBS who has gone through the process many times told me there is a local guy who has painted frames for him in the past, he had 2 bikes to show and they looked good.

He said the guy charges 200€ (lets say 200 units)

other option is to paint it myself with duplicolor it will run me maybe 50 on primer,paint and clear- it is not as durable as good 2k stuff, I have done lots of can paintjobs with excelent results but it is still only enamel paint.

so the question is
how many of you have gone through a pro paintjob and how was the price and the results? would you do it again?

(In the states a beer will cost you 2 bucks, in England 2 quid, in europe 2 euros= a unit is a unit if you dont cross borders)

mike in Finland

I don't have any input on pro paint jobs, except to say that 200 units doesn't sound like a lot of money if the work looks good. Around here a bike-specific sandblast+PC will cost about the same.

And for what it's worth, duplicolor makes plenty of spray can paints that are not enamels. I'm currently painting a bike using their spray lacquer and it looks good, time will tell as to durability though.

I think i commented on your thread, I mentioned 2k spray cans

Duplicolor holds up pretty well compared to other brands in my experience.

rattlecan!

i only think having it professionally painted makes sense in these scenarios:
1. you are unable to spray paint (living conditions, etc.).
2. you are doing an original restoration.
3. you have more money than time.

if you can be gentle to your rattlecan job for about 3 months, it will probably hold up very well. touch up is easy as well.

the thing is Im picky, the last paint job I went for was my 1959 vespa GS, a valuable piece, It was my friend back home that painted it, buy I did all the 800 grit wetsanding before the metallic started, I was there the whole night watching my baby get painted, it was a lot of fun, we went home at 5am

so I feel a expensive bike deserved a quality paint job-its like an investment right?

200 units sounds very fair for a professional job (though $1 is more like 1.5 euros or pounds these days).

Here in the US we pay $4-$5 for a pint of good microbrew draft beer.

That's about the price I pay for a sandblast + 1 colour + applying decals (not including the decals themselves) + clearcoat. Done by a professional, result much better looking and more durable than rattlecan spray. Much more shine and depth in the color.

Nice ride. Almost as nice as a Lambretta

I wonder why they dont use Lammys at Eroica???I guess they wont make the 200 kms without having backup!

I have a Vespa also but have 3 Lambrettas. I have never had a problem but like all old bikes they are all finicky including my vespa and puch.

I have done duplicolor and real automotive paint (using preval sprayers). both take the same prep and time.

Duplicolor is hands down not anywhere near as durable and it was more expensive that I expected

Real auto paint is way more durable, toxic and expensive. Part of the expense is that you can't buy it in the smaller amounts needed for a bike frame. I was in the 120-140 units for just materials. i have enough to do more frames, but who want to paint everything the same color?

My take would be to take it to have the guy do it (but double check what he does... should be strip bare metal, acid etch primer, sanding primer, multiple coats of color, and multiple coasts of celar)

I have promised my self the next time I would just powder coat.....but I just was given a torpado.....and the beige pearl is a nice color.....and maybe I will paint another frame.

i say that every time i finish painting a frame, but i never want to spend the money when it comes time to do it again. i also think it is like giving birth, and you eventually forget how painful it was.

Here's pricing from a high quality pro.
https://www.sanchezpaintshop.com/Pricing.html

But you get what you pay for.
https://www.sanchezpaintshop.com/Gallery.html

I paid $400 for a single color professional strip, primer, paint, and clear with decals. To me, it was worth it.

Mr sanchez has talent, that is clear.

I was thinking of doing the stripping myself and save the painters time and then I know it is done correct

I want to tape it
I want to sand it
I want to do the decals,
and the striping,
hey, i even want to hang it in the booth!

so I cut out all the labor intensive work on his side.


clearing of decals,

I got my decal set, they are one color "3M scotchcal electrocut"
I dont know if I should clear over them or not- the original bike was not cleared over.

I just had a Colnago Mexico refinished in Power Coat. Total cost was $106.00 Included soda blasting and bright ferrari red finish. Came out great.

powdercoating may be quick and cheap with very good results but it is almost impossible to take off in the future.

my folder has powdercoat, one small nick and the rust travels under it and the finish comes of in chips, hell to touchup.

I prefer paint

FWIW...Powdercoat is super simple to remove. Aircraft stripper bubbles up powdercoat within minutes of application...stiff brush, a garden hose, and a scotchbrite and you're done.

I agree about chipping and touch-ups though.

This is true.

On paint, graphics and or detailing that I would have a problem with are the deciding factors to paint it myself or send it out. Having a painter on the same "wavelength" as you is necessary. Painting a bicycle is not generally a money making proposition, money spent will rarely be recouped. The pleasure of having a nice finish, correct graphics, different color, protection from future trouble is the value.

i found a local powder coater up in rochester ny, i went in with my frame and fork, went through a ton of colors with him and he only charged 85 bucks to sandblast the frame, and powdercoat, plus he plugs all the holes,

did a great job, picked it up in 2 weeks

the powdercoating holds up really well, i have a 1990 trek 930 that i built up like a hybrid, its a nice lugged frame with the trek logo in the frame joints, i thought the pc would fill these parts in but it did not, i would take it there again in a heartbeat