i did a quick search throughout the forum for a topic on this, and aside from a really old one with no information i couldn't find much - sorry if this has been brought up recently. I've read up on the environmental / worker risks and the more environmental friendly ways.

I'm planning on attempting to restore my bike to the original setup. It is a 1973 Peugeot track frame (i've only seen 2 other ones online) which had been sandblasted and powdercoated grey before I got it. Originally the frame was just white with the decals, but since i will be ****ing with it anyways I figured to have a little bit of leeway and I've tossed around the idea of chroming out the back 1/3rd of the rear triangle (ala a cinelli olympic, etc) and the bottom half of the fork.

Does anyone have any experience with chroming part of a frame? I've been playing phone tag with places around here and haven't gotten anyone on a phone here to find out about prices, but if it's around $100 i plan on doing it. How will chroming affect the integrity / weight of the frame? What prices did you see when doing this? How well does the chrome hold up (this will have clearcoat over it as well), especially near the track ends.

Thanks!

call up cycleart out in ca.......

https://www.cyclart.com/
CyclArt, Bicycle painting, restoration, vintage bikes and classic parts

but I am pretty sure you won't be ablto get it done for 100

Look up Custom big rig truck shops. They chrome in bulk, and often don't advertise in metal fabrication sections of the yellowpages.

You can also get "chrome" powdercoat. Looks a little different, but very nice.

yeah, i was hoping to get it done locally at a local plater.

It will probably cost you $100 just to get the powder coat stripped off your frame and you really do not want to blast a frame too many times. An outfit that plates bumpers will not treat your bike any better than a truck bumper, as a matter of fact most platers will not do a good job on a bike, the ones that can would probably charge around $500-600 to do your job.

I would go with a classic white/black peugeot paint scheme from the 60's/70's, that would be very nice!

vjp

Christ, do people in your town poop diamonds and benjamins? A strip job here (paint or otherwise) is 30 bucks max. Steel tubes can be sandblasted as many times as you want with no worry of...whatever you're afraid of.

all as I have to say is : be carefull, it's really easy to get a poor-chrome job, get advice from former clients. Gather all that you can as far as recomendations in ANY chroming.I've been involved in more custom/hot rod jobs than I care to remember. I've had chrome shops do really crappy work, only one or two have satisfied me.Excuses: "sorry mister, you shoulda prepped it better or OH..you didn't SAY that you wanted SHOW finish.The point is,many in the chrome/electroplating field work mostly through "contract " work, it's specific,uniform,working with clean,near pristine objects. They may not CARE if the work that they do for you is great or they don't realize or they've been subjected to excessive fumes.Out of all the subbed work I've ever gotten involved in,chroming .I'm soory to go on like this,it just strikes a nerve with me.Worse than paint,that's for sure.The weight is negligable.Some older bike frames were chromed THEN painted over.

the frame will already be stripped to be powdercoated afterwards, so iwon't have toworry about that. the people painting it (circleA) recently had a guy come in with a pretty bad nickel plating so i'm hoping to find someone good.

wrong

vjp

Sandblasting may cost only $30 but that is the easiest step. The key to chroming is polishing the bare metal, garbage in - garbage out. Chroming does not cover defects, it amplifies them. The problem with bike frames, as compared to automotive parts is that they are hard to handle around a buffing wheel and take a lot of time to smooth properly.

Also, they will remove a LOT more powder coating than will be chromed. Chromers will not risk contaminating their baths. I would agree with vjp, a good job for 1/3 of a frame will cost $400-$600. A crappy job will run $200-$300. Then you will have to re-powder coat the remainder of the bike.

not worth it

+1

usually 600 is the fiogure i've heard tossed around

I was just looking for a painter, and saw this.

https://www.bikyle.com/Repaints.htm

$600!?

How much for just the rear dropouts?

100 for 4 dropouts according to the price list at: https://www.bikyle.com/Repaints.htm

I have a feeling a bike-specific plating company will charge a lot more than a normal plating company.
I mean, how much 'experience' does one need to chrome 4 dropouts? I bet, if you wanted something like this chromed, you could get it for a lot cheaper by just asking around.

For an idea of what this might cost, consider Mercian's charges for these services.

Mercian charges pounds sterling, but I think a pound presently goes for around $1.90.

Besides, Mercian has a currency converter on their site.

Anyway:

https://www.merciancycles.com/renovation.asp

=====

Chrome front dropouts £34.00
Chrome rear dropouts £50.00
Chrome rear dropouts and right hand chainstay £76.00
Chrome front ends – approximately 6" £57.00
Chrome rear ends – approximately 6" £114.00
Chrome rear ends up to bridges £143.00
All chrome forks £85.00
Chrome crown £38.00

=====

I think doubling the numbers would give an approximation in dollars.

There's a guy in Perry, Florida who chromed a couple of forks for us for $20 each. Did a great job too. Friendly guy, family business I think. He took us into the back, showed us all the steps, explained everything to us.

Best part of the whole trip: The guy is talking about polishing wheels with the frame builder Brendan McGrath, and asks what kind of wheels do you use. Brendan pauses, looks confused and says "I just build the frames, people can put whatever kind of wheels they want on it." Awkward silence ensued.

I think if you talk to the person and tell them what you're looking for, they might be able to tell you what they need from you to do a good job, or how much you need to pay them to do it for you. Just call around and maybe ask a few more people.

Even if the job itself is not going to be that expensive, most plating operations will have a minimum lot charge, usually $200+ depending on the shop. I just had 10 small parts (you could fit all ten in your hand) electroless nickel plated, and the shop had a minimum lot charge of $250, regardless of how simple the job was. FWIW.

-J

If you are looking into getting chrome work done, please - for the sake of the planet - go to a place that does trivalent chroming. Hexvalent chrome plating is nasty stuff.

Someone else who's with me!

Check this thread I started a while back on chrome if you're interested at all...
https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/269341-mis-information-chrome-plating.html