good way to remove Surly decals?
 

I want to remove the decals from one of my bike but dont want to jack up the paint. Anyone know a good way? Acetone maybe?

Why would you want to remove the decals form your LHT I like mine on it.

Use a hair dryer. Put it on low heat, and make sure you sweep it back and forth. Just do not get the paint real hot or it may bubble on you. The heat from the dryer will loosen up the glue on the decals. Then take some soapy water to remove the rest of the glue.
IF you do not feel safe in doing it, take your bike to a Auto Body shop and have them do it.

Some, not me, might have a problem with the fff :)

z

The easiest way is duct tape. A lot of people use blow driers and a plastic knife or metal razor and mess up their paint jobs. Just use some decent duct tape. Use small pieces and put it over one of the letters. Press it down good and firm and then remove quickly like you would a band-aid.

I finally had some success with sticking dock tape over the "Long Haul Trucker" decal and lifting it. I said some success because the other decals wouldn't budge using the same method.

Others have used the heat of a hair dryer and plastic scrapers, credit card or CDs to scrape off the softened decal.

Others yet have used mild solvents like "Goo Gone", dampening a paper towel or the likes with it, applying over the decal and covering with Saran Wrap or the likes for up to 24 hours. I fear this one most but I only read of one guy reporting discoloration with the black color of a Crosscheck.

Then all is fine since he doesn't want to remove the decals on your LHT.

Seriously though, Surly is really exaggerating the dose this year with big decals on the top and down tubes, the rear stays, the bases and the fork plus a badge on the head tube and the alloy mention on the seat tube near the BB. Moreover, for those who build their own bike from frameset, having it look like Surly did the whole design is a bit misleading. Imagine that, starting next year I won't be using their fork half the time, if at all. Another reason is the grunge font they use: I'm a Rock'n Roll type of guy. ;)

Duct tape pulled all my LHT decals right off. Just like zeppinger said, press it down nice and firm on the decals and yank 'em off. Had to use multiple pieces of tape on some decals, but they all came off nice and clean.

Ya, with the smaller decals on the back you might have to take a square of ductape and "dab" it a bunch of times on each letter. The smaller decals take a little longer but eventually came off. The whole bike took about 30 minutes to do. After you have dabbed for a few minutes with one square of ductape you will need a new, stickier one. Much better than risking the pain job.

mine blew off The Dummy when I was on tour going down the coast...
well... sort of
I stopped at a car wash to blast the chain and just lightly go over the entire bike
when... VIOLA! decals gone

Arrrgh!!!!! you pressure washed your chain?!?!?!?!

*facepalm*

Don't use Goo Gone. It will discolor the paint if you let it soak. I had to use automotive polishing compound to get rid of the sticker "shadow" left behind by Goo Gone. Credit card works best, followed by rubbing alcohol. No marks of any kind.

A cross check, not an LHT

I travel light and fast. I have an LHT but am trying to sell the frame because I never managed to carry enough gear to justify the beefiness

I have never had a bike that came with decals, they have always been painted logos etc. My current bike I have logo being made for right now though it was a old farme I got I gave it to an auto body friend of mine last year and he was painting a car charcoal at the time so took it in the booth and use the lasy of his paint on it and I am slapping my own decals on it. It is nice to customize it a bit, I know I won't have anyone the same parked next to me but it would be real nice to have a friend who did airbrushing LOL

I was washing my LHT last year and the decals started to flake off as I hosed down the bike. I was using the hose at home (not a pressure washer). So after one came off, I just started hitting the others and they all flaked off. I was using a car wash soap, which I had used before. And I think I had washed the bike at least once before in the proceeding year ;-) So I don't know what happened, but I like it without the decals.

Taking the stickers off a Surly? Oh, the horror! You certainly won't be turtely enough for the turtle club any more! :P

Removing the decals is also an anti-theft measure of sorts. Less incentive to steal a bike if people think that it's a relic from the early '80s. It wouldn't help for people who know about these sorts of bikes, but those people are relatively few (and not likely to steal).

I removed the "head badge" too. It actually was never applied very well it would seem because one of the corners was not in contact with the head tube when I got the bike. Normally a head badge is made of metal and is finely crafted. These are crappy silver puff stickers! If Surly really wanted you to keep their stickers on they would make them better quality. To be frank I would rather the bike not come with any so I didn't have to pay for them. Let people who want to advertise they have a Surly pay extra.

head badge fell off

I had my Pug powder coated in flat O.D. green
the finish has a stippled texture that pretty much makes any sticker fall right off

oh ya... for sure
while on tour, and not caring too much about things
no doubt... I'm quick to use a pressure washer on the chain... blast that stuff right off
reapply chain lube

as it was, that drivetrain lasted 2yrs

I see little problem using pressure washing on the chain, inasmuch it gets lubed afterward.
Notice that even a simple garden hose can clean out the grease from the hubs, especially the non-sealed Shimanoes. That could spell real trouble if they're not repacked right away.

discriminate use of power

I used duct tape to pull off some of the decals on my Cross Check.

Thats cool. I wouldn't mind doing one of my bikes up in flat OD, with everything not painted being black.