My geared commuter is long overdue a revamp. Part of its TLC-package will be making all the little tweaks to the cable runs that have niggled me for ages by adding/removing cable guides and having the whole lot repainted.

It’s and 7005 frame and I only wanted it painted in plain red. Argos will do what I want in a one-stop-shop service for ~£200, but I’d prefer to try powder coating, over paint, as I’m not too bothered about the finish but would like it to be tough and not cost the earth. Are there any refinishers that will do the mods and powder coating on one site – pref around Bristol, but I realise other localities are available? I know I can do the leg-work myself and get the mods done first, then send it somewhere else for the powder coating….. but let’s assume I’m a lazy sod for a moment…. 😉

Not that I’ve heard of. ABC for the paint.

Can you do powder coat over paint? I thought you needed a metal surface for it to stick to?

Clubber – thought as much, opening in the market perhaps? 😉 ABC are in Nailsea, correct?

Yep, that’s them though you need to mask carefully and they are getting more expensive these days.

wwaswas – I’ll get the whole thing blasted anyway as the extra guides will mess up the currently messed up finish anyway. I know a man locally that will acid dip the frame for a fiver if I do that myself, but that’s another operation to organise….

Yep, that’s them though you need to mask carefully and they are getting more expensive these days

All good info – any idea of what current costs might be?

I paid £40 a few months back for a single colour.

Super job – thanks. Pics of the results, perchance?? 😉

EDIT: …and did they do the shot blasting as well, or did you provide the bare frame to them prep’ed and masked and they simply put the colour on?

ABC will blast and powder coat the frame for £40 (sadly their prices have gone up recently) and will also do a small parts for free (e.g. pedals, stem) if you want a distinctive looking bike). Totally bomb proof finish

Where they’ve fallen down in the past IME is colour matching (ask to see a painted up sample if they’ve got one) and particularly masking. Frames sent to them tend to come back with paint where it shouldn’t be (e.g. BB threads, seat tube) and no paint where it should be (they masked the relief holes in my Cove frame’s chainstays, presumably thinking they were rack mounts!). If you’re willing to do your own masking or have access to reaming and facing tools then they are great value and generally very quick (sub 7 days).

For bike-specific work then Griff’s in Kingswood have a great rep but they are slightly dearer. They also do anodising apparently, so you can be even more “fashion forward”.

Thanks Mr A – anodized…. swoons…..

There is a chrome plating place aroud the corner from my office, and I have contemplated a fully plated frame…. though, apart from the practicalities, it just might look a little ‘too much’ 😆

I’ve had a few done 🙂

Try Keynsham Powder Coatings. Used them a number of times and never been disappointed. Can shot blast and powder coat under one roof.

Don’t forget that powdercoating heat treated alu is a perilous task, as is paint removal by anything other than solvent dip – both can make your frame a nasty paperweight if done clumsily.

Hello Griffs motorcraft in Fishponds.

Did you revive a 7 month dead thread to advertise said powder coaters??

Don’t forget that powdercoating heat treated alu is a perilous task

I don’t think powder coating gets hot enough.

That Keynesham place is expensive…

Customers with very small scale orders should be aware that we have a minimum order charge of £55 +VAT.

do you need special stuff to mask frames for powder coating? I’m getting a frame done I’m building soon and suppose its a better idea to do it your self and then you know what wants doing

So….. after much (yes, nearly 9 months!) faffing, I now have the bare frame ready for refinishing. Options on the table are:

– strip, blast, mask and powder coat in a single colour for ~£50
– strip, blast, polish and anodise in a single colour for ~ £150

The anodising cost isn’t as mad as I thought it would be (turnaroundis about a month compared to a week for the powdercoat though) and my head is nowing being turned in this direction. Should I just go cheap and cheerful with a powdercoat finish or go for the whole hog and get a lovely ano red finish (like the mid nineties Zaskar’s) – or is just polishing a proverbial as it is ‘only’ my summer commute/road training bike?

Not one opinion?!?! Standards, people, standards 😉

Anyways, head says anodising, wallet says powdercoat! 😆

If it’s an all weathers, lock it up outside the pub sort of bike, I wouldn’t spend an extra £100 on a finish that’s just going to get scuffed up…

You need to be careful with the baking temp when powder coating alu. Get it too hot and it will affect the heat treating.

You need to be careful with the baking temp when powder coating alu. Get it too hot and it will affect the heat treating.

I’ve checked the temp and cure time and I believe all is well on that front.