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I need to make a decision in the next few days on whether to strip my frame down and send it off to its maker for a new lick of paint. Unfortunately this comes at a cost and in these uncertain times this money could be better spent elsewhere or not spent at all.
Adv: New paint job, new colour, frame re-checked, bearings and graphics replaced
DisAdv: £170 notes excluding posting, without bike for possible 3 weeks
So, not knowing much about paint, is it possible to bring the shine back to what is now a dull and tired looking frame? With a car you can use T-Cut. Is there something similar for bikes?
Turtle wax colourmagic is very good for filling in all the tiny scrapes and scratches. Halfords sell it.
Thanks gingerflash, will this also resolve the dull paintwork issue which is my primary concern as it likes tired and faded? I've tried car polish before (AutoGlym) but it does not do the trick.
...that should say looks tired and jaded...
King, yes indeed it will make it look shiny and new. It's really great stuff. Sadly they don't do orange for my Chromag.
if your bike is metalic or powdercoat yot really need 2 be careful. T cut or similar take a fine film off non metalic paint fine but on metalic or powder coat all you are doing is reducing the clear coat on the top of the paint. This means that the paint will lose all its shine and protection to scratches.
Xan is right, but it if your frame is a solid colour, use the T cut you mentioned first, then the colourmagic or any other good car polish to really buff it up..
The T cut will clean off the dead paint and leave you paint worth giving a polish, dont go mad with the T cut you never know how much paint you have on it until you show the undercoat then its too late!!
T-cut also do a cutting/restorative compound for metallic paint..
Once you've given it a good going over, you need to polish to protect the paint/laquer finish,
You'd be amazed at how much 'superficial' improvement can be made with tyre polish! Keeps the dirt off pretty well too.
You could find an industrial powdercoaters near you that'll do you a cheap powdercoat job on it. No need to spunk that much cash if its one colour at a 'bicycle' resprayers. Often less than half the cost if you blank the bb shell, headtube etc yourself. I'm about to send a couple of frames off myself.
Google/Yellow pages.
Thanks guys. This maybe a stupid question but how do I know whether its metallic or powdercoat? If it helps its an Orange 5 '07 in Silver. So it's all one colour.
I think part of returning the bike back to Halifax was to have a respray but also for new bearings, graphics and to have the frame fettled/tested.
I'm going to try gingerflash's suggestion and use colourmagic to see what effect that has.
Run half a can of BACK TO BLACK or TYRE SHINE over it you'll be amazed how good it looks afterwards.
Watch out for the slippy tyres though.
An orange 5 in silver will be powder coated I would imagine if not it will def be metalic. As bear back said they do a metalic cutting compound but to be honest I have never been over convinced with it apart for light scratches. If you rub your nail over it and it drops into the scratch it is too deep to do anything with apart from take it to a paintshop.
As anotherdeadhero says yuou cpuld take it to a local powdercoaters and get it bead blasted and re coated. Powdercoating is stronger and more duiable than paint but can not really be touched up once you damage it.
DASHBOARD SHINE..........