# Spraying Brompton in London



## pippo (23 Oct 2020)

Hi,

the paint of the back triangle of my 2014 Brompton got damaged in a clumsy fold (chain had come off).

Does anybody know of a reliable place in London to have it resprayed? 

Many thanks in advance.


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## Kell (23 Oct 2020)

Welcome. 

This doesn't help, but Bromptons are powdercoated not painted. 

Never had to have mine redone so no idea who does it well. 

But it might help narrow down your search if you look for Powdercoating.

How bad is it? Any pics?


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## Gunk (23 Oct 2020)

But wet painting will be fine, they don’t have to be powder coated


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## 12boy (24 Oct 2020)

I sprayed mine, which was black, with good quality spray paint. Works well.


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## u_i (24 Oct 2020)

Spray.Bike has a good reputation.


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## pippo (24 Oct 2020)

Kell said:


> Welcome.
> 
> This doesn't help, but Bromptons are powdercoated not painted.
> 
> ...


Thank you all. It looks rather bad to me, particularly given the very exposed location. Here's a picture.


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## Gunk (24 Oct 2020)

Brompton sell touch up paint, personally I’d just touch it in.


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## midlife (24 Oct 2020)

Bit of touch up and a well placed decal will hide that


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## cougie uk (24 Oct 2020)

Have been to the Brompton shop in Covent Garden ? Ask them for touch up paint.


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## pippo (24 Oct 2020)

Brompton lists the paint as out of stock on their website which, according to a person at the Covent garden shop, is the best indication of what the shop has. Apparently it is available at Condor Cycles. Thank you all for your help!


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## Gunk (24 Oct 2020)

You want a dab of etch primer on it first, rub it back with fine wet and dry before adding the top coat, once dry I would use something like T Cut to cut it back


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## Illaveago (25 Oct 2020)

midlife said:


> Bit of touch up and a well placed decal will hide that


Or as it seems like it might happen again , touch it up and then put some clear vinyl helicopter tape over the area .


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## berlinonaut (25 Oct 2020)

pippo said:


> Brompton lists the paint as out of stock on their website which, according to a person at the Covent garden shop, is the best indication of what the shop has. Apparently it is available at Condor Cycles. Thank you all for your help!


Many Brompton Colors have RAL codes (while some are Pantone colors and some are neither of the two), so basically any shop that sells paint will be able to provide you with paint in the correct color. As your's seems so to be mate orange and (due to the state of the paint hopefully) not a 2020 model RAL 2004 is probably the correct color, judging from Brompton's support pages.


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## 12boy (25 Oct 2020)

The tape seems wise to me. What is the black thing on the other chainstay? Having some paint handy will be needed sooner or later for the inevtable dings and scratches.


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## berlinonaut (25 Oct 2020)

12boy said:


> What is the black thing on the other chainstay?


I'd assume a it is cadence sensor.


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## pippo (25 Oct 2020)

berlinonaut said:


> I'd assume a it is cadence sensor.


Correct!

As for the RAL code, I too think it's 2004, although my bike was produced in Octer 2014 while the Brompton support pages cover only up to 2015.


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## pippo (26 Oct 2020)

Gunk said:


> You want a dab of etch primer on it first, rub it back with fine wet and dry before adding the top coat, once dry I would use something like T Cut to cut it back


Ready to go, but need some clarifications (I have never done this before). Most etch primers are sold in spray cans. When you write "a dab" do you mean, spraying on a brush or similar and applying by hand? Also when you write T-cut, I assume you mean the scratch remover not the colour restorer? Am I right?

Many thanks!


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## Gunk (26 Oct 2020)

Buy a small touch up pot of grey etch primer (Halfords sell it) and carefully brush it on, just very thin coats. Flatten it back with fine wet and dry paper (soaked in water) once the top coat is on, again a couple of thin coats brushed on, then let it harden and cut it back with T Cut colour restorer (it’s a very fine abrasive)

Let us know how you get on


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## Blue Hills (27 Oct 2020)

u_i said:


> Spray.Bike has a good reputation.


Interesting - will look into.
Though I note that it says the optimum temp range for the job, which you have to do outside for understandable reasons, is 20 to 25 centigrade. Somewhat restricts opps for doing the job in many northern parts of the UK.


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## Kell (27 Oct 2020)

Yeah - if it's too cold you'll get orange peel effect at best, and at worst it will just peel off.


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## pippo (28 Oct 2020)

Gunk said:


> Buy a small touch up pot of grey etch primer (Halfords sell it) and carefully brush it on, just very thin coats. Flatten it back with fine wet and dry paper (soaked in water) once the top coat is on, again a couple of thin coats brushed on, then let it harden and cut it back with T Cut colour restorer (it’s a very fine abrasive)
> 
> Let us know how you get on


Got all the bits and bobs and am ready to go. Just a few clarifications:
1. Etch primer. Thin coat, let it dry, repeat. When top coat is dry sand with wet and dry paper? Top coat touch dry or hardened? Which grade paper?
2. Paint. Thin coat, let it dry, repeat. When top coat is hardened, polish with T Cut colour restorer.

Have I got it right? 

Many thanks!


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## Gunk (28 Oct 2020)

pippo said:


> Got all the bits and bobs and am ready to go. Just a few clarifications:
> 1. Etch primer. Thin coat, let it dry, repeat. When top coat is dry sand with wet and dry paper? Top coat touch dry or hardened? Which grade paper?
> 2. Paint. Thin coat, let it dry, repeat. When top coat is hardened, polish with T Cut colour restorer.
> 
> ...



Sounds right, use very fine wet and dry, use it wet, don’t rub too hard.

Touch dry between coats but let the primer dry overnight before applying the orange top coat


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## midlife (28 Oct 2020)

Way back I used to have some wipes used between coats to help, by 3M I think. I guess it's OK to just make sure it's clean and dry between coats?


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