Changing colours!

[Jigglestumps]

I want to change the colour of a frame that I have, it's a light weight Aluminium frame (I bet you Americans can tell I'm English with my spellings).

The problem is that my frame is covered in a plastic coating. not the kind that you'd usually find on a painted frame but an actual coating of plastic. It almost feels warm to touch! Does this ring any bells for anyone? It picks of in vulnerable places such as the dropout and eyelet holes and is about .5mm thick. But I think it might be a pain to pick off completely and it would look seriously crap if I only got half way before I realised this.

Does anyone know how to get this stuff off?

If I get it off will it be okay to paint an aluminium frame?

Am I making a big mistake?

If I can't get the "Plastic paint" off is there any way I can go over it without it looking shabby?

Is there a way to get rid of the horrible marks on the plastic if all else fails?


Thanks in advanced, I'll answer any questions if I've not made myself clear.
Jai

 

[domtyler]

Sounds as if it is powder coated Jai. Find a decent frame builder in your area and get it sand blasted clean and resprayed.

 

[walker]

I want to change the colour of a frame that I have, it's a light weight Aluminium frame (I bet you Americans can tell I'm English with my spellings).

not many yanks here mate, if any

the .co.uk should give that away.

 

[Amanda P]

Sounds as if you want to re-paint the frame yourself. I would recommend you don't, because a powder coater can do it for much the same as you'd spend on aerosol paint and do a much better job. The coating you describe sounds like powder coat - it's actually an epoxy that's applied as a powder, using static electricity to make it stick, then backed on in an oven.

If done properly, it's tough and looks good, much better than aerosol paint.

The guy down the road from me will do a single colour powder coat on a frame, including bead-blasting it to bare metal (which will remove pretty much anything) and cleaning up the threads afterwards, for about £30.

There's probably a powder coat specialist near you who'll do the same thing.

 

[Jigglestumps]

I didn't think of that, the co.uk does give it away aye! haha.
Yes, it is powder coated. I have spent a few hours looking for ways to remove this but it seems that you are right, the best way is to pay a pro to do it for me. I've been quoted £45 - £50. More than you said but I'll shop around and see if anyone can do it cheaper.
Thanks for the info and advice guys, very helpful.

Does anyone know of any pro's or cons about the colours? I like brown but it's a bit wierd.... I also like white but that's too cliché and also might not age well.

Regards,
Jai

 

[Maz]

Does anyone know of any pro's or cons about the colours? I like brown but it's a bit wierd.... I also like white but that's too cliché and also might not age well.

Black is deffo the best colour, IMHO. Never goes out of fashion.

 

[Amanda P]

White will only look clean for about five mintues.

Black's good. Or go for a nice bright primary colour - those look best in powder coat. You can get "flamboyant" or "metallic" colours in powder, but they're not as good as the enamel versions and many powder coaters don't do them.

And you're right. Brown is wierd. There was a Pompino in a sort of mud brown one year and I heard it didn't sell well.

 

[gbb]

I go with UnclePhil...dont try to DIY.
I did, wished i hadnt bothered. Spent hours meticulously rubbing down, primed and can sprayed the frame.....for it to start coming off straight away
Powdercoated it....it takes abuse that ordinary can spray will not.

 

[dan_bo]

White will only look clean for about five mintues.

Black's good. Or go for a nice bright primary colour - those look best in powder coat. You can get "flamboyant" or "metallic" colours in powder, but they're not as good as the enamel versions and many powder coaters don't do them.

And you're right. Brown is wierd. There was a Pompino in a sort of mud brown one year and I heard it didn't sell well.

IT'S COFFEE AND CREAM OK?and it does look good honest.ish.

 

[Odyssey]

Sounds as if you want to re-paint the frame yourself. I would recommend you don't, because a powder coater can do it for much the same as you'd spend on aerosol paint and do a much better job.

I painted mine, myself. In fact I've done a few bikes since I was about 11 years old (*reminisces first illuminous orange paintwork*). Last time it cost me about 20 quid, not including the forks because I didn't have enough paint and it's still a bit thin in a few select but undercover places.

I also had a BMX powdercoated a good few years ago and that paint barely chipped at all no matter how much I threw it about. Although it's pretty thick, on a road bike I wonder if weight would be an issue? A lot of back street garages and scrapyards do it for a good price - around 30 quid, including shot blasting (which will save you about a week of sanding!). Although last time I went round for quotes I was repeatedly given the choice of about 3 colours...

 

[Alves]

Black is deffo the best colour, IMHO. Never goes out of fashion.

Yeah, but Red is faster, well known.