Newbie questions - Frame stripping & painting...

Ok - I apologise if these topics have been covered before but....

After bumping into a guy in my local bike shop - Colchester Cycle Stores, and him informing me of this site - Ive been inspired to purchase a 2nd hand 18" 95 Kula frame - which has seen better days paintwise! and build it up into a retro road training bike...

Now my questions are as follows:

Whats the best way to remove the tired respray that currently coat the tubes?

Respray wise - im a little worried...
My brother had his Orange clockwork painted, and it chipped quite easily - something i dont want! Id look to send it to Argos - can anyone comment on the quality/durability of their work?

Weight wise - id like the bike to be as light as possible - so this means going down the P2 route rather than suspension (even though I get pins and needles of the hands)! As i havent got the frame yet, any ideas on what length fork steerer id need please?

Im like a kid now....wanting to get this project underway!

Anyway...im off to Cubs

Argos is very, very good. But expensive, and dare I say it a bit too good for your Kona.
Powdercoating is cheap and more durable than paint, you could get a frame redone locally for £20-£40.
If you're getting pins and needles, I'd make sure the bike fit. That's more inportant to comfort than suspension.

designer1":cs4m1tl1 said:

After bumping into a guy in my local bike shop - Colchester Cycle Stores, and him informing me of this site

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Welcome ...... that i'll be me then!

Nitromors for stripping and a bit of graft to get the surface clean for paint.

I'm sure someone put a link up for a good powder coater near Ipswich a while back... can't remember the details though.

Cheers,
boy"O"boy

Hi !!!!

Thanks for the heads up on the site! Truly Superb...

Powder coating in Ipswich sounds interesting - but i'd like a cable stop added (any recommendations locally)?????

Thanks again...

Adding a cable stop should be do-able although may be a little trickier because you have an aluminium frame. Steel would be no issue, weld whatever you want to it, but aluminium is heat treated so welding can cause some upset to the frames strength.

That said if you get some one experienced it should be do-able.

Glad I came across this thread, was going to send my frame to Argus, I hadn't considerd powder coating, turns out there are alot of firms in my area who will do it for a lot cheaper than enamal stoving. Cheers

powder coaters will also prep the frame by blasting it, save you a bit of dosh and elbow grease

wow thats 3 of us from colchester then! if you go the powder coating route, impact coating, by roller world, is good and only £20 for a frame...

£20.00 sounds superb!!

I presume you have had a frame done by them?
What was it like.....quality/durability etc

Also - do they lacquer over the finished colour to achieve a gloss finish and seal it or??????

Thanks for the recommendation - fellow Colchesterarian!

chris667":34etpi2c said:

Argos is very, very good. But expensive, and dare I say it a bit too good for your Kona.
Powdercoating is cheap and more durable than paint, you could get a frame redone locally for £20-£40.
If you're getting pins and needles, I'd make sure the bike fit. That's more inportant to comfort than suspension.

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the quality of their work is very good, but the enamel paint chips VERY easilly. you would be looking at around 200 quid though

mine