Yet another 1991 Marin Pine Mountain!

The Hundredth Idiot

Dirt Disciple
These seem to be flavour of the month on retrobike so I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring too.

I picked mine up on eBay a few years ago with the intention of making it into a rideable pub bike, and learning more about bike maintenance.

It had been sat in someone's shed for a number of years so was filthy and had very little remaining of the decals. However, it had a lot of original kit on it, including good condition Araya RM-17 rims, cantilever brakes and Deore derailleurs.

The bars aren't original (I've since picked up Marin ones from eBay, albeit in green) and the forks also aren't original (as they are Marin but are in non-Zolatone grey rather than fluoro orange).

I stripped it, cleaned it and put it back together with a new chain, new cassette, new Shimano (UN55, I think) bottom bracket and some new shifters as the original Rapid Fires weren't working. Annoyingly, I broke the matching Zefal grey/orange bottle cage just the other week by putting it on my car bike rack.

I've just fitted a new headset (NOS OEM Deore which I got from eBay in the US) as the old one was indexed so a bit unsettling at times.

And now I'm getting the itch to get it resprayed and smartened up a bit. I've got some decals from gil_m so am ready to go.

I'm not that bothered about making it a perfect restoration - but I want it to look smarter than it does at the moment.

I'll post pictures at the weekend when I get chance to take some. Once I've finished my other pub bike (an old, nondescript racer which will soon be a single speed beater), I'll be taking the Pine Mountain to bits, ready to start on the respray.

I'm not planning on doing the respray myself - I don't have the space, skills, time to do it. So my first question is who should I get to do the respray?

If I go for powdercoating, Finishright in Horsham seems to be relatively local to me in Haywards Heath - what colour codes and so on would I need to give them as information (dark grey zolatone frame with fluoro orange, fork, stem and bars)?

Otherwise, I tried to send a PM to a forum member (Foulplay) who had his 1990 Pine Mountain sprayed by a friend who worked hard to recreate the zolatone effect. If that friend is willing to take on a project (for payment, of course) and is reasonably local to me then that could be a good option. (For some reason, the PM is sat in my outbox rather than having been sent - can't quite figure out how to send it.)

Any other suggestions for a good way of getting this resprayed, bearing in mind I'm not aiming for a perfect, period perfect restoration?

Cheers
 
Hi there,

I would go for powdercoat. It's generally tough and co-operates with decals quite well. As you mention, i have seen good examples of zolatone 2000 recreation but, if the bike is gonna be pub/A-B mess around machine, there is little point in going the extra yard on finish replication.

I hope they do orange flouro too as it is simply over a white undercoat and an instant good/acceptable way of freshening up the flouro parts.

I do intend to get hold of the RAL code for the grey, but cannot get it for a short while. When you take your kit to them, have a look at their offerings and, decide there and then which RAL is the better example. flouro orange is generally an easy one though!

Keep us updated.

cheers.
 
Thanks. I spoke to JR Finishright in Horsham (powdercoaters near me). The guy was very helpful on the phone but was clear that bikes aren't really their thing, although they'd be happy to do it for about £105.

A generic dark grey for the frame isn't a problem but he said they don't do fluoro colours that I would need for the forks/stem/bars. He did say that if I could get hold of some fluoro powder they would be able to apply it for me.

Assuming I got it powdercoated, if I then applied the new decals myself would it be sensible to apply a layer or two of clear lacquer over the decals before rebuilding?
 
:shock: £105.

I can get it done up here for half that, and they 'talk' bikes,mask things off properly etc...so some will lean your way, others won't. keep looking though.

Lacquering. If you can get it done by somebody in the trade(highly recommended) then, yes. It will seal it all in so the bike can withstand muck, dust and lord knows what else and, warm soapy water. All that is repeated many times over the year, so lacquer is worth it, if practicable for you to get it done. Don't do it at home with a rattle can! You need trade quality 2k stuff that hardens. In my experience rattle can DIY lacquer sits on powder rather than adhering, no matter how you prep. I'm just sore from a bad experience though ;)
Although, if your bike won't see much off-road filth and rocky/gritty terrain you may get away with it. Just be sure to apply decals nice and flat and wash gently with a sponge and plain water, or bike specific shampoo.

cheers.
 
I confess that I thought £105 was a little pricey, but I'm new to this so don't really know. Cost of living is a lot in the south-east, for retrobikers and powdercoaters alike! :)

I am from near Scunthorpe originally so might just strap the bike to the back of the car next time I head up north to see family and get someone up there to do it.
 
£105 is really pricey. Usually 30-70 tops. Fluoro is hard to do though and might struggle to get it done.

Lets see some pics!
 
Aurora powder coaters in Northcamp (near Aldershot) charge about £60 for as strip/blast and powder on frame and forks and the know bikes and plug/mask all threads and drain holes.

Carl.
 
Good tip - thanks.

Is that the North Camp on the south side of Farnborough? My company has an office in Farnborough which I work from occasionally. I could find a good excuse to pop over there and drop the bike off / pick it up while I'm there.

Pics will be posted at the weekend (I'm not home during daylight hours during the week at this time of year) - I think you'll particularly enjoy the saddle ...
 
The Hundredth Idiot":8bbrxrvg said:
Good tip - thanks.

Is that the North Camp on the south side of Farnborough? My company has an office in Farnborough which I work from occasionally. I could find a good excuse to pop over there and drop the bike off / pick it up while I'm there.

Pics will be posted at the weekend (I'm not home during daylight hours during the week at this time of year) - I think you'll particularly enjoy the saddle ...

Certainly is the one. Aurora have done two jobs for me now and the guy was meticulous with the Kili stem I gave him to get a decent finish. They are about 500yds from Northcamp station.

Carl.
 
Have a look at LSN coatings: http://www.lsn-coatings.co.uk/90270/info.php?p=4. I think they do flouro colours.

I hade a frame done there for £40.00 and was very pleased with the results, although they may charge a little more for 2 colours.

UK13.jpg


UK14.jpg


I have a tatty 1990 Pine Mountain frame and I was considering having the forks stem and handlebars flouro orange, but having the frame a metallic graphite/dark silver colour instead of the original pale gloss grey.
 
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