I've got an stripped low-end '93 Kona steel frame that I'm turning into a utility/tourer. I want to paint it, and the Rivendell Lime Olive colour is just lovely.
It's a cheap old frame, and while I have a lot of patience and time, I don't have a lot of money. I don't want to spend a fortune on a professional job.
I'm in the UK and metallic olive spray paint seems pretty hard to find. Does anyone know of a rattle-can solution to get anywhere near this colour?
(photo from Woods Cyclery)
by StoatMilk
6 Comments
Depending on your budget automotive paint in rattle cans can be ordered to custom colors. It is also higher quality paint and with a good quality 2k clear coat and patience and after watching vids it can give really good results from what I have seen, though I’ve not done it myself.
I once ordered a can of color matched automotive paint and clear coat of decent quality for a different project, I think it set me back like 40-50€ but this was 10 years ago.
I’ve never used them to spray a frame but Montana paints are worth looking at, they have a huge colour range. This might be in the ballpark of what you’re after: [Metallic Avocado Green](https://www.montana-cans.com/Montana-METALLIC-400ml/494130)
I’d try using a rust inhibiting primer and a durable clearcoat such as 2k (although it’s quite nasty stuff so be careful if you do).
You might require a combination of 2 different paints layered on top of each other in the correct order to get the desired effect, but I’m no expert in bike painting, I’m a canvas painter. Spray.bike seems like a good jumping off point.
Bike farmer on youtube recently did a trek 950 repaint (and it was green) and MonkeyShred has some good reviews which double up sortof as tutorials. 2nd life bikes and toasty rides also have repaint videos. My understanding is getting the bike media blasted at a powder coat shop is indeed worth every penny rather than stripping the paint yourself.
If you do the riv colour you might wanna buy their [“resurrectio” decal kit](https://www.rivbike.com/products/resurrectio-decals) for the finish to complete the vibe 🤘
My local powdercoater has a metallic powder that is close to this – they charged me £120 to do a customers frame and fork this colour
Where did you get the plate to mount the back light? 3d printer? I need that! 😀
Would [spray.bike](http://spray.bike) an option (in the UK)? Plus Transparent Finish, of course.