Curious George
Member
Nah.....I don’t mind the lettering.
Feel like your bike frame lettering is like a giant billboard?
- Thread starter gregorb
- Start date
MisterBritcom
Active Member
My bike is DIY, but this bugs me regardless of bike type, and mechanical bikes are almost as bad about it. I hate having stuff scream brands at everyone around me.
I like my bikes (electric and regular) to appear understated and unassuming, and hiding the brand can make it less tempting a target to an opportunistic thief as well.
I like my bikes (electric and regular) to appear understated and unassuming, and hiding the brand can make it less tempting a target to an opportunistic thief as well.
Gator
Well-Known Member
I agree. I get tired of advertising. Certain brands of clothes I simply will not buy because of the name or logo. I want to take the GIANT logo off my Quick E +. I looked for oriental dragon decals that might work but the vinyl tape appears to be the way to go.
What is even more annoying is buying some aftermarket gear and having their names plastered all over my bike. I look through the generic stuff first.
What is even more annoying is buying some aftermarket gear and having their names plastered all over my bike. I look through the generic stuff first.
Reid
Well-Known Member
It may seem daunting, but it is not difficult, really, to strip your bike down to the frame. Then prep the bare frame for repainting. Recommended is to find a local bike craftsman who will do the respray for you in a protected place so the result will look as good or better than factory work. If ever I repaint my CCS' bright red frame, I think I will do it all myself with spray cans. Spray cans of the right sort of paint can give very good results for a bike frame repaint job!
ebikenewbie
New Member
I too recently purchased a Voltbike. I count no less then 6 voltbike logos, and i may have missed one or two.
Mikey-
Active Member
For better or worse, a lot of people 'buy' the brand. Lots of customers want their bike to flash the brand name, because they've spent so much time reading/shopping about brands that it feels good having their opinion validated and paraded for all to see.
On another note, I always thought it was quite conflicting that Easy Motion bikes advertise: "The Electric Bike that doesn't look like one", but they blast "E motion" all along the downtube and battery. I love their bikes, my personal bike was an EM for years, but I never did understand that part of it.
On another note, I always thought it was quite conflicting that Easy Motion bikes advertise: "The Electric Bike that doesn't look like one", but they blast "E motion" all along the downtube and battery. I love their bikes, my personal bike was an EM for years, but I never did understand that part of it.
Sure, brand recognition and wanting to show off your bike is natural. At least at first... but after that wears off, I think it hits some people that maybe their particular bike might look better without all that big branding and also be less noticable to people that would like to separate you from your bike. That's how I felt. Did tape out about 75% on my Radbike. Looks much better to me. Earlier post mentioned company that made custom cover stickers for ebikes. Could catch on. Maybe an custom option at purchase to pay a little more for less, or even no branding. Probably get more conversation opening "Hey what is that"? inquiries that way anyway.
Barry S
Well-Known Member
I wonder if an auto paint shop would paint your bike at a discount if you brought it down ready to go with whatever color was being sprayed that day. If they're painting a red Mustang or a black F150 that day, it's some extra $$ for them with paint that's already in the sprayer and you get a professionally done paint job.
Gator
Well-Known Member
Do It! Then send them a photo! Tell them your going to post it all over the internet.
Reid
Well-Known Member
Maybe...name your bike OneLessCar (for example) 
I myself prefer Krylon Fusion and Colormaxx.
It is almost essential with colors like yellow, to put the color coat over a base of white. Reds benefit from going atop a black or gray base coat.
Black and white are perfect base coats because they are both quite opague. If your finish color is light, use a light base coat. Many pigments other than carbon black and the titanium dioxide that are universally used to day in white and black paints, lack good covering power. So, to use a base coat more or less complimentary to your color coat is a good idea. Grey is simply titanium dioxide white with a bit of carbon black.
His video is good, particularly because it shows that if you do not have a perfectly smooth surface, putting fresh color atop is only going to advertise like a neon billboard your failure to fully prep.
One other thought: shake, shake, shake that spraycan and keep it moving fast. I hold the can a bit closer to the work than he does, which makes a wetter coat. Krylon Fusion and Colormaxx both appear to be similar recipes, perhaps they are acrylic enamels. Our USA no longer requires a display of contents on paint labels.
Spray in still air when the humidity is reasonably low and you will a wet-look gloss, no orange peel, that lasts well.
Or go for a matte finish like I did on a cruiser bike frame a year and half ago, a sort of burgundy red Krylon Fusion color. It looks great today. No gloss, no calling attention to itself. That frame just looks like an old bike frame should look. But for my CCS if I ever repaint, I will keep it gloss and just decide whether to paint it white. I might, because a white frame is more visible to cars than the rich red it is at present.
I myself prefer Krylon Fusion and Colormaxx.
It is almost essential with colors like yellow, to put the color coat over a base of white. Reds benefit from going atop a black or gray base coat.
Black and white are perfect base coats because they are both quite opague. If your finish color is light, use a light base coat. Many pigments other than carbon black and the titanium dioxide that are universally used to day in white and black paints, lack good covering power. So, to use a base coat more or less complimentary to your color coat is a good idea. Grey is simply titanium dioxide white with a bit of carbon black.
His video is good, particularly because it shows that if you do not have a perfectly smooth surface, putting fresh color atop is only going to advertise like a neon billboard your failure to fully prep.
One other thought: shake, shake, shake that spraycan and keep it moving fast. I hold the can a bit closer to the work than he does, which makes a wetter coat. Krylon Fusion and Colormaxx both appear to be similar recipes, perhaps they are acrylic enamels. Our USA no longer requires a display of contents on paint labels.
Spray in still air when the humidity is reasonably low and you will a wet-look gloss, no orange peel, that lasts well.
Or go for a matte finish like I did on a cruiser bike frame a year and half ago, a sort of burgundy red Krylon Fusion color. It looks great today. No gloss, no calling attention to itself. That frame just looks like an old bike frame should look. But for my CCS if I ever repaint, I will keep it gloss and just decide whether to paint it white. I might, because a white frame is more visible to cars than the rich red it is at present.
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