How to Paint a Bike Frame

In this video I demonstrate how I paint bicycle frames, including how to remove the old labels and prepare the frame for paint. I also demonstrate my method for adding custom lettering.

After I finished painting, I made separate videos showing how I reassembled the bike. I have made a playlist for this bike which includes those videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0a5DXVTM1Gvt8p5LRpx…



FAQ: Why didn't you sand off the old paint before applying the new paint?
I intentionally left the existing paint on the frame for the purpose of rust protection. I live in Toronto Canada which is a city that receives harsh winter weather and treats their icy roads with a massive amount of road salt. At the factory, bike manufacturers apply what is called
'powder coating' to their bicycle frames. Compared to consumer grade spray paint like I used in the video, powder coating is more durable and has much better adhesion to the metal frame surface which gives it substantially better rust protection. Many years ago I repainted a bicycle frame and removed the powder coat before applying my new paint. Unfortunately after only one winter of riding on salty roads, large sections of the paint had disappeared and huge rust patches appeared in their place. The next time I painted a bicycle frame I used the method that I demonstrated in this video and that bike has held up SO MUCH better to rust. So in conclusion, sanding off the factory paint might result in a smoother surface to paint, but it will decrease the rust protection and overall durability of your frame. This will likely be less important to people who do not intended to ride on salty winter roads, but is something worth knowing.

Check out my next video where I demonstrate how to reassemble the bike.

I hope you enjoyed this video, Thanks for watching!