Recommendations for Kona “shed find” respray please?

epickard

Hi all

Is it possible and who would you recommend to bring it back to its original factory finish?
It’s the metallic green fade into silver rear triangle?

steve_sordy

I acknowledge the power of nostalgia, but that is an old design frame; without that obscenely long stem, will the bike even fit you any more? No disc brakes either, not on the rear at least.

There are lots of specialist bike paint shops to be found, but you should consider finding one locally otherwise transport costs start to become significant. A respray may cost in the region of £100 (probably much more now, it is a few years since I did it), plus any grit blasting before hand. Consider powder coating as that will be cheaper, but you only get one colour - nothing fancy. Also more durable.

Overall, it may be cheaper to scrap the bike and buy a used one off eBay. At least you'd get one that is more up to date than one 25 years old.

danx

Those Kona frames didn't change their geometry until the mid/late 2000s'. With a shorter stem and taller (up to 100mm suspension) forks and upgraded drivetrain it can be made, not exactly modern but certainly much more off road capable than it is now. You could even get a disk brake mount added if it's going for a respray anyway. It's certainly been done before. Be warned - It's a nostalgic labour of love rather than a value for money exercise though.

Or you could tidy it up as is, respray if you like & have a decent bridleway/forest road bimbler, or it could make a decent base for a touring bike. Again, be prepared to spend more than you might think on replacement parts if you want it to approach pristine.

If you want to ride modern trailcentres etc.., routes graded red or above you are better off selling it on retrobike.co.uk and getting something newer.

epickard

Thanks yes, will only be used for leisure use.
Nothing serious.
Just struggling who to ask or what to search for to get a new spray done?

MattFalle

just google bike sprayers and go from there.

tbh, local car sprayer will do a good job on it for half the price.

get everything else - stem, seat post, 'bars powder coated if you can't be faffed to buy new ones.

steve_sordy

Five years ago I used my local "hole in the wall" paint spray shop to do my grandson's bike build.
He normally does only cars and motorbikes, but I've used him more than I would like over the years and we now know each other. I did all the prep, stripping, rubbing down, sealing up all the holes where you don't want paint to go etc. He quoted £100 for 2 lots of base and 2 lots of paint, infra red drying, single colour nothing fancy etc. He did an excellent job, but he said that he would never do another for that money! If he was going to make it a regular thing, he would have to buy smaller nozzles for his sprayers because paint was going everywhere and he used a lot of paint just spraying the walls.


I could not have it powder coated (which was cheaper) because the rear triangle was carbon fibre and there was concern that the CF would not survive the oven curing.

MattFalle

none of the OP's bike is cf so powder coating is no problem.

why bother rubbing it down? just get it bead blasted for £20.

work smart, don't work hard.

steve_sordy

Fine grade wire wool for rubbing down is fast and easy. The flexible nature of the wool conforms to the complex curved shapes of the bike. It also leaves a lot of paint still on the bike.

MattFalle

doesn't matter - all the paint on it isshit.

bead blast will also remove all the rust and be far less work and leave a better finish to respray from and cost £20

respray

job jobbed

work smart, not hard