Coloured wheel rims for Fixie

badboybennyg · January 2011

Hey

I recently picked up a converted Fixe based on an old Sun bicycles frame. It is a little ‘vanilla’ for my liking and after going down the simple customsations of bar tape and saddle I am looking to go a bit further.

If I wanted coloured rims like seen in these examples :

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2011/ja ... offers.htm

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2011/ja ... ston_2.htm

Would I be able to achieve this by painting my current rims, or would I need to buy the rims of the shelf in whatever colour I desire?

If it’s the paint route what type to I need to use? The back wheel is already painted black on my Fixie but the front one isn’t. Do people do this because there is no back brake to rub the paint off and leave the front one unpainted because they know it will be rubbed off by the front brake?

These questions seem important in my head right now so any answers appreciated people.

Muchos Gracias

Monty Dog · January 2011

Most coloured rims are either anodised or powder-coated - paint simply isn't durable enough and frankly will look gash in no time, particularly if you use a brake. For coloured rims try Brick Lane Bikes or find a Velocity dealer

stickman · January 2011

With mine I masked off the braking surface and spokes then sprayed them, never had any problems.

(I used Wilkinsons paint but car spray may be tougher? Don't use matt)

EssieP · January 2011

What's wrong with a few scuffs?
If your bike looks like you actually use it, then that's better in my view. Otherwise it's just a facile fashion statement.

nicklouse · January 2011

http://www.halorims.com/halo-halorims_products.php?c=L

But then I painted mine.

DT2.2RR

badboybennyg · January 2011

Awesome- thanks comrades

I think I am heading down the paint route, purely due to budget constraints.

So far I have learnt:

Sand
Cover spokes etc with masking tape
Prime
Paint

Any tips to add to this?

What type of paint to use and where can I get it? Halfords car paint?

Also with the primer do I relate the primer colour to the paint colour e.g. white primer for white rims.

Cheers

nicklouse · January 2011

I would not paint the rim of a wheel.

i would un-build the wheel and then sand prime paint.

doing on a built wheel will end in tears.

oil in the spoke threads, dust in the rims and just the pure pain of the wet sanding between the spokes.

primer is ish top coat related but not really. a black undercoat could be a pain with a white top coat.

but most aluminum primers are gray.

nicklouse · January 2011

TBH if i was doing it again i would be taking the rim(s) to a powdercoater. And the frame...

badboybennyg · January 2011

Hmmm point taken. And I presume I should ring around my local powdercoaters and see if they’ll take on such a small job as painting a couple of rims (I imagine most would be used to bigger orders)?

Also would I need to ‘despoke’ the wheels and/or prepare them at all (sanding.stripping etc) ? Or even better could they paint the spokes as well?

Ball park figure at all for 2 wheels/rims to be powdercoated?

Monty Dog · January 2011

You'd have to break the wheel down for powder coating - no one would touch it otherwise.

Coloured wheel rims for Fixie

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