Help with frame graphics

malskelton
malskelton Posts: 23
edited September 2012 in Road general
Hi all

New to the forum - I've been reading for some weeks but just registered today

I've been riding MTB's for most of my adult life, but over the last three months have upped my cycling levels to over doing around 500km a month ( not much I realise but with a FT job and a 4 year old time is at a premium ).

What I have realised though is that all of these miles are done on roads ...... which is why I've just bought myself a Boardman road frame - hopefully this will allow me to do more miles per month once I've got it built up.

My budget means I can't go out and buy a complete bike off the shelf - but I can buy a frame this month and some components next month etc. My aim is to have it built ready to ramp up my mileage in Spring.

The reason I am posting is because I am getting the frame stripped and re-sprayed next week ( it has some unfortunate stone chips presently ) and I would love to get some graphics made up for the frame when painted.

I've looked at many board members current rides and I love the stealth look that many have going on - my aim is a matt black frame with majority gloss black graphics.

What I am hoping is that somebody on here has access to a Boardman graphic vector file - I'd like to try out different colour schemes / colour ways before I decide which route to go but I haven't been able to re-draw it accurately.

Also any suggestions for companies to get the graphics produced

Thanks

Mal Skelton

Comments

  • colsoop
    colsoop Posts: 217
    I use a similar approach when building bikes, amassing the parts as money allows.
    It gives you a good chance to research and pick what you want rather than having a compromise on the parts, potential to get bargains too.

    Matt black is a bitch to keep clean, bear that in mind. I went with a satin black finish when i resprayed my frame. It gives a similar effect without showing the marks as bad.

    A quick google search brings up a large format logo, although will need to be converted for vector:

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--vCUNJJbbTE/TcpGmPZx7KI/AAAAAAAAACI/QDUJ82h7wW4/s1600/Boardman_logo.jpg
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    You are short of money and you are having a frame resprayed? Why?

    Also a complete biek is usually cheaper than building out of parts. E.g. a planet x / ribble carbon bike can be had for £1000. Ride the MTB while you save up.
  • RDW
    RDW Posts: 1,900
    malskelton wrote:
    Also any suggestions for companies to get the graphics produced

    There's a lot of discussion about this in a previous thread:

    viewtopic.php?f=30005&t=12838538
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    RDW wrote:
    malskelton wrote:
    Also any suggestions for companies to get the graphics produced

    There's a lot of discussion about this in a previous thread:

    viewtopic.php?f=30005&t=12838538

    Lovely - very subtle but effective (I checked in just to see who would be first!)
  • malskelton
    malskelton Posts: 23
    wishitwasallflat wrote:
    RDW wrote:
    malskelton wrote:
    Also any suggestions for companies to get the graphics produced

    There's a lot of discussion about this in a previous thread:

    viewtopic.php?f=30005&t=12838538

    Lovely - very subtle but effective (I checked in just to see who would be first!)

    I got to page four before I lost all hope .........
  • malskelton
    malskelton Posts: 23
    alan sherman wrote:
    You are short of money and you are having a frame resprayed? Why?

    Also a complete biek is usually cheaper than building out of parts. E.g. a planet x / ribble carbon bike can be had for £1000. Ride the MTB while you save up.

    I know that everything you said is spot on - and the cons outway the pros of doing a project like this, but let me try and explain a little

    I've cycled pretty much all my life - but from July onwards started spending more time riding. I've been doing 100km a week on average on my Saracen Mantra II MTB which I bought in 2008 after saving up for some time. The problem is that my bike was sadly neglected after a knee injury and subsequent surgery meaning that it isn't as pleasant to ride as it should be .... my fault entirely I know.

    I watch a lot of cycling - and as I said originally, all of my riding is on roads which logically suggested I should try a road bike .. but I wanted it to be a project - an experience that I invested a lot into ( financially, emotionally and physically ) so that I didn't neglect it. If I know how it is assembled I'm more likely to be able to maintain and look after it - currently the mechanics of bikes is a mystery that I am slowly learning every day.

    My budget doesn't stretch to £1000 - my chances of saving that much are very slim as something shiny would always come along and distract me, which is why I've chosen this route

    Last week I've picked up a Boardman Road Comp frame second hand which is in good shape but the paint work isn't ( cable rubs, stone chips etc etc ). I got it for less than I expected which is always a bonus and I work in a college with a vehicle department that have offered to strip and spray it for £40

    Tonight I've done a deal on some Shimano 105 Black brakes - so the project has started.

    Obviously it's not going to be done quickly - birthday & Xmas will no doubt involve me providing a list of components for family to track down on Ebay or in the classified forum here.

    So you are right - a similarly specc'd bike would have been a sensible and probably cheaper option ....... but where's the fun and challenge in sensible :D
  • malskelton
    malskelton Posts: 23
    colsoop wrote:
    I use a similar approach when building bikes, amassing the parts as money allows.
    It gives you a good chance to research and pick what you want rather than having a compromise on the parts, potential to get bargains too.

    Matt black is a ***** to keep clean, bear that in mind. I went with a satin black finish when i resprayed my frame. It gives a similar effect without showing the marks as bad.

    A quick google search brings up a large format logo, although will need to be converted for vector:

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--vCUNJJbbTE/TcpGmPZx7KI/AAAAAAAAACI/QDUJ82h7wW4/s1600/Boardman_logo.jpg

    Thanks for finding that graphic - that's the one I've got and have been trying to re-draw it myself ( unsuccessfully ) which is why I appeal for help on here

    I'm pleased somebody else understands the thrill of the challenge of building a bike - it's a necessity of budget but also of an enquiring mind

    My MTB is matt black and must admit is hard to keep clean - will have to investigate satin black

    Any pics of your resprayed frame ? inspiration and ideas are gratefully received

    Mal Skelton
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Matt black isn't a great idea. It is hard to keep clean and if it scratches you can't polish the marks out without turning the frame gloss. If you can manage to get a rock hard finish it might not be too bad but basically you are making a rod for your own back. And black is really hard to keep clean - you can't see where the paint ends and the dirt begins when you are cleaning it but if you miss small bits the whole thing manages to look scruffy! (Speaking as the owner of a matt and partly glossy black mountain bike!).

    Also, it is excessively trendy at the moment which will mean it will probably be soon excessively untrendy (not that that should really matter.....)

    You could go negative to the crowd and have a gloss black bike with matt black graphics?
    Faster than a tent.......
  • PaulS77
    PaulS77 Posts: 48
    malskelton wrote:
    What I am hoping is that somebody on here has access to a Boardman graphic vector file - I'd like to try out different colour schemes / colour ways before I decide which route to go but I haven't been able to re-draw it accurately.

    Mal, PM me your email address

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