Spraying a kids bike

Jay_Forme
Jay_Forme Posts: 132
edited March 2016 in Workshop
Hi all,
After a visit to a bike store over the weekend my daughter who is 4 was overwhelmed by all the pink and bright bikes on show. getting her out was a nightmare!
she has a bike given to her by her granddad which is black and yellow. she hates it.
I can swap the yellow handles and seat no problem but she wants a pink bike.

have any of you guys done this and can you recommend a spray to use or ones to avoid. there's plenty online that claim to be the best but would prefer an opinion of someone who has done so already.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Any of the regular car enamels/acrylics from Halfords or similar will do the job. As with anything like this, the quality of finish depends on how much time you are prepared to put into the preparation.
  • lesfirth
    lesfirth Posts: 1,382
    Imposter wrote:
    Any of the regular car enamels/acrylics from Halfords or similar will do the job. As with anything like this, the quality of finish depends on how much time you are prepared to put into the preparation.

    ....and your skill with a spray can. A bike frame is not the best thing to learn on. Good luck,I hope your daughter likes the results. :)
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Find a local powder coat company - it'll work out less cost by the time you've bought stripper, emery paper, primer, paint etc and will be infinitely more durable and better-looking.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Jay_Forme
    Jay_Forme Posts: 132
    Thanks peeps. To be honest, I'm not expecting it to be amazing, but more of something we can play around with together. she can help do a little sanding, help daddy take apart bits etc. she will no doubt end up with a new bike come summer so its a bonding thing more than anything. plus if it goes wrong I can blame the 4 year old. ;)
  • fudgey
    fudgey Posts: 854
    I had the exact same thng trying to get my daughter on a bike. Using my lads old bike that was orange - she wanted purple.

    I stripped the frame, rubbed it down, primered and painted then laquered. Spent about £40 on a £60 bike....

    She rode it maybe 3 times and wouldnt go on it again. I ended up giving it away to a mate at work.
    It took ages and i did do a pretty good job on it.

    You can buy cans of plastidip that is easy to spray on and you cant really get it wrong.

    Or just tell her once she learns to ride you will buy her her own bike.
    My winter bike is exactly the same as my summer bike,,, but dirty...
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,416
    Few sheets of 800/1600 grade wet and dry.
    Rattle can of pale grey/white primer undercoat
    Rattle can of pink of your choice (Halfords or similar) maybe even Plasticoat

    Friday night stripping frame and rubbing down. Warm, dry Saturday for spraying. Put it back together Sat night (paint will still be a bit soft so be careful)

    Sunday - go for a ride. See her smile. Priceless.

    Did this for my daughter, except it was a wet, windy Saturday so I sprayed in the Conservatory and almost poisoned myself. Bike came out fine. Paint will be scratched within days so don't worry about it much. Got some bright Pink outer gear and brake cables from CRC. She loved it even though it weighed 17kgs!!!


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

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