Carbon fiber bicycles have become what everyone goes for. That was not so until recent technologies improved manufacturing and found a way to provide carbon bikes at quite a low cost. Before that, they were high-end bicycles used mainly by pro bikers; however, you can still find high-end carbon bikes, but regular users will have no use for all the performance they bring along. People find beautifying their bikes necessary, and the need for painting may arise.
Painting a carbon bike frame is not as easy as it sounds, which is why there’s a dedicated topic on this. Carbon fiber bikes are made from combining epoxy resin and fiber. Because epoxy resin is more readily damaged than high-tensile steel, painting a carbon frame takes a little more attention than painting a high-tensile steel frame. However, with the proper care and a light touch, you can paint your bicycle and do a job as great as a professional paint job.
To get started with panting a carbon bike frame:
- You can cover where you are about to work to protect the area from stains and dust.
- Wash the bike frame thoroughly using a degreasing cleanser, like liquid dish soap dissolved in hot water. Then, use hot water to wash it off because it cuts through oil and grease easily.
- Dry the bike with a soft cloth. Do not use tough fabrics like towels because they can leave fibers behind.
- Tape or remove the parts of the bike you won't be painting.
- Before painting, use sandpaper or any gritty material to scrub the bike frame's surface. The purpose of doing this is not to remove all of the existing painting but to clear the surface such that the new paint has something to cling to.
- Afterward, wipe it with a rag to remove residues of sandpaper dust and use a primer.
- To make painting easy, hang your bike frame. Then spray the paint in long, even strokes using epoxy paint, and once done, move to the other side of the frame. Suspend the bike frame from a clothesline using a wire hanger inserted through the seat-tube clamp holes to hang your bike. Clamp the frame to a sawhorse or the edge of your worktable, or slide the seat-tube opening over a piece of rebar set vertically in the ground.
- Leave the bike frame for the prescribed minutes to dry. You can add an extra half an hour if it's damp outside.
Painting carbon fiber is not the same as painting standard automobile parts. Carbon fiber absorbs paint exceptionally rapidly because it is weaved together. The crosshatch pattern of the carbon fiber may be evident in specific locations after the paint job is done if the paint is not applied uniformly. Carbon fiber bikes require a primer before the paint job is done, as carbon fiber materials are not so good with paint, regardless of what kind it is.
The things you'll need to paint or repaint your carbon fiber bicycles are a sponge, gloves, goggles, painter's mask, clear coat, shop cloths, degreasing cleanser, painter's tape or bike tools, wet/dry sandpaper, a mask for painting, epoxy paint, rags, drop cloths, etc.
However, before you get into painting, you want to know that it is a lot of work and will require energy and several hours of stress. You also do not want to get to the epoxy resin holding the carbon fiber together to avoid the bike breaking down and causing injuries later. It's your first time painting; you should experiment with a much cheaper frame that you don't mind messing up. It's an enjoyable personal experience if you're painting your bike frame yourself. Still, it would help if you prepared for how stressful it is. People often like to give it to a pro bike painter, but it's worth trying out if you want to get your hands dirty.
Painting your carbon bike gives you a good feeling, especially when you're good with it. Try our custom paints to help you personalize your bike and stand out. We hope you find this article helpful and can paint your carbon bike to suit your preference and taste.
Of course, painting work is difficult with the prevalence of carbon fiber bikes. Still, most carbon bikes have already been painted; you don't need to paint again.
ICAN offers a custom bike frame painting service. Customize your frame with patterns and colors you like. We also have high-value carbon frames with unique paintings you can choose from. The X-Gravel Bike Frame is our new 2024 lightweight, reliable and great-looking frame.
Upgraded Internal Routing X-Gravel Bike Frame
For more painting details, refer to the video below.
