Coat Paint Shop in Portland?

[mvrider]

Has anyone used Coat Paint Shop (http://coatisacustompaintshop.com/) in Portland, OR? I am looking for a paint shop in that area to custom-paint a carbon fork for my wife's bike. After looking on Google a bit, I found Coat.

Here's the funny thing: when I called, a nice young man answered, "Hello, Vanilla Bicycles, this is Sacha." It turns out that Coat shares the same address and phone number with Vanilla. So, they must be farming out their excellent painting capability to a broader audience.

They have paint-mixing capability in-house, and their current leadtime is 1-2 months. Sacha estimated between $100-200 for the job (a simple color-match and solid-color paint).

Given Vanilla's reputation for finish, I'm sure their quality will be beyond reproach. Just wondering if anyone here has used them, or knows of any other choices in the Portland area.

[rwsaunders]

For that cost and given the pedigree, I say ship the frame. The Vanilla shop and Sacha are first rate.

[tiretrax]

There are some well respected painters in the SF bay area, too. There was a thread regarding them last year. I'm curious why you want to send it to Portland (do you want a bird on it?).

Coat's work is beautiful. The paint looked deep and glossy.

[dave thompson]

My Milholland was painted by Coat. They did an excellent job.

[cfox]

$100-$200 for a Coat paint job?? step away from your computer and ship your frame to them right now.

[yakstone]

I believe the quote was for a fork, not the frame.

Just sayin'.

[mvrider]

Ah, to explain why I'm looking for a paint shop in Portland: my wife ordered a Responsorium for our anniversary, and so in turn, I've ordered a Renovo for her! (we're not especially wealthy, just a little bike-crazy at the moment)

Our LBS suggested, and we agree, that a black fork on that beautiful hardwood frame doesn't look optimal. So the idea is to have a paint shop match one of the wood colors on the fork. Our current favorite combination is purpleheart/wenge/maple, so we'll probably ask Coat to match the purple. Since Renovo is located in Portland and will be building up the complete bike, I thought the logistics would be easier with a paint shop in that area. With Coat providing Vanilla quality, I can't see how we'd go wrong.

We have not yet seen a Renovo with a painted fork, so it should be even more unique.

[thenewguy11]

I believe that Coat is owned by Sacha - great group to work with. The Vanilla and Speedvagen paint really speaks for itself. I say go for it.

[tiretrax]

Ah, to explain why I'm looking for a paint shop in Portland: my wife ordered a Responsorium for our anniversary, and so in turn, I've ordered a Renovo for her! (we're not especially wealthy, just a little bike-crazy at the moment)

Our LBS suggested, and we agree, that a black fork on that beautiful hardwood frame doesn't look optimal. So the idea is to have a paint shop match one of the wood colors on the fork. Our current favorite combination is purpleheart/wenge/maple, so we'll probably ask Coat to match the purple. Since Renovo is located in Portland and will be building up the complete bike, I thought the logistics would be easier with a paint shop in that area. With Coat providing Vanilla quality, I can't see how we'd go wrong.

We have not yet seen a Renovo with a painted fork, so it should be even more unique.

Makes sense since they can drop by and take a look. Why not ask Renovo to do the legwork? Does your wife have a sister? If only my wife were as thoughtful as yours.

[54ny77]

Ask for detailed photos before they ship to you. Buddy of mine had horrible job from them recently, it was a joke. Sent back to be re-done. That contrasts sharply with everything you see being done on Vanillas, which are positively exquisite.

[54ny77]

Update: just heard the custom [well known builder] frame came back from the paint re-do.

The second time was not a charm. Light metallic colored overspray everywhere on what's supposed to be a blue clearcoat frame.

If the folks at Coat read this or if someone talks to 'em, ask 'em to have their QC person take a visit to Lenscrafters. :crap:

What the heck is going on in small boutique-y builders/shops these days? Implosion 101?

[Joachim]

What the heck is going on in small boutique-y builders/shops these days? Implosion 101?


You can say that again.

[10-4]

You can say that again. I also have a frame that needs to go back for a redo.

Sad to hear, especially with the expectations that would be set forth from Coat and their amazing work in the past. Getting something done that's less than satisfactory from someone you don't know would be bad enough, but the anticipation of something coming back from Coat to be let down would really stink.

On the flip side I had a Vanilla in my hands today and was shocked at how beautiful it was in person. Really incredible.

[pdmtong]

It's true - the Coat paint job on a vanilla must be seen to be believed. Mine is over the top. It's so nice that I make sure I have firm grip on any tool within 5 feet of that frame

[54ny77]

Agreed. I've seen a few Vanilla's and one was so amazing it's beyond words. It was at Signature Cycles in NYC a few years ago--light green w/a pristine C-Record group. Even the painted Silca pump was perfect.

However, this ain't what one would expect from the same painter (this was botched clearcoat job #1). Note the roadmap of hairline cracks all over.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/iraryan.jpg

It's true - the Coat paint job on a vanilla must be seen to be believed. Mine is over the top. It's so nice that I make sure I have firm grip on any tool within 5 feet of that frame

[Joachim]

Sad to hear, especially with the expectations that would be set forth from Coat and their amazing work in the past. Getting something done that's less than satisfactory from someone you don't know would be bad enough, but the anticipation of something coming back from Coat to be let down would really stink.

On the flip side I had a Vanilla in my hands today and was shocked at how beautiful it was in person. Really incredible.


Sorry, I didn't mean Coat.

[10-4]

Sorry, I didn't mean Coat. Just another builder. I'm really getting tired of having to send things back to "make it right". If this would happen with companies I deal with on a daily basis, they would lose all my business. Once, fine, we can try to work that out. Second time, I find someone else to give my money too. Premium price should receive premium service. I don't spend my hard earned money to get $*&% in return.

Totally agree. I do understand mistakes happen, and as a small business owner I always appreciate those customers that do give us a second chance when we screw up. But if we screw up twice it's our loss as I wouldn't expect them to come back.

We've been lucky a couple times over the last few years that when we did screw up the customer let us know and allowed the chance to make it right....

[beercan]

ive seen some heavy handed paint jobs from coat

[cat6]

I'm curious why you want to send it to Portland (do you want a bird on it?)

Haha!

[Stan Lee]

ive seen some heavy handed paint jobs from coat

lol

Coat does good work but I think spectrum and JoeB have more experience (and do better work IMO) at the same rate.

[Joachim]

lol

Coat does good work but I think spectrum and JoeB have more experience (and do better work IMO) at the same rate.

I got fast feedback from Keith Anderson when I asked about paint. And his work looks great too!

[Stan Lee]

I got fast feedback from Keith Anderson when I asked about paint. And his work looks great too!


I agree- I had a MTB frame/fork painted by him in 1995 and it's still doing well.

[Ahneida Ride]

Consider Fresh Frame in Pennsylvania .

[Sacha White]

Hi All,

Thanks for all of the feedback. Doing a good job and keeping my customers happy is and has always been important to me, so I'm glad that my paint shop's reputation is that we're mostly great... though sometimes not good at all. :beer:

What I would like to say is that problems are inevitable. No matter who you're dealing with and no matter the industry. We have our fair share and though we are constantly looking at process, technique, etc., ***** happens and occasionally those mistakes get missed and sent out. What we can do at that point is acknowledge when something is sub-par, take care of the customer by fixing it and put our energy into learning how to avoid the same mistake in the future. That is what we do.

The hairline cracks in the powder clear happened on a small handful of frames right around the same time. Despite all kinds of tests, we have not been able to duplicate it since and it continues to be a mystery to us and our powder supplier.

54ny77, I don't recognize the frame in your photo, or I would contact the owner based on that. If your friend still has the frame and is unhappy with the work, have him call me. I'd like to take care of it.

Thanks,

Sacha

[54ny77]

Sacha, sent you a PM. Thanks for posting, your words are really appreciated. It's great to see a biz owner in this insane bike industry acknowledge issues and attempt to right them in order to make a customer happy. That simple concept seems to be an increasing rarity these days, especially among small firms.

My friend, who's bike was pictured, may contact you via PM here or through your regular biz channels.

[54ny77]

Sacha:

I want to thank you personally for following up on this item directly with the builder and clarifying that the two botched paint jobs were not, in fact, done by Coat, but rather at another firm in Portland called Class Act.

The customer of the bike, who is a friend of mine, was told verbally on more than one occasion by the builder that it was Coat that had done the paint. Normally, we wouldn't think it even necessary to confirm with you (or Coat) that the builder was lying or had incorrect information, as that's a step that one wouldn't think necessary during the course of a custom build process.

I am sorry for dragging your name through the mud here, and must offer an apology for bringing this up as though it was a bad quality control problem of Coat. We unfortunately had no reason or information to believe otherwise. Per your communication from the builder today, your firm never saw this frame.

As mentioned previously, the builder has once again taken back the frame and apparently will address it. Again. Third time might be a charm.

Sorry to the mods that this is posted on the Serotta forum, of all places. I simply wanted to make an important clarification that deserved to be heard, and to express a thank you to Sacha of Vanilla/Coat who took on the issue personally and wanted to right a perceived wrong--if in fact it came from his shop. That's a very good business ethos and should be applauded. Other builders & related business should take note.

[happycampyer]

Several years ago, I bought used Vanilla for my wife. It came with an unpainted fork that, after speaking briefly with Sacha, turned out to be the wrong rake for the frame. I bought a new fork and had it painted by COAT. The frame has two colors set off by pinstripes, so I had to send the frame along with the fork so that COAT could match the colors (4 In total including the pinstripes) as well as the diagonal pattern of the paint on the frame. The result was flawless. And as a complete surprise, the folks at COAT added "ghost" pink-on-pink unicorns on the inside of the fork legs to match the dropouts (the frame is a Gentle Lovers model that has unicorns in the dropouts instead of the traditional "V"). Count me among the very satisfied COAT customers—those cats go to 11.

[pdmtong]

Been a long time since sacha's posted here. nice to have him still around.

[luigi22]

Hi All,

Thanks for all of the feedback. Doing a good job and keeping my customers happy is and has always been important to me, so I'm glad that my paint shop's reputation is that we're mostly great... though sometimes not good at all. :beer:

What I would like to say is that problems are inevitable. No matter who you're dealing with and no matter the industry. We have our fair share and though we are constantly looking at process, technique, etc., ***** happens and occasionally those mistakes get missed and sent out. What we can do at that point is acknowledge when something is sub-par, take care of the customer by fixing it and put our energy into learning how to avoid the same mistake in the future. That is what we do.

The hairline cracks in the powder clear happened on a small handful of frames right around the same time. Despite all kinds of tests, we have not been able to duplicate it since and it continues to be a mystery to us and our powder supplier.

54ny77, I don't recognize the frame in your photo, or I would contact the owner based on that. If your friend still has the frame and is unhappy with the work, have him call me. I'd like to take care of it.

Thanks,

Sacha

class act as always

[cat6]

Hi All,

Thanks for all of the feedback. Doing a good job and keeping my customers happy is and has always been important to me, so I'm glad that my paint shop's reputation is that we're mostly great... though sometimes not good at all. :beer:

What I would like to say is that problems are inevitable. No matter who you're dealing with and no matter the industry. We have our fair share and though we are constantly looking at process, technique, etc., ***** happens and occasionally those mistakes get missed and sent out. What we can do at that point is acknowledge when something is sub-par, take care of the customer by fixing it and put our energy into learning how to avoid the same mistake in the future. That is what we do.

The hairline cracks in the powder clear happened on a small handful of frames right around the same time. Despite all kinds of tests, we have not been able to duplicate it since and it continues to be a mystery to us and our powder supplier.

54ny77, I don't recognize the frame in your photo, or I would contact the owner based on that. If your friend still has the frame and is unhappy with the work, have him call me. I'd like to take care of it.

Thanks,

Sacha


Don't own Vanilla/Speedvagen, kind of want to "hate" at times. How could I? As wildly popular the brand grows, and as long as a waiting list becomes, there's a response....to something that might otherwise die leaving viewers disheartened...bravo to you to have the wherewithal to follow up.

[Germany_chris]

Been a long time since sacha's posted here. nice to have him still around.

I think he might be a little busy :beer: