Paint repair or strip and repaint ,which frame to keep?

[Highpowernut]

I recently added a Legend ST.
The wife said I could keep one of the road frames, new or old . One must go. (Other is a legend)

I didn't know which one I would like best. I love showing the bare titanium on my original legend. I switched the parts to test the new frame.

Oh no. I really like the new frame. I think it fits better(compact geo) ,but it is a painted frame. It has the usual paint chips from use. My OCD says it needs to be repaired somehow.

What are the options for repairs? Ultimately I would love to strip the paint and show the titanium. Idk of that's a feasible option.

What say the masses?

[buddybikes]

Keep the bikes leave the wife

[AngryScientist]

The wife said I could keep one of the road frames, new or old . One must go.

lol

[tuscanyswe]

Paint removing?

I recall serotta saying that once the ti frames were painted there was no going back to bare finish. But this was their policy (as i remember it) and may have been overly cautious?! I think it had something to do with the tubing being so thin in certain areas of the butting that they did not want to blast the frames in order to remove the paint (again this is how i remember it and it could be off or even wrong).

I would think that there is a way for someone else than serotta to safely remove the paint and create a nice ti finish on the now painted frame but i don't know that for a fact. Maybe someone here have done it?

Also i think a legend st looks better in paint but thats just my personal preference.


Seems like you have a nice bike that you like regardless of which one you end up with!

[ultraman6970]

+1

keep the bikes leave the wife

[Cicli]

I recently added a Legend ST.
The wife said I could keep one of the road frames, new or old . One must go. (Other is a legend)


What say the masses?

Keep the new frame, get rid of the old wife and get a new wife to match the new bike?
Maybe you can let her keep the furniture. Then you will have even more new stuff.

[bicycletricycle]

Short of a divorce.....

It is surely possible to strip the new legend, it might be a pain in the ass, especially if the chain stays are painted. The joints at the bottom of the carbon stay will be especially fun to get clean and brushed evenly.

If the the chain stays and bb area are raw already then I don't think it would be too hard to do, depending on what kind of finish you want to end up with,, brushed, blasted, etc.

I have no idea who would offer this service but DIY would be possible if your handy with some masking tape, paint stripper, scotch bright and maybe a brass wire wheel. I just used some citrus strip from Home Depot , it works okay with elbow grease.

If you get all the paint removed and have the carbon bits masked well I bet somebody who bead blasts their frames ( eriksen, moots, if, etc) would do it for you if you asked nicely? Or just find some shop locally with some kind of not too abrasive of a media in their blaster .

[KidWok]

Allan Wanta charged me less than $500 to refinish a Colnago frame and fork. Looks like a new bike afterwards. That is much cheaper than a divorce. Perhaps you could point that out to the Missus.

Tai

[Highpowernut]

1697914730
At this point I think it's cheaper to keep the wife(26 years).

I don't mind a bead blast finish. Looks awesome and easy to keep that way .

I'd keep the clear coat on fork and seat stays.

[bicycletricycle]

Dude, just ride it, looks great as it is.

:no:

[StanleySteamer]

Keep the one that fits better if you can only have one Legend. You will have an easier time selling the all Ti Legend.

[Matthew]

Looks good to me. I agree, ride the one that fits better. If the new one fits better, keep that and maybe some time down the road you can get it repainted or bead blasted.

[ldamelio]

Do you get to dictate what personal possessions she keeps? Seriously, unless you need the cash to get by, I don't understand.

[bicycletricycle]

Lots of my bike shop customers in the past expressed similar arrangements with their significant others.

Deal breaker for me but not sure if this is the place to distribute un asked for marriage advice.

[Tickdoc]

Strip the wife, keep the bikes. Ymmv.

[eddief]

moms know better than wives.

[Highpowernut]

Btw, she's probably right. Really should sell one for financial reasons.
I like the bare Ti, just don't know if it's feasible to make the new frame that way.
For comparison here is the other
1697914741

[Ralph]

It's pretty easy to strip a frame. A place in the yard with a water hose, some strong stripper (Aircraft), a stripper brush (Ace hardware), some old news papers to collect the mess, and have at it. You may have to do it several times, but it's only an afternoon job. The water hose is to blast off the mess after you use the brush....and to get it off you when some comes your way. It burns.

Just soak it with stripper, and let it sit a while. scrap it off. Do it again and again until you have it all off. Stripper works best on dry hot metal. I usually put in sun first to let frame get hot. Second and 3rd layers of stripping don't work as good as first....when water gets introduced. So get all you can on first stripper application.

[Satellite]

Strip the wife, keep the bikes. Ymmv.

Haha, I am going to strip mine right now with or without chemicals :beer:, and may or may NOT use the hose method :eek:. I will let you know how it worked out:no:.

[bjf]

It's pretty easy to strip a frame. A place in the yard with a water hose, some strong stripper (Aircraft), a stripper brush (Ace hardware), some old news papers to collect the mess, and have at it. You may have to do it several times, but it's only an afternoon job. The water hose is to blast off the mess after you use the brush....and to get it off you when some comes your way. It burns.

Just soak it with stripper, and let it sit a while. scrap it off. Do it again and again until you have it all off. Stripper works best on dry hot metal. I usually put in sun first to let frame get hot. Second and 3rd layers of stripping don't work as good as first....when water gets introduced. So get all you can on first stripper application.

You have to watch out for the places the carbon stays are joined to the Ti.

IMO, it looks great the way it is. If it rides better, keep it.

[pdmtong]

Fit trumps all.

I would ride the painted ST for awhile, to validate your impression. and, if it does fit better, then I would leave it. The basic black IMHO looks great with the naked CS and red decals. Overall I also prefer the slight slope. Better go fast look with the enve wheels/cockpit. be glad there are no whacky flames on the fork or tubes.

I'm not one to spend money on taking the paint off and would leave it. That's a basic rule of used. you get what you get. and, IMHO in this case you scored.

[Ralph]

You have to watch out for the places the carbon stays are joined to the Ti.

IMO, it looks great the way it is. If it rides better, keep it.

Good point! Mask off what you don't want stripper on. Then be careful.

[oldpotatoe]

Keep the bikes leave the wife

:hello:

[campy man]

Haha, I am going to strip mine right now with or without chemicals :beer:, and may or may NOT use the hose method :eek:. I will let you know how it worked out:no:.

Winner winner chicken dinner :hello:

[tv_vt]

I think you'd be totally crazy to try stripping the paint off that ti frame. Good way to ruin a frame imo. My vote would be to ride both, decide which one rides and fits the best and sell the other one. If the painted one is the winner and you absolutely cannot stand the paint, then get it repainted.

But if the paint as-is is bothering you as much as you make it sound like it is, maybe you have a bigger issue to deal with as far as your OCD!:rolleyes: