A question for frame builders/experts....

[Andreu]

whatever happened to chromed back ends and forks?
I loved the look of the bikes in the 80´s....are they too thin the tubes they use now to take the acidity in the chrome baths?
Is it possible to have a lustre like those old bikes without going to titanium?
What would be the answer for carbon forks?
A

[MartyE]

Not real sure on this one but might it be that the
chroming process is a bit too toxic and regulated?

While I love the look of older frames with chrome
forks and 1/2 chain and seatstays, they look
really bad when the chrome starts pitting and
flaking off.

Marty

[flydhest]

Keep in mind, the chromed parts on bikes of yore was on steel bikes.

One delightful alternative to chrome that captures the same aesthetic is polished stainless steel. Check out www.vanillabicycles.com for some of the possibilities. Of course, others do it as well, I just happen to have a Vanilla with polished SS track tips that are breathtaking.

[Andreu]

I like the sound of that...polished steel. How easy is it to maintain the look?
(I agree about chrome.....can look a bit jaded after a few years of salt, water and pebble treatment).
I have checked the Vanilla website out before ...I love the look of some of the frames they do.
A

[e-RICHIE]

what happened?
o.s.h.a.
'nuff said.

plating is still done, is available, and costs as
much or more than as you'd expect it to.
i think of stainless as "poor man's chrome" - offered
primarily when access to a pro plate shop doesn't exist.
that's just my off-duty opinion.
e-RICHIE

ps


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arrange disorder

[Andreu]

I don´t see chrome in these parts....is it a fashion or a cost thang?
A

[e-RICHIE]

98.56483427% of all frames are now non-ferrous.
you can't plate them.
you can toss them - but you can't plate them.
e-RICHIE

ps

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arrange disorder

[weisan]

Andreau, go look for 1.43516573% rest of the frames that you can plate 'em...and toss 'em.

I confess, I have a weakness for chromed fork and chain stay.
:D

weisan

X X X
O O O
X X X

[kenyee]

Still chrome their frames (the entire frame is dipped, then paint is applied)...

[DWF]

i think of stainless as "poor man's chrome" - offered
primarily when access to a pro plate shop doesn't exist.
that's just my off-duty opinion.
e-RICHIE

Doood, that's harsh!

Stainless is cool, cool, cool! I think of chrome as Mr. Gold Chains poser pimpware which is environmentally cruel, metallurgically wrong on HSLC thinwall steels, and a breeding ground for rust! So there! If I knew how to include one of those icons with the finger and a pic of my a$$ showing, I'd do that too!!!!!!!!!!

[e-RICHIE]

okay - i'm easy.
stainless rules.
hey - i'm serious.
e-RICHIE

ps

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arrange disorder

[M_A_Martin]

I know I know...it isn't quite to the level that you might want on a bike, but I've seen some fantastic examples of chrome powder coat on some mortocycle refurbs...

They've come a long way. Who knows where they'll be in a few years.

[OldDog]

NOTHING beats a Ritchie Red paint job :beer: :banana: :D

[dbrk]

e-richie nailed this: platers are costlycostly because chrome is toxic. Our friends to the north still manage and my Mariposas are all chromed in the old ways though Mike will no longer do fork crowns because, well, they often split, chroming not being what it used to be.

As for the richie-red paint: my next Sachs (only, maybe, 20 months away...) will finally be just that. This will be a fine thing.

dbrk

[Climb01742]

maybe it's the contrarian in me...or maybe it's just because i don't like red...but my sachs (now, god, who knows, maybe 12 months away?) will be anything BUT richie red. red is for little wagons. :D

[e-RICHIE]

Climb90210 quipped:
"maybe it's the contrarian in me..."


you're no contrarian.
you just had your birthday.
you're a cancer.
e-RICHIE

ps

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arrange disorder

[Climb01742]

if only you were as quick with the torch as you are with the quip. :banana:

[OldDog]

Getting back on subject, I regularly send my products out for anodizing, passivation, heat treating, etc. Costs are skyrocketing due to recent enviromental laws. The chroming process is nasty, and, getting costly, especialy if done on a onesy twosy basis. In addition, there are fewer and fewer shops doing any of the electro-acid process's as many just cannot commit the funds to upgrade to keep up with regulations. I suspect that those who do, are not interested in small volume work. Wonderful things are being done with powders, but I don't think the process will ever match a good old fashion chrome job. I have a '72 P-15 Paramount with great chrome, still shines in spite of 20 years of abuse and 12 more hanging around. In contrast,
a DeRosa of the same vintage lost, via peeling, all its chrome years ago. Europe never matched an American chrome job, they had stricter laws years ago.

How 'bout a Kirk Terraplane with 1/2 chrome fork and stays? I think that would be classy. Dave?

[bostondrunk]

e-ritchie, why does it take 2 years to build a frame?!?!?!

[e-RICHIE]

it doesn't take two years to build a frame.
e-RICHIE

ps

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arrange disorder

[DWF]

Still chrome their frames (the entire frame is dipped, then paint is applied)...
I believe the Cervelo is nickle plated, not chromed.

[DWF]

okay - i'm easy.
stainless rules.
hey - i'm serious.
e-RICHIE


It's cool, Daddio. You know I love stainless so I figured you were expecting a response from me. Remember, chrome is only skin deep, stainless goes clear to the bone!

I got your dancing banana right here.