Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Painting a Bike

0 views
Skip to first unread message

Tom Crispin

unread,
Oct 9, 2006, 4:02:25 PM10/9/06
to
I recently bought a child's bike on ebay for £3.

http://i15.ebayimg.com/06/i/08/6b/9f/ca_1.JPG

It needs a little work, and I've asked a couple of Year 6 pupils if
they'd like to 'fix it up'. They've asked if they can paint it too.

It's probably over 25 years since I've painted a bike. How messy will
it get? Will the children need to change out of their normal (no
uniform) school clothes and bring in tatty old clothes? Will the bike
have to be completely stripped down?

Does anyone have any recent experience of painting a bike, or any
hints or tips of young children painting bikes?

Paul Boyd

unread,
Oct 9, 2006, 4:39:53 PM10/9/06
to
On 09/10/2006 21:02, Tom Crispin said,

> It's probably over 25 years since I've painted a bike. How messy will
> it get?

No idea what Year 6 means in terms of age, but children? paint? It will
be messy :-)

You should strip it with Nitromors, with the children willingly aiding
and abetting by slapping it on with their bare hands. No don't - you
might get into trouble!!!!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

AT

unread,
Oct 9, 2006, 6:09:01 PM10/9/06
to

"Tom Crispin" <kije....@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote in message
news:81ali2tubg0k67htc...@4ax.com...

Don't do what a guy in my old cycling club did many years ago. Leant the
bike against his dad's car then proceeded to spray the frame. Good way to
lose one's inheritance.

AT


David Martin

unread,
Oct 9, 2006, 6:39:58 PM10/9/06
to

They will need old clothes. You will need to strip the frame down
completely. They will need to sand it very well (it will be messy and
hard to do.

They will need plastic gloves or similar. You will have to stop them
touching their faces with paint covered gloves.

I have had rachel paint bikes before. She did as good a job as one
would expect for someone of that age (year 5 at the time) but given the
nature of the paint that needs to be used and the likelyhood of the
children getting it on them I would steer away from it as a school
activity at that age.

Maybe get them to choose a colour after stripping it down and get it
properly done (cost around 30 quid) - add John Ball School decals and
varnish them on, then get them to help rebuild the bike.

..d

Tony Raven

unread,
Oct 9, 2006, 6:56:44 PM10/9/06
to
Tom Crispin wrote on 09/10/2006 21:02 +0100:

>
> Does anyone have any recent experience of painting a bike, or any
> hints or tips of young children painting bikes?

How good a finish do they really need. Think between the options of
stripping it down and repainting or just getting some automotive spray
paint and spraying over the top. At that age I am sure they will be
more interested in it being a colour of their choice than an aesthetic
shiny smooth finish. If they spray make sure they wear face masks,
otherwise just use a paint brush and some enamel paint.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Tom Crispin

unread,
Oct 10, 2006, 2:23:57 AM10/10/06
to
On 9 Oct 2006 15:39:58 -0700, "David Martin"
<martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

Thanks David, good useful advice. I'll let them choose some snazzy
stickers to plaster all over the frame - I bet the stickers will cost
me more than the bike!!!

Simon Brooke

unread,
Oct 10, 2006, 3:57:16 AM10/10/06
to
in message <81ali2tubg0k67htc...@4ax.com>, Tom Crispin
('kije....@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge') wrote:

When I was there age (there or thereabouts) I painted a bike or three,
using spray cans.

Comments:
* yes, strip the bike down. Get the kids to do it, they'll enjoy it and
they'll learn
* children are not patient. Good finish with spray cans requires many light
coats. I always got dribbles. A brushable paint which will achieve a good
finish might be better
* children are not patient (ii). Make sure they scrupulously clean dirt and
grease off the frame before they start and flat down with wet-and-dry
between each coat, otherwise they'll be disappointed by the finish
* on the other hand using spray cans was reasonably clean; I don't recall
getting into bother from dirty clothes (old clothes might still be a good
thing)

--
si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Woz: 'All the best people in life seem to like LINUX.'
;; <URL:http://www.woz.org/woz/cresponses/response03.html>

Doki

unread,
Oct 14, 2006, 12:16:47 PM10/14/06
to

"Tom Crispin" <kije....@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote in message
news:81ali2tubg0k67htc...@4ax.com...

Don't do it would be my advice. If I spray rattle cans, I wear an activated
charcoal mask. If I spray anything more vicious, I wear an air fed mask.
Even brushing on hammerite or similar is probably a bit dodgy IMO. Let them
pick the colour then rattle can it, or get it done by a pro.

iotarug

unread,
Oct 14, 2006, 3:15:09 PM10/14/06
to
I just sprayed my bike. Shied away from doing it myself and took the
frame minus everything to Argos cycles in Bristol - £90 the lot.
Probably a bit much to spend on a kids bike tho. Good luck if your man
enough to take it on yourself.
0 new messages