Touch up paint

[surreypete]

I was trying to get some touch up paint a while back for my viper red Cannondale, just to touch up the odd stone chip here and there on the frame and I had no luck at all, In fact all the official dealers I tried suggested trying car spares shops.

In the end I tried halfords and managed to get touch up paint for red toolboxes, it's like a Snap On red and is almost a perfect match.

I was just wondering why none of the bike manufacturers sell touch up paint, is the market for bikes really that small or is it just seen as something people don't really need?

[Joe_W]

The market is very small and the paint you get form automotive suppliers is deemed sufficient. The match won't be perfect, though.

[KC-Steve]

Hi Pete, I could be wrong but I think Sheldon Brown and others might have influenced the market by telling people not to paint their bikes. Many people believe that the "original patina" gives the bike character while a new paint job or touch-up detracts from its value.

That might work for truly rare antiques, however, there are many bikes that are mass produced and likely will never achieve the rare antique status. And unfortunately, we bike owners will always believe that our own bikes are more valuable than they actually are . . . hence, no touch-up paint for bicycles.

Just a thought,
Steve

[KC-Steve]

By the way, if you really want to buy touch-up paint, many auto paint suppliers can use an optical device to match your paint. And then it simply becomes how well the mixing guy works at matching your paint. I have seen so-called "perfect" matches on even aged sun-baked paint.

Steve

[Joe_W]

Steve, you are of course right: Real touch up paint is mixed by an expert on demand. It doesn't matter there what the object to paint is, bike, car, boat, house, whatever. The paint is two component and should be applied by somebody who knows what he is doing using the appropriate tool: an air gun. However, I think the OP was referring to the stuff sold e.g. in rattle cans to touch up the car yourself. This stuff is an approximation at best.

[KC-Steve]

(03-31-2010, 10:41 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  . . . However, I think the OP was referring to the stuff sold e.g. in rattle cans to touch up the car yourself. This stuff is an approximation at best.

No, actually I was also surprised to find out that some auto paint suppliers will package their single-stage paint in a rattle can for you for purposes of touch up. It is very expensive though. A few years ago I think I paid over $50 for a large rattle can of paint carefully matched to my car's color.

Steve