Painting carbon wheels?

Triathlon Forum
1

Has anyone ever done this…or have any insight into it ?

I want to paint a set and i’m not sure if it’s nuts to attempt it myself rather then shell mout the $$ for a pro job ?

Thanks !!!

Alex

2

http://img37.picoodle.com/img/img37/3/10/28/f_indexm_6c68fd8.jpg

It’s very cool. Some spray paints will crack if you use them as it’s a bit thick, also make sure you’ve sanded the surface properly

3

There has to be a way. I don’t know about making fiberglass but I do know that carbon fiber is not much different. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_gI3chGtww

I would consider taking your wheels to an auto bodyshop or a boat shop. They can put a nice coat of paint on for you. I live in an area where lots of people work on boats and none of them do the painting themselves. They’ll do all the fiberglass but when it comes to getting a nice coat of paint, they outsource.

4

I don’t know the name of the paint but it is from PPG and it is the paint used in car bumpers. Which is as durable as regular car paint and it has some flexibility.
You have to do it carefully and not to paint the braking surface!!!

5

There are some excellent epoxy resins on the market (such as those made by 3M) which could be mixed with pigment of choice for your desired application. You would not only achieve the look you want, but also make the wheel more durable. The only drawbacks I can think of are (1) adding some weight to the wheel and (2) most probably voiding manufacturer warranty. However, working with epoxy is all about good technique, equipment, and controlled (dust-free, stable-temperature) environment, so maybe having this done professionally is the smarter option. I am pretty sure that Calfee offers repaint/refinish services.

6

There’s another thread on this topic with pics of world champ coloured X-treme trispokes, and white Zipps.

Go search.

7

http://img37.picoodle.com/img/img37/3/10/28/f_indexm_6c68fd8.jpg

a little bit of overspray onto your lower legs I see?

8

Yep, took hours to get off
.

9

3M has a pretty good line of consumer friendly products. I would definitely talk to their customer service first, then consult some LBSs to see how they deal with painting stuff. You might even be well off calling some manufacturers and seeing if they will talk to you about dealing with painting a single bike.

I loled at the paint overspray comment and reply. Very good.

10

Thanks boys…it’s much appreciated !

Alex