London Fixed-gear and Single-speed SJS Cycles

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...urtexflyer.jpg

Does the heating of a steel frame to 400 degrees not do some damage??

Not if you let it cool before you ride it

sorry shit joke

Only if your frame is Reynolds 501

*nervous laughter*

Had my girlfriends 501 frame done by Armourtex a couple of weeks ago.... turned out really nice.

Yeah I'm seriously considering it now too. If it does not explode in the process... ;)

Just piked up my frame from Armourtex after much deliberation about whether to have it sprayed or powdercoated. Very pleased with the results - better than i expected really (and i are a fussy cunt). Thought i'd share some of the accumulated learning to help others in their decision making!

A couple of points to consider if your thinking about doing the same:

•Because powdercoating is thicker than enamel, it's much more forgiving in hiding blemishes if you've done any DIY removal of braze ons/ frame repairs etc. (I bodged a new break bridge and it's barely noticeable).

•If you have chrome Armourtex are getting better at masking it, provided it's not on fancy lugs, but they will clearcoat over it unless you ask them not to!

•When you paint your frame the undercoat shows up any holes in the metal (especially if it's an old frame) which can be filled before the final colour is added. This won't happen during powdercoating, so don't be surprised if that you find pin pricks in the finish that were hidden under the original paint job.

•Powdercoating is nasty to remove. Unlike enamel you can't just shotblast it off because it's nails. It needs a chemical bath before removal. (Worth considering when picking your colour! Best get it right). It seems bike re-sprayers hate the stuff because it's such a 'mare to remove....your likely to pay over the odds if ever you do need it re-done/resprayed . Just worth remembering!

•Ask about the different clear coats. They have loads and it'll add a deeper dimension to the cheep flat standard colour to stop it looking cheepo (if your feeling arty).

•At the end of the day it's only £70 really. In comparison to the proper jobs (Argos, et al) it's good value provided your not looking for the depth of a Flambo paint job with stripes and panels.

Will post up pix when i get a mo'. Hope someone finds this useful........

Armourtex are great, top blokes, very helpful, fast turnaround and the powdercoat is beastman strong.

Does anyone know how much extra they charge for the metallic finishes? And also if they still charge double if you want to get your forks a different colour?

hell yes nice one dude.

Can Armourtex mount decals (successfully) before clear coating ?

you have to bake powdercoat at very high temperatures, so i doubt it.

powdercoat comes off quick with nitromores

£2 on top of the cost of lacquer they told me

I dont think so, lacquer requires same heat as the colour coat

Good to know!! Tar.

We did all the ghost bikes with Armourtex and they did a fantastic job!
the finish was amazing. the only downer was they looked too good and some scabs knicked half of them

But they know there stuff!

If I wanted decals under a clear coat, I'd have to go down the stove enamel route I guess then ?

nice!

I like that a lot bigfoot.

Just a word of warning - i picked up my girlfriends frame from Armourtex last week, lovely finish RAL7042 with sparkle finish - it came well wrapped in bubble wrap, so i just put it in the boot and took it home. Consequently i missed the dent in the top tube that wasn't there when i took it in. I had it at home for two days before i unwrapped it, so it felt a bit pointless complaining as they would probably deny all knowledge.

so the highly annoying lesson is: take off all the bubble wrap and inspect your frame before you leave the premises

^^ sorry to hear about that..
Any chance of pics to see RAL colour?? :D

I think you should contact them - they are nice guys, and i am sure there wouldnt be a prob - they would be far more concerned that you mentioned the incident them on here without telling them the problem, and giving them a chance to rectify the issue - after all they generate a lot of work from this forum.

:D

Hey, I got my bike done by Armourtex in a matt finish called 'grey/brown'. It looks the business. A really deep chocolate brown that has some charcoal black also mixed into it, and the finish comes out with an eggshell sheen. Everyone comments on it. Would recommend it for those thinking of going matt black.

some pics will be nice

Yea i was thinking of this colour.. pics please!!

also found this chart of armourtex colours.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/...f9d56c74_o.jpg

f00k.. thats massive photo!! :O

So, here you go..... some pix of Armourtex paint job. Although they don't really do it any justice. Colour is off white (10 B 15 - actually a bit more cream than in the pix) with a hi gloss (looks satin in the pics) glitter/pearlized clear lacquer for some extra oompff. As i said -well chuffed with it. Go and speak to them if you're thinking about it. Sound blokes and they have finished frames there for you to see the quality yourself.

Build should be finished in a couple of weeks following pay day.......

very nice

^^ really good stuff.
is the tip of the fork polished/chromed?? (by armourtex?)
also lacquered?

No, not by Armourtex - was already chromed. They masked it out.

v.nice Big Foot. I am rebuilding an old Carlton and was thinking of getting a pale blue similar to this, or an old english cream colour (as yet i'm undecided!). Did you have any issues with the bars fitting the stem after powder coating? I always thought powder coating would have added an extra mm or so to the overall circumference, making it a bit of a force fit and prone to scratching on fitting? . .

I always thought powder coating would have added an extra mm or so to the overall circumference, making it a bit of a force fit and prone to scratching on fitting? . .[/quote]

I was thinking the same thing, my frame is all stripped and ready to go, wasn't sure about how to deal with the bars though

BIg decision for the day ...............do I go for Orange or Blue with sparkly bits? Choices, choices. Tilting in blues favour at the moment

The brake lever has a hinge so that's fine. The stem just needs a little bit of paper in between the 2 surfaces to protect it. Job done.

this is my bike after the powdercoating. i know this colour scheme wont be everyones cup of tea but fuck it i love it! the blue is blue steel ral 5011 and the white... i dont know.. i just ask for the whitest white they had

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3784934...57617426605892

^ all that matters is that you like it. doesn't stop anyone being cheeky though ;-] how much was it for getting different colours for frame and forks?

What's not to like about it? I think it looks ace

RAL 5011(blue)

Looks like a police car?

I've spoken to Armourtex and droppi9ng the frame and forks off tomorrow, woooo.
Which one to go for, looking at RAL5005/5010 (blue) or RAl 6018 (green)

Has anyone tried just clear coating an aluminium frame with Armourtex or anyone else?

you look like a police car!

Good comeback!

police cars haven't looked like that since the 60's skully.

hmm? So what decade are we in now!? Hmm?

Stevie I do not look like a police car. I look a like a utter twerp.

Armourtex can do it - i nearly went for that option, but went with a colour instead

I am really tempted by a re-spray.
I have a Fuji track 2008 and would love it to go a nice deep british racing green.
However, you have to take the bike to peices, my technical ablity and lack of tools will let me down.
Any one fancy deconstructing and reconstructing, for a fee?

just in case anyone's thinking of this...to get forks a different colour costs £45 (their minimum charge for each colour). Think I won't bother then...Swobo sanchez should look good with its natural silver forks anyway ;-]

Might as well join in.

3trum has done it on his frame i think. steel though.