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Bike warranty
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Could anyone tell me if professionally painting your bike would void your frame warranty?
I'm talking about painting the bike when new, custom paint job.
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Yes. It is specifically noted in the consumer information for all my bikes.
The reason is the tubes are thin as it is, any further material removal from structural members from cutting back is a risk of causing failure. And lets face it, all frame par5s are structural on a bike.
If you just paint over the top, the paint used may have unfriendly solvents that can affect frame material, or it can affect how the frame flexes. Some masking application techniques can also bave structural impacts.
In both cases they can have structural consequences that are outside the manufacturers control, so there is no say any sane builder is going to take on that as a risk.
I'm about to Plasti Dip a set of off road wheels for my car.
It's a like a rubber spray paint that can be removed.
People do their entire cars in this stuff and peel it off a few years later.
I don't think you can apply normal paint over it, so no airbrushing etc, but if you're looking for a single colour you can remove yourself. Nothing to stop you masking and applying extra layers though.
You might have to be careful working on your bike as thinners etc will eat the paint. Also means that you can repair damage with thinners and just re-spray the section. Could be a good alternative to frameskins, or even if you get sick of the colour.
Plasti Dip may hide a crack if you do get one though as it is more elastic that your normal 2pak or single pack enamels.
Another issue is if you do use a stripper it can sit inside the frame and gradually corrode it. I know there is aluminium safe stuff but I still wouldn't want it in a frame.
I have sprayed a frame and fork at home and both came up fine but I removed all the old paint mechanically which sucked!