Triaero

Why Choose ICAN for Your Custom Bike Frame Painting

ICAN is the brand for our wheels, while TRIAERO is the brand for our frames.

We at ICAN are more than just a bike frame painting business. Passionate designers, artists, and cyclists, we are committed to producing unmatched workmanship and attention to detail. Here are the reasons you should choose ICAN for your custom bike frame painting requirements:

Expertise: Having years of industry expertise, we have developed our craft in custom bike frame painting. Our staff is well-versed in the particular difficulties and demands required in turning a bike frame into a work of art.

Quality Instruments and Materials: We ensure exceptional results by using only the best tools and materials. From modern tools to premium paints and coatings, we save no cost in providing a flawless finish that will last.

Our team of experienced designers and painters is passionate about both painting and motorbikes. Working directly with each client allows them to understand their vision and preferences, which enables them to provide a truly customized design that captures their style and personality.

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Excellent custom bike paint guarantees the longevity, corrosion resistance, and abrasion resistance of the coating in addition to a visually appealing design. These particular technical guidelines and values should assist you to grasp the professional painting standards.

The spray impact of the paint depends much on its viscosity. Commonly used for custom bike paint, epoxy resin paints usually have a viscosity of 50–70 seconds (Ford Cup #4), which helps guarantee the consistency and stickiness of the coating. With a reduced viscosity, usually between 20 to 30 seconds (Ford Cup #4), fluorocarbon paints improve flow and help to prevent paint particle buildup. Usually with a viscosity range of 20 to 40 seconds (Ford Cup #4), water-based paints need spraying in lower humidity conditions to avoid moisture compromising the quality of the coating.

Determining the quality of the coating depends much on the paint's curing temperature and time. Epoxy resin paints must be cured for roughly 30 to one hour between 140°C and 160°C. Usually curing times of 40 minutes to 1 hour, fluorocarbon paints cure at temperatures between 160°C and 180°C. Usually curing in a temperature between 25°C and 50°C, water-based paints have a longer curing period and may take up to 24 hours to completely cure.

Another crucial factor during the painting process is the coating's thickness. Usually ranging in thickness from 30 to 50 micrometers, a single layer of paint has total thickness controlled between 60 and 120 micrometers including primer, base coat, and clear coat. Too thick or too thin coatings can compromise the strength of the frame or the endurance of the coating, therefore influencing the outcome of the custom bike paint.

Direct impact on coating quality throughout the spraying process is pressure control. Usually set at 2–3 bar, electrostatic spraying—commonly employed for high-end custom bike paint—ensures the paint evenly clings to the frame surface and reduces paint waste. Usually appropriate for large-area spraying, regular spray guns have a pressure range of 2.0–2.5 bar.

Crucially important is also the spraying distance. Usually maintained between 15 and 25 cm, the distance between the spray cannon and the frame surface guarantees an even coating and helps to prevent paint accumulation or unequal distribution.

The efficiency of the painting process and the quality of the produced work depend on the drying speed of the coating. While thorough curing calls at least 24 hours, epoxy resin paints dry in 2-4 hours. Although fluorocarbon paints have a faster drying time—usually 30 minutes to one hour—complete cooling calls for 24 hours. Longer drying times of water-based paints allow thorough curing to guarantee total hardness of the coating over 24 hours.

Crucially also is the surface treatment of the frame. A common surface pretreatment technique, sandblasting usually removes oxidation and grease from the frame surface using sand particles between 100 and 300 mesh, therefore enhancing the coating's adherence. Usually adjusted between 4-6 bars, the blasting pressure guarantees no remaining contaminants on the frame surface.

One other approach to increase coating adherence is phosphating treatment. Usually between 60 and 80°C, the temperature of the phosphating solution is under control; the thickness of the phosphating coating is normally between 5 and 10 micrometers. Should it be too thin, the protective action will be affected; should it be too thick, it may impact the adhesion of next coatings.

Appropriate for complicated-shaped frames, electrophoretic coating offers a consistent and strong covering. Usually between 15 and 30 micrometers, the thickness of the electrophoretic coating is under control; likewise, the voltage of the electrophoretic solution is set to guarantee even adhesion of the paint to the frame surface.

Important criteria for assessing painting quality include coating adhesion and hardness. Usually tested using the tape test (ASTM D3359), adhesion requires the coating to obtain a 2B grade or better, therefore the coating won't peel off particularly throughout the test. Usually carried out with the pencil hardness test (ASTM D33), with a specified range of H to 2H hardness, hardness testing guarantees that the coating won't readily scratch during use.

Additionally, well-watched should be common flaws in custom painting. A common problem is bubbles; paint bubbles should not be more than 0.5 mm since bigger bubbles would compromise the coating's beauty and lifetime. Dripping usually results from either wrong spray angle or too much paint applied; the allowed drip standard is 1-2 mm; however, exceeding this will compromise the regularity of the coating. Larger fractures could jeopardize the structural integrity of the coating, hence the width of coating cracks should not be more than 0.5 mm.

Finally, surface gloss is also a crucial clue about custom bike paint. Usually with a gloss level of 80-90 GU, a high-quality coating guarantees the suitable reflecting appearance without becoming undulating like a mirror.

Custom bike paint can not only guarantee the long-term durability and damage resistance of the frame but also create a pleasing look by exact control of these technical aspects.