Powder coating Bontrager OR Race Lite

[classen]

I've been looking though the owners manual for my Bontrager, and Keith B. claims that when stripping and re-powdercoating a Race Lite frame that the painter should take "special" care, and if in doubt you should send the frame back to Santa Cruz to have Bontrager do the powder coating. Well since clearly option #2 is out of the questions I was wondering what "special" precaustions should be observed.

I've heard rumors that Keith Bontrager still answers odd technical questions like this on his blog, but a thorough Google search (... and by thorough I mean it wasn't on the first page of results :roll has turned up nary a hint of the fabled KB blog. Does anyone here either know what special care should be taken when stripping/powdercoating this frame or the URL for KB's blog?

Thank ^6

 

[WD Pro]

I would 'guess' he is referring to over enthusiastic shot blasting

WD

 

[pete_mcc]

Also race lites used bonded water-bottle bosses which may not be too good if heated in an oven. But I reckon, as WD-pro mentions, that the concern area would be around the stripping

 

[classen]

Also race lites used bonded water-bottle bosses which may not be too good if heated in an oven.

good point. Do you know how they are bonded? I wonder if it is an epoxy or a low temperature braze? I reckon powdercoat ovens get up to 400F or thereabouts. which would probably damage epoxy.

 

[WD Pro]

Well I had been wondering about the powder coating and it destroying the bonds on the rear strut :?

I had asked on the ProFlex forum and the only real feedback was from ‘shovelon’ who had melted the glue out of his BUT this happened whilst welding very close to the crown, the other ends had been OK.

I did think of just sending it and hoping for the best but if it fell apart I would be inconveniencing the powder coater and be left with parts that I would have to de-powder coat and then re-bond :-(

I had a look on Windridge’s website and it quoted 220°C so we had a little home cooking session to see what would happen :

I hung it rather than laying it flat as it as it will probably be in this position when it is coated and will have its own weight pulling the joints apart.

Checking the surface temp with a fluke IR thermometer confirmed that A) my oven stat is crap, B) the temp control on the oven is crap (it cycles up and down by 25°C) and C) the bonds are OK up to 235°C for 15 mins I didn’t want to take it any higher or for any longer though …

So it’s off to Windridge with the Marin forks (finally ) to see that matt black powder coat looks like, guess I will find out in a couple of weeks

WD

I wouldn't want to run a trial on a bonty frame though ...

WD

 

[WayneO]

Not all are bonded. If it doesn't obviously look bonded, it probably isn't.

 

[classen]

The cable guides look to be brazed, but I think the water bottle mounts are bonded. I'll have to give a close examination this evening.

 

[iamkeith]

Hi. First time poster here, from across the pond. I just found this thread while looking for information prior to having my own Bontrager Race re-powdercoated, and noticed it was a newer discussion. I'd be interested to hear if you've discovered what "precautions" needed to be followed, or how yours came out if you went ahead and had it powdercoated.

Also, in addition to my Race, with brazed-on watter bottle bosses, I have a Race Lite, with bonded bosses. If you'd like to see detailed photos of the two, or of any other differences, let me know.

Edit:

By the way: By mere coincidence, the fabled Keith Bontrager blog you were looking for was finally taken down about a month ago. I can't seem to post an actual url because I'm a new member, so I'll try to describe it with clues (hope you can decipher this). This won't get you anything right now but, if KB ever puts it back on-line, you might be able to find it:

hyper transfer text protocol ridesmarter dot com