Does anybody know approximately how much weight paint adds to a frame? I have an 18" Cannondale frame which has just been stripped (it was looking rough) and I have two options - either polish it up or have it painted/powder coated.

Also, is paint heavier or lighter than powder coating?

Thanks

paint is lighter than powdercoating, powder more durable. the best choice would be anodizing! weighs allmost nothing and is even more "scratchproof" than powder...

- paint: ?

- powder: 90g to 130g; depending on the coated area and thickness (1,2 or 3 layers powder...)

- anodizing: ~0

alright, with anodizing, i can go to the local body shop and get a nice paint job, or take it to a place i know of for a good powdercoat, where do you go for an anodize job?

thanks!!

just look into sth like "yello pages" for metal surface treatment (i dont know the right english terms) and things like that; u can also ask frame builders in ur area where they have their frames and/or parts anodized...

but u should recognize that u wont know how the result looks like until its done

You people have got to be kidding me. How much weight can paint add to your bike? It has to be negligible at best. There is absolutely no way in hell that the weight of paint can possibly affect your performance while riding. That's assuming, of course, that you want a lighterbike to enhance your riding performance and not some kind of prize for the lightest bike on the block.

really simple answer to that, whats going to go up a hill easyer a bike thats 12 kg, or a bike thats 13 kg, easy the 12 kg bike, whats going to go up a hill faster 12 kg, or 12.1kg.

enen though its not much of a difference, its still faster, also, even though it will effect your speed even less, it will be more areodynamic because the tube will not be as big with only anodising rarther then paint

If you really believe that .1 or even 1 gram makes that much of a difference and that paint really affects the aerodynamics of your bike, I have a bridge to sell you. (It's a very light-weight, aerodynamic bridge for its size -- I recommend keeping the paint though, as it protects it from the weather).

Listen, I understand that for a race you want to minimize the weight of your bike within reason. But I'm telling you it all comes down to skill and conditioning. Don't believe me? Give the top XC rider in the world a bike that's all painted up really nice and 10 pounds (about 5 kg) heavier than yours, and he will kick your ass around the course doing a wheelie. Why? It's all about SKILL and CONDITIONING.

Also, I'd say the way a bike fits is more important than the weight. So my advice -- get a nice, pretty painted bike that fits, go out and ride, and you'll be much better for it.

My new scandium frame is weighing in (I hope) at 1180g (medium sized frame) with anodizing (0g) with powdercoating it would be adding another 60-80g.
Not sure on paint weight but I would have thought it to be heavier.
Good luck in your choice

some frames need the paint for the rigidity, the caad5 tubes from cannodale are so thin that you can´t sandblast this

but if you want a exotic paint do e-shox with the frame

Look under the listing of Frames and compare the ano Santa Cruz Superlight to the powdercoated one... 150 gram difference.. The way I see it, a frame weighs 5-6 lbs, and the complete bike weighs 25lb. there's 20lbs of small bolted on stuff. If you say 150 grams of paint doesn't matter, than how about that fork? Or why bother changing out a crankset for 50 grams? or brakes for 20? etc... There isn't one place that you can just lop off 5 lbs of bike, so if your nickel and diming yourself to lower the weight of your bike, where do you draw the line and say this 50 grams won't make a diffrence?

I am in awe of your weight weenieness.

You people should be proud....or ashamed.....or.....or....
Well I can't figure out the right emotion and I can't find it here at the left of my screen either.

Keep up the good work weight weenies.

btw Lance rode a bike without paint in the mountain stages two years ago in the tour (touche).

While I'm not one to care about paint weight myself, you sir, are a TROLL.

Why would you come to a forum called Weight Weenies, then flame people for asking weights? Screw off man.

The way I look at it and the way it is, in my opinion, is that it all adds up. If you can take as much as you can off of every part on your bike it adds up to alot of weight. I compare it to counting calories when trying to loose weight. You need to be aware of all the calories you eat. Then you can eliminate the ones that are useless. If you want to ride a heavier bike go ahead. I have both and enjoy them both for different reasons.

Ok, listen up! I got an old Giant frame (still don't no te type) When i first weighted it, it was 2000 gr. so i started to get the paint of with cleaner, and after that i got the rest of the paint off with some sandpaper. Then i polished it it took me a week but it looks really nice. The weight now is: 1680 gr. that's a 100 gr. lighter then my zaskar!

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I n answer to the original question, paint( as in automotive type spray paint) weighs less than powder coating because it can be applied in thin coats. I have weighed several frames after stripping and before repainting out of curiosity. All of them were road frames, a Trek 1200 frame w/o fork was 45 grams most were between 35-45 grs. Powder coat can only be applied so thin, and nowhere near as thin as laquers or enamels. The advantage in powdercoating is durability, it is baked on at 400-425 degrees farenheight an therefore is as hard as a rock so to speak. With anodizing it electo-chemically seals off the surface porosity of the metal , protecting from oxidization. A good idea if there is a lot of exposure to salt water atmosphere. It is for aluminum only, and there can be no steel parts on the frame(threaded inserts for bottle cages, seat binder bolts etc.) they will interfere with the anodizing process. I have another method to suggest for consideration. Bead blasting. It is best carried out as follows: the areas that require decals are polished, a temporary decal is applied on top and then bead blasting is performed after which the decals are removed revealing a polished decal with bead blasted contrast. The finish isn't as tough as anodizing but looks good, weighs nothing, is fairly inexpensive and can be touched-up when required.