Whats the obsession with premium paint brands when it comes to bike frame painting? I mean, lets be real, youre not exactly going to notice the difference between, say, a high-end DuPont or PPG paint job, and some no-name brand when youre hauling down the highway at 40mph. And dont even get me started on the prices - were talking hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for a single can of paint.
Now, I know what youre thinking: But what about the quality? Well, let me tell you, Ive seen some absolutely stunning paint jobs come out of small, independent shops using nothing but budget-friendly paint. And on the flip side, Ive also seen some truly heinous work come out of so-called high-end shops using all the fancy-schmancy paint they can get their hands on.
So, heres my question: whats the real difference between these premium paint brands, and are they really worth the extra cost? Are people just paying for the name, or is there something genuinely special about, say, a custom Chrome job from a high-end shop? And if so, what exactly sets it apart from a can of Rust-Oleum from your local hardware store?
And another thing: what about the environmental impact of all these high-end paint jobs? I mean, were talking about a bunch of toxic chemicals and solvents being used to create these works of art, and then what happens to them when the bike gets stripped and repainted in a few years? Do we really need to be using all that fancy-schmancy paint just to make our bikes look pretty?
I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but come on, people - lets get real here. Whats the point of dropping a grand on a custom paint job if its just going to get scratched and faded in a year or two? Give me a good ol fashioned DIY job any day of the week.
Now, I know what youre thinking: But what about the quality? Well, let me tell you, Ive seen some absolutely stunning paint jobs come out of small, independent shops using nothing but budget-friendly paint. And on the flip side, Ive also seen some truly heinous work come out of so-called high-end shops using all the fancy-schmancy paint they can get their hands on.
So, heres my question: whats the real difference between these premium paint brands, and are they really worth the extra cost? Are people just paying for the name, or is there something genuinely special about, say, a custom Chrome job from a high-end shop? And if so, what exactly sets it apart from a can of Rust-Oleum from your local hardware store?
And another thing: what about the environmental impact of all these high-end paint jobs? I mean, were talking about a bunch of toxic chemicals and solvents being used to create these works of art, and then what happens to them when the bike gets stripped and repainted in a few years? Do we really need to be using all that fancy-schmancy paint just to make our bikes look pretty?
I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but come on, people - lets get real here. Whats the point of dropping a grand on a custom paint job if its just going to get scratched and faded in a year or two? Give me a good ol fashioned DIY job any day of the week.