Tour Bike Makeover: How To Paint A Bike

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With so many cities and towns accessible by paths, lanes and walkways, bicycling is ingrained into European living. Having grown up in South Carolina enjoying biking from a recreational point of view, I now see bikes as both opportunities for recreation and primary means of transportation. After moving, Charlie and I instantly knew that we wanted to get bikes to travel around Munich, however the prices and processes of coming by a bike became greater hurdles than we originally had expected. After researching and scouring the area, we determined our best bet to get a bike quickly was second hand through flea markets, Facebook marketplace or, as we ended up with, from bike tour companies. Tour companies that offer bikes for rent often cycle bikes out over time and frequently are willing to part with an older, but still in relatively good condition, bike for a significantly reduced price. While this was exactly the deal I was looking for, riding a bike that proclaimed “Mike’s Bikes Tours” wasn’t exactly the look I had in mind, and thus became inspired to give my bike a little makeover. If you have found an old bike, were given a hand me down or just want to freshen yours up, here are a few of the things I learned during my bike makeover (including how to paint a bike) that I hope are able to help you with yours. 

Step 1: Take Pictures

While this first step might sound nice simply to capture a fun “before and after” memory, I highly recommend taking pictures to capture more than just the occasion . To paint a bike, you must disassemble the majority of the machine, so taking pictures of the brakes, gears, connections and other parts can help to ensure you put your bike back together correctly if you’re a bike maintenance novice such as I. Every bike is a little bit different and if you are working with an older or second hand bike, you may not be able to find your exact model online to use as a reference. All that to say, having additional pictures of how it worked prior to deconstruction can be very helpful. 

Step 2: Disassemble 

Once you have taken pictures of your bikes, it’s time to disassemble! I have seen a variety of methods on what people leave on or take off their bike largely depending on what they want to just cover over or remove completely. For my bike, I took off the tires, gears / back brakes, chain guard, seat and accessories. I honestly would have taken off a few more items, but we didn’t have all of the tools with us that were needed for them to be removed, so I left them to just tape over. Most parts can be removed with a screwdriver, pliers or socket set (which we wished we had had from home a million times throughout the process!). 

Step 3: Prep

After your bike has been disassembled, it is time to prep the parts that will be painted. To do this, grab some sandpaper (I used 120 grit) and scuff up all the areas that will be painted. You do not need to entirely take off the current paint, but be sure that there is a rough surface throughout for the new paint to properly adhere too. Next, use a damp cloth to wipe off the sanding dust to ensure a clean palette for the new paint. 

Step 4: Tape

The last step before painting is to tape over any parts you have left on the bike but don’t want to have painted. For my bike, I taped or placed plastic bags over the handlebars, hand brakes, chain, peddles, kick stand and seat hole (to prevent paint from entering the tube which could hinder the seat from reinstalling correctly). If the tape you are using is very sticky, I recommend using plastic bags below it to prevent your metal / handlebars / parts from becoming sticky. I learned this the hard way with my hand grips and later had to clean them thoroughly to get the sticky residue off.

Similarly, when first painting, I thought that I wanted to paint my brake / gear lines to make them more cohesive, however after the fact, I determined they looked much better black and had to scrape the paint back off. In the future, I would just tape over the lines if I wasn’t able to take them off completely to eliminate this tedious process. 

Step 5: Paint!

Finally you are ready to paint! In a well ventilated area, lay out cardboard and place your bike upon it. I found that having one person hold the bike handle and the another person spraying with the paint helps to change angles throughout this process and gain greater coverage. Obviously there are a million paint options and many bikes are very glossy, but I chose to branch out with this matte finish Moss Green Spray Paint that was good for outdoor projects of metal, plastic and wood. It dried very quickly and allowed for an additional coat after 30 minutes.

Step 6: Reassemble

Once all desired coats are applied and dried, simply unwrap the tape and plastic and begin assembling. This step honestly took us the longest to ensure we got our brakes and gears aligned and working properly (they only were so good to begin with!), but after a little TLC my bike rides nicely. 

Step 7: Accessorize

After you have totally reassembled your bike, now is the time to accessorize! You can add baskets, drink holders, phone clips, lights, bells and everything else your heart desires. In Germany, front and back lights and bells are required when riding throughout the city, so I included those straight away. Beyond that, I added a phone clip, an easy to use bike lock, and bike basket to carry all of my essentials, bags and groceries. While I absolutely love the charming look of the woven bike baskets, I chose this black metal basket that would wear better over time as our bikes frequently get caught in the rain at the U Bahn stations or when out at stores. 

Before

After

Final Thoughts

As our first DIY in our new home, I am so happy with how this bike makeover turned out. With a little TLC and a total of about $175 (bike, supplies and accessories), no longer am I riding with “Mike’s Bike Tours” and instead have a fun, sleek matte green and black bike that is both charming and functional for our everyday life. Despite the challenges of getting everything back together properly, I most certainly would do this project again (should I need to!) and definitely recommend this DIY project if you are looking for a way to transform your bike at home. Would you attempt a bike makeover and paint your bike? 

Happy cycling!

Chloe

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