One of the reasons people buy new bikes rather than fix up old ones is because the old one is an eye-soar. The first thing I wanted to do before addressing the mechanics of the bike was to fix the aesthetics of the bike. Powder-coating a frame can be very expensive, so I did some research and found another way.

Step one: Strip the bike of all parts and accessories. Unless you’re a bike mechanic, I would suggest keeping all like parts together. For example, put all the headset pieces in a separate bag, and if you’re really worried, you can label them so you remember the order they slide back on the fork.

Step two: Clean the frame and strip the paint. You can use rubbing alcohol to remove all the old grease and dirt from the frame. Then you’ll want to strip the paint off. Many hardware stores sell paint strippers, but it’s really toxic stuff. I mean, REALLY toxic. I would suggest several sheets of high quality wet/dry sandpaper (at least 180-grit) and a dull paint scraper. It’s a bit more time consuming, but then again, it won’t give you cancer or make you go blind.

Step three: Prime the frame. I suggest Rustoleum Primer. Add several thin coats, waiting 30 minutes or so between coats. Hang the fork and frame separately on the inside of an open ladder. Though fishing line would have been ideal, I used dental floss.

Step four: Add Color. Any indoor/outdoor spray paint should be fine. Because I painted the frame two colors, I simply taped up the parts and painted them individually. Like the primer, you’ll want to add several thin coats, this time waiting only 15 or 20 minutes between coats.

Step five: Add the clear coat. You want that frame to shin like you had just spent $130 on a paint job. Fool everyone with a good quality clear coat. You can’t have too many layers of this. I suggest adding coats until the can is empty. This will protect the paint from chipping and, ultimately, the frame from rusting.

Step six: Let the frame and fork dry for a couple days before reassembling the bike. It would also help to research some kind of paint hardening technique. Now you’ve got a great looking new paint-job for less than $30.