How to Paint Your Bicycle Frame [Your Top 10 reviews for best spray paint for bicycle frames]

Many of you all are asking me for the best spray paint for bicycle frames. It’s a good question to think about because a couple of years back I had a steel frame touring bike that had a great body and I knew would look great with a fresh coat of paint and a gloss finish on top. The final product was a baby blue and white frame where I left guarder lines to show stripes of the bare frame underneath. Learning how to paint your bicycle frame was great. The effect was beautiful and I loved it while I had the bike.

In this post I will discuss with you the best spray paint for bicycle frames. We will discuss the different types of spray paint that you can use, and all of the tools that you will need. We will also answer the question of primer as well. Finally we will tell you step by step how to paint your bicycle frame, and then give our top 10 suggestions for bicycle paint.

Tools Needed:

• 1 10oz-12 oz Can Spray paint (10 Reviews below)
• 1 10oz-12oz Can White or Gray Primer
• Stand for Bicycle Frame

Can you spray paint a bicycle frame?

You can absolutely spray paint a bicycle frame for an excellent finish. You are able to choose between a matte finish or a gloss finish. Typically when I work on spray paint projects I tend to look towards car paint that grips onto metals like aluminum and steel well. Carbon Frames are also an option for spray painting. However, I would not recommend an at home project for any carbon frame.

Do you need primer to spray paint a bike?

It is your choice to use primer or not. Most paints come with primer mixed into the paint. My preference is to separate the two. It is like a shampoo & conditioner mix. It does work fine when mixed together as one, though you will notice a far better finish if you use them for separate coats. You want to use either white or grey primer. All colors will work the best with a white primer while some colors will have a better finish with a grey primer. Because I painted my bicycle white and baby-blue, I worked with white primer. The easiest way to answer this question of white or grey is to ask an associate at your local hardware store. Here is your best choice for grey or white primer.

How do I spray Paint my bicycle frame?

1. Take apart your entire bicycle: This includes everything. Take your derailleur, all nuts and bolts, the cable housing, the wheels, brakes, handle bars, grip tape and crankset. This is also a great opportunity to consider replacing cable housings, cleaning the derailleur, and crankset, and getting into any places that rarely see the light.
2. Sand off older paint: I sanded all of my paint until my entire bike showed the bare frame. You don’t need to go this far though. Simply sand with a fine sandpaper to remove any old paint that may come off during the painting process.
3. Spray two coats of primer: Primer can take anywhere from 4-8 hours to dry depending on the air, humidity, how thick a coat you prayed. I like to leave it overnight, though that is far more than you need. If you leave your bike frame overnight to dry, find a place where it is not outside and dew and water can get on the unfinished product.
4. Spray two coats of paint: If your paint is a matte finish the paint will take a shorter time to dry. If your spray paint for bikes is a gloss, then it will need the overnight to dry.
5. Put your bike back together: After completing this process, I like to take it to a local bike shop, let them know that I just repainted my bike and took it apart and wanted to have them take a look to make sure that the bike was put back together correctly. If there are any missing parts or misplacements, they are great at helping point you in the right direction and are willing to service the bike for you there as well.

Your Top 10 reviews for best spray paint for bicycle frames

For spray painting your bike you want to make sure that you are using car grade paint that adheres to metal.

[1] Rust-Oleum 12 Oz Gloss

Rust-Oleum 12 Oz Gloss

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Rust-oleum is the standard for all metal spray paint for bicycle frames and will work great on your bike frame for spray painting. This is what I use on all of my project and they come in many different colors. You need one can to be able to finish your entire project and you will have some paint left over.

• Pros
  • Even Finish
  • Rust Protection
  • Different Colors
  • Professional Look
  • Easy Open Can
  • 15 minute dry to touch
  • Easy Project completion
• Cons
  • Lack of Candy Colors

[2] Dupli-Color Metalcast Spray Paint

Dupli-Color Metalcast Spray Paint

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Metal cast is the runner up brand that maintains the same level of trust for painting metal as Rust-Oleum. You will be happy with the brand as I have been with past painting projects I’ve done. The one problem that I had with my can once was that I had a splattering issue. It was easily fixed by rubbing the can initially before spraying, though it was frustrating to work with.

• Pros
  • Fantastic Candy Color Options
  • Beautiful Smooth Metal Finish
  • Easy open Can
• Cons
  • Splatter from Can to be Aware Of

[3] Rust-Oleum Custom Chrome Spray Paint

Rust-Oleum Custom Chrome Spray Paint

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For those looking for more colors available, I really like this. It gave my friends’ bike that we were working on a cool metallic spray paint for bikes finish that felt a bit like a race car. It is great for racing bikes, or anyone that wants to have others heads turn when you pull into where you’re going.

• Pros
  • Metallic, Custom Color availability
  • Shiny Coat looks great
  • Reflective in Light
  • 50% faster coverage
• Con
  • Color is a tad off from what is advertised

[4] Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray

Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray

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I like this metallic blue spray paint for bikes when I tried it out at my hardware store. The one problem that I have is that I wished that it came in more colors along the rainbow. If you are looking for a gold, reflective finish, then this is your paint! If you are looking for something that will catch an eye and stick out, then you may want to look elsewhere.

• Pros 
  • Indoor and Outdoor usage
  • Weather Resistant
  • Great for Touchups
  • No Prep needed
• Cons
  • No use on Plastic

[5] Montana Cans Paint

Montana Cans Paint

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This paint is great for all metal use for a completely new look. When I had another project for spray painting bike frames, this came out great after I used a splatter technique following with a po-ka-dot blue color on top. This spray paint for mountain bikes finished smooth and the dots on top finished as if they were the same layer.

• Pros
  • Look at the Gold color
  • High Quality Finish
  • Faster Spray Can
  • Further spray radius
  • Weather retention and Rain Resistant Finish
• Cons
  • No plastic use
  • Longer drying time

[6] Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray Paint

Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray Paint

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Rust-oleum is the most trusted brand available for spray paint and metal. This is great for spray paint for bicycle frames and is known to create a long lasting finish. This is one of the best spray paints for mountain bikes. 

• Pros
  • Industrial strength
  • Complete finish coverage
  • Dry fast technology
  • Various surface touches
  • Durable color ability
• Cons
  • Toxic until dry – use a face mask

[7] Spectral Paints Graystone Pearl

Spectral Paints Graystone Pearl

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• Pros
  • Smooth professional finish
  • Fast drying
  • High Gloss Availability
  • Great for recoloring
  • 50% faster coverage
• Cons
  • Strong odor

[8] Krylon Metallic Gold Colormaxx

Krylon Metallic Gold Colormaxx

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This is another top permanent spray paint for bikes. This will hold true and from what I saw when I tested it at Home Depot, the color was consistent with what was advertised. It works well and will give a shiny finish.

• Pros
  • COLOR!
  • Holds for years
  • No Prep work
  • Easy Spray
  • No Chips
• Cons
  • Dry Time is extended

[9] ERA Paints Primer, Base Clear Pack

ERA Paints Primer, Base Clear Pack

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This long lasting coat is a great best spray paint for mountain bikes. It will hold when you bike through mud, gravel and anything that could possibly scratch at your paint. Consider this spray paint for bikes if you are going to be in the rain often or out in an area with a high dew point.

• Pros
  • Rust Protection
  • Indoor or outdoor use
  • Comes in Pack of 3
  • Quick Dry
• Cons
  • More expensive than rest

[10] Quicksilver Gloss Spray Paint

Quicksilver Gloss Spray Paint

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I was really surprised by how quickly this dried. I typically will let something dry for several hours but I came back and it was dry to the touch after 15 minutes. This is a great black spray paint for bikes and I would highly recommend it.

• Pros
  • Easy Push Can Nozzle
  • Simple Bonding
  • Any Direction Spray
  • Dries Quickly
• Cons
  • Wide spray not great for touching up

Conclusion

In this post you should now have a step by step understanding of How to Paint Your Bicycle Frame  and also great suggestions on the paint you need to accomplish the job. This list of the best spray paint for bikes was made to help you be able to have the most eye catching bike on the block that you will be proud that you painted yourself.