What's your paint job like?

[in4]

I'm usually rather fastidious when it comes to keeping my Nomad clean. To my shame however I had cause to take my bike to the LBS ( derailleur hanger slightly out ) in a less than pristine state. The LBS owner assured me that he regularly sees worse. Anyway, I got the bike home and gave it good clean. Whilst hoping this does not sound like a 'Take a look at the wonder of my bike' yarn I couldn't help noticing what a super paint job my bike has, particulary so when considering  it is over ten years old. Granted my bike has had relatively light use for its age but I was wondering what other bikes might have such a great finish after so many years. Mine is a UK Mk1 Nomad so a British painter did the brushwork. Are the paint jobs on more recent models as good, or perhaps even better?

[jags]

Well  to be honest i think thorn should add more colours to there range of bikes.when i bought my Sherpa  i hated the colour and finish ,bloody terrible dull as an old wet blanket.
so i added a few touches to spruce her up.
my new dolan letape has a class finish .
mind u the sherpa was a great bike except for the paint  job.

[mickeg]

Nomad Mk II - Glossy yellow, I put electrical tape on my paint to protect it from chaffing on an auto rack for a long drive.  When I took the tape off, the clear coat over the yellow came off with the tape.  Next trip I left the tape off and the rack chaffed a bit of the paint badly.  But on the drive back, I wrapped some innertube rubber around the tubing, then held that on with velcro, no chaffing.

Sherpa Mk ?? - Very good paint, black with matt finish.  Some of the matt finish is a bit more polished now from wear, but otherwise very good.

But realistically an expedition bike (Nomad) should have some beat up paint to show that it has been somewhere.

[David Simpson]

But realistically an expedition bike (Nomad) should have some beat up paint to show that it has been somewhere.

I like that attitude.

As for your car rack, would something like an old thick sock work? Would it add sufficient padding to prevent damaging the bike paint, or would it cause rubbing and actually make it worse?

- Dave

[mickeg]

In the future I will do the innertube rubber held on with velcro trick.  Then hopefully any chaffing will only occur where the rack and velcro rub against each other.  Or maybe tape the inner tube rubber on instead of using velcro?

I have considered soft cotton fabric, but I am afraid it there is any dirt on it, that could act like a piece of sandpaper.

[Bill C]

sherpa mk2 585L satin black 51/2 may be 6 years years fair use (car free nearly 6 years  ) 1 small chip on rear stay that i did being clumsey removing one of the many cable ties that held on the pipe lagging from new when i unboxed it,
one tiny mark on the top tube barely noticeable,
but i have been using surly nice racks front and rear so they have taken the brunt of the wear great racks even better bumpers

xTc classic diy lacquer still  looks good but will need re-doing soon
xTc fillet braised awaiting removal of halfrauds grey primer  :
nemesis/commutour/custom build what ever the hell it is  bare steel awaiting  doing
the last 2 frames  are about to be started but that's another story, i might even post  progress reports