Help me finding a frame colour: Union bicycles

[Gattonero]

It turns out that a frame I saved from scrap it's not a bad one. The ride was good from day one so I investigated a little and turns out it's a "Rini Wagtmans" model that was made for their team in the late 70's, and likely been made with Columbus SP (the ride quality is almost like a good p/g tubing), so I'll have it powder-coated and decals be made by a friend

I really don't like the current pale blue, so I'll go for the metallic orange. The bike will stay as single-speed (Miche hubs can be respaced to 126mm so there's no need to alter the frame) with silver components.

This is a picture found on FlickR of a complete bike, mine is pale blue with same decals




Is perhaps a RAL2013?

[tatanab]

I have a frame painted with Kia Sunset Orange Metallic which looks like that. It looks a bit flat under indoor lighting but sparkles in the sunshine.

[PH]

Bob Jackson have an Amber in fluorescent rather than metalic that might be a decent match (It's always hard to tell on a monitor)
Here's an example
https://www.flickr.com/photos/neueamore ... 409327821/

[Gattonero]

I have a frame painted with Kia Sunset Orange Metallic which looks like that. It looks a bit flat under indoor lighting but sparkles in the sunshine.

c'set.jpg

Thanks, is it something you've had resprayed?

Bob Jackson have an Amber in fluorescent rather than metalic that might be a decent match (It's always hard to tell on a monitor)
Here's an example
https://www.flickr.com/photos/neueamore ... 409327821/

Thanks, aside from the poor job with the bar tape (spoils the whole thing) it looks a bit too dark? Will check what's the RAL colour they use

[tatanab]

Thanks, is it something you've had resprayed?

No, that is from new. The painter that the frame buider uses sources car paints - proper stuff, not touch up.

[mercalia]

looks to me like it has a gold undercoat of some kind like they did for the burnt orange Dawes 1-Down

[rmurphy195]

Would you lose the Wagtmans signature?

[Gattonero]

Would you lose the Wagtmans signature?

is already lost, the paintjob of my frame is really, really gone! The "Wagtmans" can be barely seen.

[AndyA]

RAL 2013 is as close as you're likely to get in powdercoat. I think Tatanab is right on the money with Kia Sunset Orange Metallic (same colour as a lot of GM muscle cars!) but this would only be available in wet paint. Possibly the bike in the photo is more of a burnt copper/burnt orange? Definitely not a flamboyant/candy. Ford do a similar colour, Pride Orange

[1942alexander]

Hi,
What are you going to use this bike for? Will it be your everyday ride or your Sunday best, and sunny, dry Sundays at that?
I've got to admit that I've a bit of a problem with powder coating. For one thing it isn't original, you can't do it yourself and, unless it's improved recently you can't decorate it with lug lining etc. and if your frame has come with the head badge, (I don't expect it did,) it might cause a problem. The attractiveness of the pictured frame is mainly due to the highlighted lug cutouts and the decals, both of which used to be problematic on powder coating.
As mentioned previously, the black trimmings are wrong for this colour of frame but I accept this is all in the eyes of the beholder.
I sprayed a Harry Quinn in a similar copper colour two or three years ago and then immediately sprayed it again, metallic black which glistens in the sunlight but is flat indoors but it's on a ride that it will be admired, not stuck in the house.
This is a bike in the same kind of colour range which shows what a lighter range of trimmings will look like.

If you want to go for the more practical black then go for metallic red like this one painted in Renault Clio flame red.

Both of these bikes are really for show purposes but I do ride the smaller Holdsworth occasionally on sunny days.
Cheers... Alex

[Username]

What would be a good frame colour for Bunion Unicycles?

[Gattonero]

Hi,
What are you going to use this bike for? Will it be your everyday ride or your Sunday best, and sunny, dry Sundays at that?
I've got to admit that I've a bit of a problem with powder coating. For one thing it isn't original, you can't do it yourself and, unless it's improved recently you can't decorate it with lug lining etc. and if your frame has come with the head badge, (I don't expect it did,) it might cause a problem. The attractiveness of the pictured frame is mainly due to the highlighted lug cutouts and the decals, both of which used to be problematic on powder coating.
As mentioned previously, the black trimmings are wrong for this colour of frame but I accept this is all in the eyes of the beholder.
I sprayed a Harry Quinn in a similar copper colour two or three years ago and then immediately sprayed it again, metallic black which glistens in the sunlight but is flat indoors but it's on a ride that it will be admired, not stuck in the house.
This is a bike in the same kind of colour range which shows what a lighter range of trimmings will look like.

HBsmallfile.jpg
If you want to go for the more practical black then go for metallic red like this one painted in Renault Clio flame red.
WFH2Small.jpg

Both of these bikes are really for show purposes but I do ride the smaller Holdsworth occasionally on sunny days.
Cheers... Alex

Thanks, this is far from being a "sunday best" it will be kept single-speed for daily commute. I know it's not "correct", but the frame had already some braze-ons done for mudguard eyelets (rather useful!) and a slot+reinforcing on the Lh dropout (for drum-brakes, I guess).
The black mudguards are fine for me, they blend with the tyres.

The frame has a headbadge, pretty ruined but it's there. I know a place in Maldon that does a good job in powder-coating. Yes, again is not "correct" but the bike will have everyday use and locked outside shops so I don't want the paintjob to be chipped easily. Besides, this place is not the cheapest but they are good in what they do, if done properly there's no issue with powder-coating a lugged frame, the lining and decals can be added after (though the latter better be vinyl on top of the clear coat).
i.e. this a Brompton they've done for me, the frame was in a VERY bad state and rusty before respray!

[1942alexander]

Ah... a daily hack! By the tone of your first post, and the picture, I thought you were going to make it into a special, restored bike.
The Brompton looks really nice, lovely colour. What are you going to do about the head badge, paint over or remove and refit after? I've always thought of the head badge as being important to the look of the frame and I restore the badge as well as the frame.

Regards... Alex

[Gattonero]

I already have many bikes, the Cinelli SC being the most venerated one. I'm only 43 so I don't feel like I need to go and dig in the 70's, in fact my dream bikes are from the late 80's-early 90's as that's the time I was cycling a lot but could not afford them!

In the last years I built up pretty much all the bikes I wanted*, the Cinelli Next Machine was most wanted!
But I don't exclude the possibility of turning the Union frame into original shape one day, what holds me is the vehement hate for non-aero brake levers, I just can't watch those cables coming up from the levers! also I ditched for good toeclips&straps in 1990 and never looked back. When I rode l'Eroica I had a good time with the bike I was given (a nice Columbus SL frame) but the toeclips&straps gave me a hard time with those flat-nylon "vintage" shoes! that was a bad idea

* http://velospace.org/user/30916