{"id":50032,"title":"Project Rijden Respray","description":"What do you do with a slightly scratched, tired and worn Ridley X-Night SL cyclocross frame? Replace it, get a bog standard respray or go for a custom paint job?\n\nWe opted for the latter and transformed a rather dull look into a mobile advert for the Rijden brand. How much does it cost, what is involved, and how can you save money?","content":"

Published in<\/strong>: <\/span>CYCLING GUIDES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

What do you do with a slightly scratched, tired and worn Ridley X-Night SL cyclocross frame? Replace it, get a bog standard respray or go for a custom paint job?<\/p>

We opted for the latter and transformed a rather dull look into a mobile advert for the Rijden brand.<\/p>

How much does it cost, what\u2019s involved, and how can you save money? Read on to find out.<\/p>

\"RijdenImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

I purchased my second Ridley X-Night in 2019 from Paul Milnes Cycles. I\u2019ve always enjoyed excellent service from the Yorkshire-based independent that specialises in cyclocross and is a Ridley Bikes dealer<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>

Slightly scratched Ridley-X Night<\/h2>

It was an ex-demo frame and had the odd mark, but that was reflected in the price. I\u2019ve been extremely happy with it, but after a few seasons of cyclocross battering, it was looking a bit tired. In particular, the rear triangle had abrasions, caused by mud buildup and my habit of scuffing the chainstay with my right foot. This had worn the paint away, exposing the bare carbon fibre.<\/p>

ABOUT RIJDEN<\/strong>: <\/span>From cobbles to cross. Cycling\u2019s true heart<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/span>Rijden grew from a passion for Flemish-style cycle racing, essentially cobbled classics, cross-winds, kermisses and cyclocross. We're a small UK independent that publishes a <\/em>free online cycling magazine<\/em><\/strong> and sustainable gifts for fans of cycling\u2019s classics and cyclocross. Read <\/em>more about Rijden<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>

Carbon fibre composites are hygroscopic, i.e., they absorb water, so I really needed to address this issue. Additionally, testing the mud shedding characteristics<\/strong><\/a> of my two Ridley X-Night frames demonstrated that the glossy blue paint job was superior to the matt finish of this frame.<\/p>

I\u2019d procrastinated and dithered for far too long. It was time to take the plunge and get the frame resprayed. But in what colour and how much would it cost?<\/p>

\"RidleyThe frame was worn to the carbon<\/em><\/p>

My initial enquiries revealed that a frame respray could be \u2018eye-wateringly\u2019 expensive. Almost as much as I\u2019d paid for the frame in the first place, and that was before I\u2019d considered a bespoke finish.<\/p>

Figures of \u00a3600 plus for a respray of a carbon frame and forks in a single colour are not uncommon, excluding prior paint removal.<\/p>

Revamp Bikes<\/h2>

I stumbled across Revamp Bikes<\/strong><\/a> on the internet. I conducted some background checks before approaching the owner, Matt, who works out of his studio in South London. He\u2019s a cyclocross coach, too, which instantly endeared me to him.<\/p>

Matt explained that he charges a flat fee for the basic paint colour, but customisation, such as logos, is charged on a time basis. Essentially, the more fiddly the design, the more expensive it becomes. He also explained that he was happy to go through multiple versions of the design until I was happy with it.<\/p>

\"veldrijden<\/u><\/a>You can have the existing paint professionally removed from a carbon fibre frame at a cost. As I\u2019m notoriously cost-conscious when it comes to bikes, I decided I\u2019d save money by removing the paint myself by hand.<\/p>

Matt charges \u00a360 per hour to prepare a carbon frame. He estimates it can take up to six hours, but only charges a maximum of \u00a3250.<\/p>

The frame design<\/h2>

\"EarlyImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

The first step was to agree on a design with Matt. Initially, I supplied a photograph of my cyclocross hero, Sanne Cant<\/strong><\/a>, riding a custom \u201cBelgian bands\u201d Stevens frameset (see above). In response, Matt mocked up what the frame would look like.<\/p>

We went through various iterations of the design, which progressively became simpler and less \u201cfussy\u201d. I\u2019ve learnt since launching Rijden in 2021 that less is often more. Matt provided lots of useful suggestions, and at no point did he request remuneration for this service.<\/p>

Once we\u2019d finalised the design of the frame, the next step was to start the slightly scary task of sanding the frame down. There was no going back once I removed enough of the existing paintwork.<\/p>

Sanding the frame<\/h2>

Matt\u2019s advice was invaluable before this exercise. He explained that I wasn\u2019t aiming to get down to bare carbon. Rather, I had to remove sufficient paint so that any scratches or sprayed-on decals would be invisible once it was resprayed.<\/p>

I decided to use \u2018wet and dry\u2019 sandpaper, which I\u2019m familiar with from my long past sailing past. Using a mixture of 800 and 400 grade paper in wet mode provided a super smooth finish. The paint came off surprisingly easily, and great care had to be taken not to sand down to bare carbon.<\/p>

The real challenge was those areas where the paint had already worn through to the underlying carbon fibre. I was attempting to achieve a smooth finish without exacerbating carbon wear. Matt\u2019s instruction on what depth of blemish would be hidden by the new paint was indispensable to avoid my getting carried away.<\/p>

\"SandedThe sanded frame<\/em><\/p>

I should have kept a record of how long it actually took, but I didn\u2019t. I think in total, it was around four hours. That was \u00a3240 saved. Apparently, I'd done such a good job that no extra work was required, and Matt kindly knocked \u00a3100 off the standard paint price.<\/p>

All those hours sanding down special go-faster sailing boat paint had proved worthwhile. I'd saved myself \u00a3340.<\/p>

It probably took me just as long to completely strip the frame down in the first place. The tiny screws that retain cable insert points proved particularly reluctant to part from the mother frame.<\/p>

Parcelforce<\/h2>

I had hoped to deliver the frame in person, but as always, other priorities took over. I opted for Parcelforce to pick up and return the frame to my home. It bumped up the cost, but it was quick and easy to arrange using their online service.<\/p>

\"ParcelMr Parcelforce takes the frame away<\/em><\/p>

As soon as Matt started the frame \u2018makeover\u2019, I started to receive images from him, providing feedback on his progress and the opportunity to refine the design.<\/p>

Modifying the design<\/h2>

Originally, we had planned to spray the inside of the forks black. Upon reviewing the early images, we concurred that this was overkill, and it would look better without.<\/p>

\"FrameImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

Once the frame had been sprayed white and sufficient time had passed to allow it to dry, Matt created the stencils for the logos. As you can see from the image below, Matt creates the stencils by hand based on the supplied artwork.<\/p>

If anything is going to go wrong, it will probably be at this stage. The Rijden logo was created from three stencils and three different layers of paint.<\/p>

\"FrameImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

The more images I received from Matt, the more excited I became to see the finished article. It was a pleasure to see a concept evolve from vague ideas into physical reality. I was able to make one final adjustment. At my request, Matt added the Rijden logo to the top tube.<\/p>

He offered to add an inspirational quote. Maybe we should have added Rijden\u2019s strapline \u201cFrom cobbles to cross. Cycling\u2019s true heart\u201d, but we didn\u2019t. I like the simplicity of the final design.<\/p>

\"TheImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

Truly lacquered<\/h2>

The final piece in this intricate work was the application of the lacquer and the final \u2018polish\u2019. You can clearly see the difference between the painted but unlacquered frame on the left and the completed frame on the right.<\/p>

I had always known that applying lacquer provides a beautiful, deep gloss. What I hadn\u2019t known is that once it has hardened, it\u2019s sanded again with the finest grade to provide a deeply satisfying result.<\/p>

\"ComparisonImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

The final images of the completed frame were even better than I could have hoped for. All I had to do was wait for the paint and lacquer to harden up so that Matt could send it back.<\/p>

\"TheImage: Revamp Bikes<\/em><\/p>

Rebuild<\/h2>

No sooner was the frame back home than I started to build it back up. It was a lot quicker putting it back together than stripping it down. I even bought it some new tubulars.<\/p>

\"BeforeBefore and after<\/em><\/p>

Was I happy?<\/h2>

At its first competitive outing, where the bike performed better than the pilot, it received numerous admiring comments.<\/p>

It\u2019s also acted as an \u2018ice breaker\u2019 at races. People whom I didn\u2019t previously know have asked me about the bike, or have asked, \u201cAre you the guy behind Rijden?\u201d<\/p>

At a couple of Belgian races, British riders who\u2019ve realised I\u2019m the person who founded Rijden have thanked me for our articles that have helped them to ride their first cyclocross races in Belgium<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s a real pleasure to hear that we\u2019re helping people to race in cycling\u2019s heartland.<\/p>

\"wvhbgn5bei4pnwunql2zzlxgyav5eucu0q9l42eyoho2phfr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=auto\"It looks great even when covered with mud<\/em><\/p>

Cost<\/h2>

Standard single colour respray including primer, base coat, lacquer and polish: \u00a3350.<\/p>

Less discount for my excellent preparation: -\u00a3100.<\/p>

Logos and bands 5.25 hours @ \u00a360 per hour: \u00a3315<\/p>

Total: \u00a3565<\/p>

Excluding postage.<\/p>

READ MORE<\/strong>: Read all of <\/em>Rijden\u2019s guides to cyclocross<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, including how to improve at cyclocross, race in Belgium, rider interviews and our popular cyclocross TV calendar.<\/em><\/p>

\"cyclocross<\/u><\/a><\/p>

Complete bike specification<\/h2>

Frame: Ridley X-Night SL 2019 (or earlier) edition.<\/p>

Gears and brake levers: SRAM Rival 1 hydro - functional and clunky and a fiddle to bleed. The rear gear outer cable is one single length running inside the frame from the brake lever to the rear derailleur. This minimises the risk of dirt contamination and makes for easy gear cable changes.<\/p>

Chainset: SRAM Force 1 - The carbon Force chainset is significantly lighter than the Rival version. It's worth the upgrade.<\/p>

Wheels: Alloy Kinesis Tubular disc wheels. Totally bomb proof but sadly no longer produced. Carbon wheels are an utter luxury for cyclocross. Alloy is more than adequate for all but the very best riders.<\/p>

Pedals: Shimano SPD.<\/p>

Saddle: An original Selle San Marco Concor with titanium rails. I think I bought up the last few in the UK when their production ceased. I've been using the same model of saddle since the early 1980s. The Concor was extremely popular in the professional peloton back then. Riders would often use them rather than the team issue.<\/p>

Tyres: Challenge Griffo, Limus and Baby Limus tubulars.<\/p>

Stem and bars: Alloy Deda Zero 100 Deep - the bar ends are trimmed to reduce the chances of catching them on my knees. Plus, it saves a tiny amount of weight.<\/p>

All images are copyright of Rijden except where stated.<\/em><\/p>

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