There’s a lot of satisfaction in hand painting a bike, but there’s also paint stripping the frame and fork, learning techniques, and the time commitment to do it right.
Moreover, not everyone has the skill to do a genuinely professional-looking job, and the whole point of a repaint is to make it look better than before. How much to paint a bicycle?
It will cost you between $40 to $150 to paint a bicycle DIY style. However, if you want a simple powder coat, it runs around $150 or more, and a professional paint job in most areas will cost $250 to over $900. Prices vary based on the type of bicycle you have.
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Table of Contents
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Bike
It will cost you $100 to $300 to paint a bike. Some areas, like Hawaii, New York, and Alaska, cost more because the cost of living there is higher.
Likewise, it’s possible to find someone skilled running a special or charging a lower fee, but don’t count on it. In most places, these fees are relatively standard because of the work that goes into the panting.
It is technically possible to grab a can of spray paint and a tarp and do a super-cheap paint job on a bike in a few minutes plus dry time.
However, that paint job will flake off and look like you spent ten bucks on it. There’s more to bike painting than applying a layer of Krylon.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Mountain Bike
Mountain bikes are larger than most other bicycles except for cruisers. Furthermore, they usually have thicker frames than the other styles, so MTB paint jobs take more paint, paint thinner, time, and overall effort.
A basic mountain bike paint job will start out around $300 to $500 and go up accordingly based on bike size, details, difficulty, and the cost of living where you are.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A BMX Bike
BMX paint jobs typically run from $200 to over $800. These tough, durable bikes are often used for stunts and trick riding at parks or for racing on a dirt track.
As a result, they need rugged paint. Moreover, BMX paint jobs are always in demand, and there’s a huge culture around riding and owning flashy BMXs.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Road Bike
Road bikes tend toward the smaller end of frame size versus rider height and weight. Because of this, it’s slightly fewer materials and a little less time to paint a road bike.
Additionally, unlike racing bikes, BMXs, or even mountain bikes, the culture around these bikes is a little less prevalent, making flashy road bikes less in demand.
They are still desirable, but they lack the massive following of some of their cousins.
All of that adds up to savings when you paint. Though basic materials cost the same for DIY, you may be able to get a color change for as little as $90.
However, overall you should expect to spend $100 to $300 or more if you want custom detail work.
How Much To Paint A Bicycle Frame
A basic paint job on a bicycle frame will cost anywhere from around $50 to DIY as cheaply as possible, to over eight hundred to get a professional detailed job.
If you noticed that this is the same as the cost for a whole bike that’s because the cost varies significantly, and the frame is what makes up most of your bike.
Although you will generally pay slightly less for painting the frame only, this is the overall estimate across all bike styles and frame materials.
Cost To Paint Carbon Bike Frame
If you’re planning on having your carbon fiber bike frame painted, then it’s going to cost you roughly $700 or more.
This price includes the prep and stripping, paint, and other specialized materials made for this frame style, artist’s time, and a profit for the business.
Depending on how detailed you want the paint, it could be more. However, some simple color changes will only cost $400 to $500.
As The Pro’s Closet points out, “Carbon is more expensive. There is more engineering required, the manufacturing process is more labor-intensive, and every frame requires a dedicated mold that further increases the cost. It’s possible for aluminum frames to be built by machine, but carbon fiber layup is still done by hand.”
Working with a more expensive product always costs more because businesses pay more for unique materials, training, and even insurance to cover any possible issues.
How Much Is A Custom Bike Paint Job
You can find artists who will do a custom paint job for a few hundred dollars.
Expect prices for high-quality custom work to start at the high end of standard painting costs, around $300 to $400 for simple designs. However, the price goes up based on who is doing the work.
Other factors affect the price, like the cost of living in your area. A famous or exceptional artist will always charge more, and the level of detail and how much time and effort painters have to put into the work effects the cost.
For example, a custom-painted bike like a high-end Festka can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
I recommend checking out the video below to see just how stunning, detailed, and pricey, custom-painted bikes can be.
Helpful Tips To Know About How Much To Paint A Bicycle
Whatever style of bicycle you ride, a paint job can make it feel and look brand new.
From changing the color to custom detailed artwork, paint is a serious business requiring skill, talent, materials, and time.
Here are more helpful tips to know about how much to paint a bike frame.
- Customizing bikes has been a part of cycling culture since the beginning and using paint is the easiest way to do that. No matter what your style, color choice, or design tastes, a hand-painted bicycle is a great way to express yourself or give an incredible gift.
- Before you can paint a bike frame, you have to disassemble the parts and tape off any chrome or other pieces that are not getting the paint. After it’s stripped and taped, a layer of primer goes on first to give an even base layer for color to be applied. The base coat has to dry. Then, finally, the colored layer goes on your bike frame and fork.
- Paint is primarily cosmetic. However, painting metal also has a functional purpose. The paint seals your bike frame against weathering like scratches, and it also prevents water from reaching the metal, which causes oxidation and creates rust.
- Detailed custom-painted bikes are more likely to be recovered when stolen because they are unique and readily identifiable. Reselling a bicycle that is one of a kind is much more difficult and riding it around will get the crook caught quickly.
Final Thoughts
Anyone can paint a bike and doing it yourself is usually less expensive if you have the skill to do it well.
However, a professional paint job will cost anywhere from a hundred dollars to tens of thousands, depending on just how custom and detailed you want your bike.
Larger and more expensive frames cost more to paint, and well-known artists also charge more than a shop for a basic color change.
Ultimately, a good custom paint job is worth it because it will make your bike look spectacular.