How to Strip the Paint Off Your Bicycle

Yes, for years I was the guy using sandpaper and a drill with a wire-wheel attachment to strip paint. It hurt, it took forever, it wore stuff out. It also left tooling marks on the frame many times. I knew there had to be a better way, but I didn't know what it is. When I found it, I definitely had a face-palm moment. Paint stripper in a can. Easy as that.

Apply the paint stripper. Get the bike part you are stripping (frame, fork, handlebars, etcetera) in a safe place. I put mine on a pallet in a part of the yard where the lawn is already dead. I apply a good thick coat of this stuff, because I don't want to do it twice. It only runs about eight dollars a can, so it doesn't hurt the pocketbook to spray it on heavy. Also, this stuff will take stickers and things right off, too, so there is no need to remove them prior to application.

Wait. Yea, wait. Doesn't that sound easier than pressing as hard as you can on a drill for two hours? It sure appeals to me. I usually go and do some other part of the bike project, such as the bearings or rims while I wait. Most of the cans recommend a fifteen-minute wait, but I double that; you won't hurt the steel, trust me. Let it sit and work for about thirty minutes.

Spray part with a hose and then detail. After the wait, I simply spray the bike down with a good dose of water. I find that this step removes most, if not all, of the stripper, but I still use gloves and I recommend you do, too. Then, I take it back into the garage and use a steel putty knife or scraper to get the small amount of stubborn paint that always seems to remain. It comes off very easily, though, so there's no need to get cramps and stuff. I also recommend coating the bike or part in primer soon afterward, to prevent surface rust from forming.