I'm sure lots of CR members do great painting. One I can enthuasiastically recommend from recent experience is Mary Pfeiffer. She did a complete restoration of my Gianni Motta Personal 2001 complete with tricolore paint job, correct decals and filling a small dent, for a bit over $600. The result is exquisite.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
I am loathe to weigh in on the subject of frame painters, my recent experience was too costly and too painful. I'll spare you all the details, suffice to say if you are having a bike painted in England don't use Argos in Bristol or Skill Enamellers in Ilkeston. Just don't. Of course your personal experience may be different but all I got from the pair of them was a one-year wait, horrific bills, back of the hand "service" and two bikes painted in the WRONG colour! Worse still both were supposed to be painted the same colour. And these were just plain 'ol Raleighs too, single colour!! How hard can it be people?
Argos explained a three-month wait for them to do nothing by saying "We were busy with our important racing customers" (direct quote).. now that says it all. I had my own customer service problems with CycleArt but this wasn't related to frame painting. Suffice to say I am not inclined to patronise them again.
I'll pay any price (within reason) and bear any burden to get it done "right", right meaning 1) ability and creativity to match paint, 2) duplicate original transfers/decals.. don't throw up your hands and tell me "If Nick at Lloyds doesn't have it...." and 3) treat me as a customer of your business, not an investor or imposition in your hobby or pastime. If you're in the business of restoring bicycles, do it right and do it all or not at all.
Right now, I simply haven't the stamina to go through this again anytime soon.. I'd rather have a root canal than deal with some of these people. This is supposed to be a fun pastime, sport and hobby. Basil Fawlty would have been a great frame painter....
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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