Can anyone recommend a frame painter in the Boulder/Denver area? Rich Gangl painted a bike for me 25 years ago, but I don't know if he's still working. I also know of Rainbow Cycles (?) but they do not seem to be in Niwot any longer. It's a Mercian lugged steel frame (not the fancy one). I would also need downtube shifter bosses brazed on.

I'd really like to send it to Mercian in England but I'm just looking for local alternatives, to save on shipping.

Thanks,
Mark G
Longmont CO

There's a guy up in Nederland who does work. He's got a website to check out: www.boulderbikecrafters.com. I was going to get my Kestrel painted by him last October, but then I ended up taking a pay cut at work, so the project turned into a luxury item :( . Anyhoo, check the site out, he seems to do pretty good work, and not *too* expensive...

Not quite Denver... CO Springs.

http://www.spectrumpowderworks.com/

I don't know much about frame painters (yet), but in Lyons there is a motorcycle shop (Red Hill Motorcycle Werx), and they do custom frame painting, so it may be worth checking out (I just don't recommend you go in the shop in lycra ;) ).

Not quite Denver... CO Springs.

http://www.spectrumpowderworks.com/

For the record, if you take it to Spectrum, you might make a point of telling them you want it prepped right. A good friend of mine is a frame builder who has had 4 or so frames come back to him after rusting from beneath the powdercoat (a problem caused when the coat fails to adhere to a portion of a poorly prepped frame). Said friend is no longer using Spectrum after having spoken with the guys there and having them refuse to take any responsibility for the issue. Just FYI.

Give Vecchio's Bicicletteria a call at (303) 440-3535. They should know who the local painters are.

I am going to show the bike to Mark Nobilette, veteran frame builder, next week. Fortunately he lives here in Longmont where I live. Mark doesn't paint but uses someone local, which is no longer Rainbow as he told me they are out of business. Since my original post, I have begun considering replacing the frame; a new King of Mercia, slightly fancier than mine, is around US $750 frame and fork, which is not bad for a handmade Reynolds frame. Thanks for the info everyone, I'll let you know how it turns out.