Help With Keeping On Paint.

[Aluyasha]

I was using a damp rag to lightly clean my 64 Monark and when the rag touched the chain guard white paint, where it has a design and the word Monark, the water from the rag was taking the paint right off!
So my question is, what can I put on my bike to help keep the paint on? If a damp rag can take the paint off then I bet rain would too. I would hate to go for a ride and accidently go through a puddle and there goes all my decal.

Suggestions welcome.

[mos6502]

Clear coat?

[Aluyasha]

Like clear coat for cars? Would anything else work? Like maybe clear nail polish? lol

[expjawa]

I think he meant a spray on clearcoat. I've had poor luck with, say, Rustoleum or similar products. I've had good luck with Spraymax, but it's expensive. The trouble is, clearcoat only sticks as well as its foundation. If the base paint is coming off, then while the clearcoat will stick to the paint, the paint is still coming off. Also, to get the clear to stick well, you need to prep sand the base coat with 600 or so grit. Your paint may not take well to that...

[raggedjim]

This sounds crazy but I have used it to seal pinstriping... Acrylic Floor Polish! Used to be called Future but you can find off brands at a Dollar Store. I just take a sponge and wipe it on. Just be careful, if your paint is already wiping off with water it may do the same with the polish.

Good luck, Rg

[gcrank1]

Paint coming off with a damp wipe down!.........was it painted with cheap waterbase paint? Or is it just some oxidized surface color you are getting on the wipe cloth? That isnt unusual on old paint with a good rub, but it stops coming off when you hit good paint.

[Aluyasha]

The normal bicycle paint is staying. It is the decal paint on the chain guard that is easily coming off.
Here is a picture of the chain guard when I first bought the bike:

Here is the part of the chain guard from after I tried cleaning it with a damp rag:

[g-ratter]

Looks like some one was trying to do some home customizing and used a white waterbased paint. A few light coats of a clear might work but might be best to redo it if you like what was originally done.

[Aluyasha]

Looks like some one was trying to do some home customizing and used a white waterbased paint. A few light coats of a clear might work but might be best to redo it if you like what was originally done.

Does that mean the little crown is not original? I did notice in the part where the paint came off there is weird tape like stuff underneath.

[raggedjim]

The crown is original. It is a decal that was screen printed and the ink has oxidized. I have seen this with older muscle cars with screen printed decals. I really don't have any advise for fixing this...

Good luck, Rg