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I've got a GT Transeo 1.0 bike (bought in 2011 or 2010 as best as I can remember) and I'd like to try painting the frame to get rid of some (very minor) surface rust and paint damage.

I've read a bunch of tutorials on spray painting bike frames, and they tend to make a distinction between steel and aluminium frames.

However the official GT website claims that the frame of my bike is made up of "6061 Alloy", which I assume is a reference to an aluminium/magnesium/silicon alloy, even though there is no mention of aluminium anywhere. Is this what is usually meant by an 'aluminium frame' online?

If not (or even if so) what brand of primer+paint+topcoat would work well for such a frame?

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As for your alloy question, yes. The alloy specification itself is just the grade of aluminum used. Similar to the way you would find the type of steel used to make a knife or similar things like that.

As for what type of spray paint to use, I would recommend a Rustolium metal paint. Go to your local hardware store/paint store and ask them for a specific recommendation as far as aesthetic properties of the paint, but the brand itself is particularly tough and holds up well in different weathers, as well as different levels of abuse.

Just a quick personal tip; with any paint job, the preparation is always more important, and a bit more time consuming, than the actual painting of the item. Be sure to sand, buff, and clean your frame the best you possibly can. Adding new paint on top of old will ultimately look pretty bad, and your paint will most likely start to chip. Painting on top of dirt, old paint, or cracks may result in a lazy looking paint job.

So, in short, sand it down, clean it up, make sure it's dry, and go to town!

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  • If you are stripping of all the paint and respraying, I have read that you need to use an etching primer coat with aluminium. Or you could get a powder coat done at a paint shop.
    – Kim Ryan
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 10:18
  • For certain spray paints there is a primer already mixed in with it for ease of use, but yes I did neglect to mention about the primer. Ask an associate of which ever store you go too about exactly what you will need. They would know!
    – Weirix
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 10:37
  • Unfortunately the DIY stores near here (Tirolean Alps) are geared mostly towards home maintenance/construction. There are some Rust-oleum carrying shops within driving distance, but otherwise my main options seem to be Hammerite and Dupli-color. I've read several people who advice against Hammerite as it's too thick for spraying frames. I'll definitely go and ask at the shops, but in general the employees at these chains seem criminially underinformed.
    – David Rutten
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 10:48
  • I see. Well, that is quite unfortunate to say the least. Maybe try calling a lowes or similar hardware store. Even if they are far away, you might be able to pick their brain on the phone to see exactly what you would need, and then just pick it up at one of the stores around you.
    – Weirix
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 10:52
  • Note that this is an ETCH primer, that etches out some of the aluminium so the paint will adhere. If you don't apply it first, the top spray coat may flake off.
    – Kim Ryan
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 12:42

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