# Painting brake and shifter levers



## Safeway (May 14, 2007)

The chrome finish on my levers is looking pretty disgusting. There is also some road rash on the right lever.

Have any of you sanded, smoothed, and spray painted components in the past? I am thinking about painting them a dark, deep gray and applying several coats of clear on top. I want the finished product to look carbon-esque.

If you have painted levers, how easy was it? Would you suggest against it? Should I completely disassemble the levers, or simple mask off the internals?

Thanks,
Safeway

Edit: I am referring to brifters. Like Ultegra 10-speed dual control levers.


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

I would smooth out any rough edges and learn to love the battle scars. If you scuffed them up once, it can happen again, and it won't look any prettier with more layers of finish.


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## Mark Kelly (Oct 27, 2009)

I did the opposite. I dislike carbon so I painted the forks and ergo levers: a blue undercoat, then translucent silver then a top coat of a chameleon paint (the ones that change colour with viewing angle: this one is purple / green so the effect is the top half of the spectrum: green / blue / violet).

I completely disassembled the ergos, painted the levers and reassembled. This is of course much easier with Campagnolo than it will be for yours.

BTW you will need to surface treat the aluminium before you paint it - most paints don't like to stick to aluminium.


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## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

Most the levers have a clear anodizing. If you want any paint stick well to them, you'll need to prep. IMO more PITA that it is worth and levers are going to get dings and all that work will be gone the first fall the bike gets. I would just leave it.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Mark Kelly said:


> I did the opposite. I dislike carbon so I painted the forks and ergo levers: a blue undercoat, then translucent silver then a top coat of a chameleon paint (the ones that change colour with viewing angle: this one is purple / green so the effect is the top half of the spectrum: green / blue / violet).


I would LOVE to see a photo of your levers!!

I also agree that the aluminum needs to be prepped with "etching primer" before painting. Since levers are a fairly high-wear item, paint won't stick around too well without this additional pre-painting step.


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## Safeway (May 14, 2007)

So you think it would be a wasted endeavorer?

Ugh, I want black levers!


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## Bill70J (Sep 23, 2004)

*Or Anodize at Home*



SilverStar said:


> I would LOVE to see a photo of your levers!!
> 
> I also agree that the aluminum needs to be prepped with "etching primer" before painting. Since levers are a fairly high-wear item, paint won't stick around too well without this additional pre-painting step.


The other altrernative is to remove the current coating, polish, then anodize them yourself with a home kit. Makes sense if you have other parts to anodize, or even better, if you have friends who are in need and will pay for your service.


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## cyklopath (Feb 24, 2007)

Wasted endeavor? Yes. 

Don't try to disassemble your Shimano brifters. It is a bear - it can be done, but its very difficult. 

As for paint, nothing from a rattlecan will last on a high use part like that. It will look worse than what you have now after a hundred miles. 

Find levers that are the color you want and buy 'em.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Safeway said:


> So you think it would be a wasted endeavorer?
> 
> Ugh, I want black levers!


You could always try this stuff:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=707229

It's Birchwood Casey's "Aluminum Black", used by gunsmiths to blacken aluminum parts. You'll have to strip off the clearcoat/clear anodizing on the levers to get it to stick, but might be worth a try. I've never used the stuff personally, but it gets favorable reviews on the gunsmithing forums...


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