[lunky]

I have a medium sized Litespeed "Icon" Ti bike which has a clear coat over the brushed Ti and painted area. My top tube has some scratches in the paint and so I am thinking of stripping the clear coat as well as the paint (and the large Litespeed labels). I did email Litespeed but they just game me a range estimate on the weight savings if removed of 100 -200 grams but I had to ask twice and so I question even the range.

If anyone has information on weight savings or input on how best to strip or problems with stripping clear coat and or paint then please advise. Note that I do like the idea of a basic look and so I would be doing this for both weight savings and cosmetics. I love the bike by the way.

 

[ljfran2383]

Aircraft remover. Comes in a square can at you local auto parts store. will burn you skin, eat any thing non-metal, but that paint will come off fast.

Use thick rubber gloves, dont get it on your skin, if you do, rinse with lots of water. That weight estimate is correct. I stripped a mtn. frame and lots a quarter pound. You should get ~100g or a little less.

 

[lunky]

Stripped my Ti Litespeed Icon, the weight savings is....

22 grams. Far less than I thought. However, I love the look. Note that the Icon had very little paint. It was clear coated and of course had their signature large labels.

 

[oily666]

Looks nice, but for 22 grams you played with this.

If you breathe methylene chloride (300 ppm) or greater for short periods of time (e.g., 3-4 hours), you may not be able to hear faint sounds and your vision may be slightly impaired. If you breathe large amounts (800 ppm) you may not be able to react fast, remain steady, or perform tasks requiring precise hand movements. You may experience dizziness, nausea, tingling or numbness of the fingers and toes, and drunkenness if you breathe methylene chloride for a longer time. In most cases, effects disappear after exposure ends. Studies in animals suggest that exposure to higher concentrations (greater than 1,000 ppm) can lead to unconsciousness and death.

Breathing methylene chloride also causes changes in the liver and kidney in animals, but similar effects have not been observed in humans. Studies in animals suggest that breathing methylene chloride does not cause birth defects or affect reproduction, even at high concentrations. Animal studies indicate that should you be exposed to vapors of methylene chloride in air, the vapors may irritate your eyes and affect your cornea. One study reported these effects at concentrations of 490 ppm; however the effects usually disappeared within a few days.

Methylene chloride has not been shown to cause cancer in humans exposed to vapors in the workplace. However, breathing high concentrations of methylene chloride for long periods of time did cause cancer in mice. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that methylene chloride is possibly carcinogenic to humans. No information was found regarding the effects of methylene chloride in humans after oral exposure. Methylene chloride has caused death in rats following oral exposure to large amounts over a short period of time.

No information was found regarding the effects of methylene chloride in humans after skin exposure or direct contact with the eyes. In rabbits, effects were observed on the eyes (i.e., cornea), but they were reversible within a few days.

 

[lunky]

It was professionally stripped by a paint company that I do business with. I thought about doing it myself but did not want to bother with the labor to do so and the concern for my health. The paint was nicked as well as the clear coat and so it really needed something to be done. I really like the bikes look, more so then when it was first purchased. I always liked this bike but felt it didn't really have a soul until now. My previous bike was a steel Serotta painted red which had was a beautiful bike.

 

[oily666]

Good move to job the stripping out. I've seen that stuff really mess someone up. Your bike looks super.