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What Paint Can you Use on a Bike Frame? 16 Suitable Types

By Author Anna

Posted on Last updated:

Cans of spray paint, with paint dripping down them to show the variety of colors.

We looked at the different kinds of paint you can use – paint quality, the pressure of the can, and how easy it is to work with. Good bike paint will be durable enough to withstand scrapes and rust and give you a clean, vibrant finish. A rusted bike will need special paint to prepare the surface.

Other things to consider when buying paint for your bike are the smell of the paint, how eco-friendly it is, how tough the finish is, the quality of the paint color, and how easy it is to apply and clean up. We looked for paints that are easy to source and affordable, with matte and gloss options.

You’ll need to buy one to two paint cans to spray a single bike frame. Most cans range from 10.5 to 12 fluid ounces, and the average bike frame needs about 13.5 fluid ounces, so it’s good to have backup paint for touch-ups.

While powder coating is more long-lasting than a DIY spray job, you can get a fantastic, custom-resprayed bike by doing it yourself. A home spray will cost less and gives you more leeway for an eye-catching design.

With these criteria in mind, we’ve picked the 16 best paints to use on your bike frame.

#1: Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer Spray

Before painting your bike, you’ll want to prepare the surface for taking a new coat of paint. If your bike is new and in good condition, wet sand the steel frame down with 400-grit sandpaper; there is no need for primer.

If your bike has a lot of rust, you can use Rust-Oleum’s Rust Reformer Spray, sold on Amazon, to create a matte black surface that prevents further rusting. The formula transforms rusted metal surfaces so you can save time sanding down to clean metal.

  1. Color: Black
  2. Size: 11 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 20-40 minutes, 24 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Oil-based enamel
  5. Price: $11.48

#2: ColorRite Spray Dirt Bike Single Stage

ColorRite has a range of highly hard-wearing spray paints designed to color-match many off-road motorbikes. These make excellent bike paint and are one-coat paints that don’t require primer or sealer.

Aimed for use on surfaces that are:

  • metal
  • plastic
  • fiberglass

NOTE: ColorRite does not recommend using these over-enamel paints, so avoid them if you have used an enamel or oil-based spray on your bike.

The ColorRite Dirt Bike Sprays, (Amazon link), come in shades to match specific makes of vehicles, with options in:

  • silver
  • lime green
  • flint gray
  • racing blue
  • orange
  • red
  1. Color: Range
  2. Size: 11 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 60 minutes, recoat in 2 hours, 24 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Urethane
  5. Price: $19.95

#3: Montana Gold Premium Spray Paint

Montana Gold Spray Paints (Amazon link), are incredible for creating custom spray jobs. The paint is high quality, and the low pressure is designed to make it easier to create complex artistic work. These are the semi-gloss paints to use if you plan on turning your bike into a statement piece.

The professional quality, UV-resistant paint comes in a wide range of vibrant colors and is suitable for use on:

  • wood
  • glass
  • metal
  1. Color: 214 Colors
  2. Size: 13.5 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 60 minutes, recoat in 6-8 minutes, and 24-48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Lacquer Base: NC-Acrylic
  5. Price: $11.25
Cans of spray paint lined up laying on their side, in red, yellow, purple, blue.
Some companies sell a wide variety of paint colors

#4: Montana Cans Metallic Spray Paint

As you can see, Montana makes a wide variety of high-quality spray paints, and the color range is incredible. With a name for murals and street art, it’s no surprise these paints translate well to custom bike resprays. The Metallics have a matte surface and are 100% lead and CFC-free.

As with the Gold Premium, the Montana Cans Metallic Spray Paint, (sold on Amazon), is durable, withstands all kinds of weather, and can be applied to surfaces like:

  • canvas
  • wood
  • concrete
  • glass
  • metal
  1. Color: 15 colors
  2. Size: 13.5 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 60 minutes, recoat in 6-8 minutes, and 24-48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Lacquer Base: NC-Acrylic
  5. Price: $12.95-$14.95

#5: Rust-Oleum Professional High-Performance Enamel Spray Paint

Rust-Oleum is a trusted brand in spray paints, particularly in preventing rust, which makes them an excellent and affordable standard spray for bikes.

This Rust-Oleum Professional High-Performance Spray Paint, (Amazon link), is a gloss paint that can be applied to any metal, even those prone to rust, and creates a surface that is:

  • tough
  • durable
  • corrosion-resistant
  1. Color: 23 colors
  2. Size: 15 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 15 minutes, recoat in an hour, 24 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Oil-based
  5. Price: $9,98-$23.85

#6: Dupli-Color Premium Acrylic Enamel Spray paint

The automotive spray paint from Dupli-Color creates a gloss finish durable in all weathers, with excellent coverage. It’s a two-in-one paint and primer with a fusion plastic adhesion technology that requires no prior sanding.

To get maximum corrosion protection for your bike, use Dupli-Color Premium Acrylic Enamel, sold on Amazon, on:

  • metal
  • plastic
  • fiberglass
  1. Color: Limited range
  2. Size: 15 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 25 minutes, recoat in two hours, and 24 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel, acrylic
  5. Price: $29.99

#7: Spray.Bike

Spray.Bike’s range of spray cans is designed for spraying bikes and comes in an extensive range of fantastic colors. They also have:

  • metallic primers
  • fluorescents
  • topcoats
  • colored flake paints for a glitter effect

While it can be more difficult to source these paints, if you have a bike shop nearby, you should be able to order stock as there are hundreds of Spray.Bike paint stockists over the world, or click the link to head to their website.

You can cover a standard bike frame with one can of spray paint, though if you use fluorescent colors, Spray.Bike recommends painting a white basecoat first.

  1. Color: Extensive range
  2. Size: 13.5 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 15 minutes, recoat in two hours, and seven days to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel, acrylic
  5. Price: $16.99

#8: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Metallic Spray

If you’re looking for metallic spray paint, you can trust rust-Oleum to provide a decent range of standard metallic shades at reasonable prices. This hard-wearing oil-based spray paint is chip and scratch-resistant and will keep corrosion at bay.

Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Metallic Spray (Amazon link), contains metal flakes to give your bike a shiny finish and is suitable for use on metal, among other surfaces. This fade-resistant paint is a good choice for tones that are:

  • bronze
  • copper
  • gold
  • nickel
  • silver
  1. Color: Limited metallic range
  2. Size: 12 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 20 minutes, recoat in two hours, 24 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Oil-based
  5. Price: $9.98
Top side view of cans of spray paint, dripping to show the various colors.
Some paints are better with a primer, and some don’t need one

#9: Krylon Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint

An all-in-one spray paint with high durability that comes in gloss and matte versions, with a different metallic range, Krylon is a good choice for an easy bike respray. No need for a primer or sanding with this paint as it easily adheres to metal and plastic.

A trusted name in paints, Krylon’s Fusion All-in-One Spray paint, (links to product on Amazon), offers excellent rust protection and comes in a wide selection. If you’re on a tight budget, Krylon’s price range will suit you well.

  1. Color: 87 colors, 19 metallics
  2. Size: 12 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 20 minutes, recoat in one hour, 24-48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Solvent-based
  5. Price: $6.98

#10: Rust-Oleum Available Automotive Enamel Spray Paint

A paint designed for automobiles will be a good choice for bikes, as it will give excellent all-weather protection and durability. The nozzle design provides a wide spray, which is suitable for applying a smooth finish that looks professional.

Rust-Oleum Available Automotive Enamel Spray Paint (Amazon link), is a good budget choice for gloss spray paint if you’re respraying your bike a solid black or white. Suitable for use on metal and seals to a waterproof finish, but you may need a primer depending on the bike material.

  1. Color: Black, white, clear finish
  2. Size: 12 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 15 minutes, recoat in one hour, seven days to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel
  5. Price: $9.98

#11: Krylon Fluorescent Spray Paint

What if you want to create a bike with a unique look – why not go for a fluorescent spray that will glow under UV light? Krylon Fluorescent Spray Paint, sold on Amazon, is designed for use on safety equipment, and it’s a fantastic product to repurpose for bike designs with a bold neon look.

You can use this neon fluorescent paint on:

  • wood
  • metal
  • wrought iron
  • glass

Some customers have found it not as bright as they wanted, while others found it very bright, but the best results will be achieved if you paint it over a white base, so prime it with white rust-proof paint first.

  1. Color: six fluorescent colors
  2. Size: 11 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: tack free in 15 minutes, recoat in two hours, and 24-48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel
  5. Price: $19.75

#12: Rust-Oleum Speciality Fluorescent Spray Paint

Another fluorescent option for painting your bike, this time from Rust-Oleum, comes in a small range of neon colors. Like other more decorative spray paints, paint this over a corrosion-preventing white base coat. This will also help the color pop.

You’ll need several thin coats of Rust-Oleum Speciality Fluorescent Spray Paint, sold on Amazon, to get a deep, bright color. Remember, this paint is not glow-in-the-dark but intended to glow under black light.

You can use this paint on metal and plastic, and it’s long-lasting and non-fading.

  1. Color: five fluorescent colors
  2. Size: 11 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: tack free in 15 minutes, recoat in two hours, and 24-48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel
  5. Price: $8.67
Solid color spray paints lined up with a white background, in blue, purple, yellow, red.
Using a white base will make colors pop

#13: Plastikote Enamel Paint

While all the paints listed above are spray paints, which are excellent for applying a thin uniform color, if you plan to do detailed work, you’ll likely need to brush paint some areas. Plastikote Project Enamel, sold on Amazon, is a fast-drying paint that won’t leave visible brush marks when it dries.

  1. Color: 11 colors
  2. Size: 59 ml
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 15 minutes, dry in 20-25 minutes
  4. Paint Type: Enamel
  5. Price: $10.23

#14: Humbrol Enamel Paint

Initially developed for painting model kits, Humbrol Enamel Paint, (Amazon link), comes in many different shades. Helpful in painting minimal areas, as the paint is a little thicker than Plastokote and needs to be applied thinly to avoid a bumpy appearance.

The tins are tiny, so I would only recommend these if you need them for very small, detailed brushwork areas. While they were developed for plastic, they can also be used on metal and glass. Thin them with enamel thinners to use in an airbrush.

  1. Color: Wide range of colors
  2. Size: 14 ml
  3. Drying Time: Tack free in 15 minutes, dry in 20-25 minutes, and 6 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel
  5. Price: $9.64

#15: Spraymax 2K Clear Coat Spray Can

If you’ve made a lot of effort to create a fantastic custom paint job on your bike, you’ll want to protect it from:

  • chain scrapes
  • flying stones
  • grit

Grab yourself a can of Spraymax 2K Clear Coat Spray, sold on Amazon, to protect your paint job and keep it sealed for years.

This paint will give your bike a lasting high-gloss seal, and the Moshify spray can trigger and prevents unwanted spread and spills.

  1. Color: Clear
  2. Size: 13.5 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Dry in four hours, 48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel hardener
  5. Price: $44.90

#16: KBS Coatings Clear High Gloss Diamond Finish Clear Aerosol

Another option for sealing a paint job against additional damage from road grit and bike chains is KBS Coatings Clear High Gloss Diamond Finish Clear Aerosol, sold on Amazon. You’ll get a hard protective finish that will highlight your paint job.

Apply this sealant in two very thin layers to get the best results, it dries smooth and flat with a satin gloss. Before applying any sealants, ensure the paint has fully cured so that you don’t get a problem with the paint:

  • running
  • bubbling
  • cracking
  1. Color: Clear
  2. Size: 13.5 Fl oz
  3. Drying Time: Dry in four hours, 48 hours to cure
  4. Paint Type: Enamel hardener
  5. Price: $24.95
A person holding a spray paint can out to use, with a blue sky in the background.
These paints make painting your bike easy!

Make Painting Your Bike A Breeze

Using spray paints designed for automobiles and dirtbikes, you’ll be able to quickly and easily paint your bike frame with as little as possible. If you’re creating multi-color designs, you’ll find a wide range of colors in spray paints from well-known brands like Rust-Oleum and Krylon.

Also, consider paints used by street artists for durability and range and enamel hobby paints for detailed work. A high-quality sealant isn’t necessary, but if you’ve spent many hours working on a unique, complex paint job, I’d recommend the extra protection.

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