Niwot, Colorado. Rainbow Cycle Craft

[EP3MTB]

Anyone know the folks who owned/worked at Rainbow Cycle Craft? I’m told they closed shop many years ago. Wondering if anyone from there is still in the trade. I would really like to have some paintwork recreated by the original artist if it is still a possibilty. Please PM me if you have any info. Thanks

[livernose]

This was their info, but they seemed to have gone away in 2003. 

Rainbow Cycle Craft
201 Murray
Niwot, CO 80544
(303) 652-2424

[EP3MTB]

Yeah, from what I’m told the old building is now a bakery. I’ve got in touch with a bike shop right down the road from that address, and emailed Dean Cycles in Boulder, but no one has any info on the old Rainbow employees. Bummer.

[KeithB]

I worked at Rainbow Cycle Craft back in the mid to late 90’s while attending CU Boulder. I was there during the bass boat era. I can tell you that there was super high USA quality control  put into everything we did. 

[tomatoadmin]

Thank you for your service. *drinks*

[RainbowCycleCraft]

I owned Rainbow Cycle Craft though the Schwinn era. In 2001 I had a couple strokes the last one was on 9/11. I sold the business and all the equipment. I still have original artwork and some tomato era stuff. A couple “Bass Boat” frames hang in my garage that have never been built up. One is an Ano Inc frame and the other is a factory (yeti-Durango) built frame. I have two built up frames a factory 4-banger and factory hardtail that I still ride. We painted and podercoated a lot of frames for Schwinn. The Schwinn gang was a fun bunch to be around and it was a shame to see what happened to it.

[livernose]

If you ever decide to sell the Factory plese let me know. I’d love to buy it.

[bikeric]

I just want to say Thank You for creating the most beautiful paint jobs in the cycling world!!  Are you able to talk about the stages of the “Bass Boat” painting process?  I tried to re-create one myself, but the grey primer was leading me to a wrong outcome.  I think black primer should be the start.  What was the size of the glitter you used?

Thanks so much!!

[zuren]

Posting to follow!

[RainbowCycleCraft]

We were able to powdercoat a lot of the of the “Bass Boats”. It took a while to get the process and look right but the powdercoat got away from a chipy finish. The powdercoat was a multi layed process including a cleatcoat. We worked with a decal maker to get a podercoatable decal in the final runs. I used “House of Kolor” (https://www.houseofkolor.com/opencms/homepage) flakes for the sparkle. Painting and powdercoating with the flakes makes quite a mess and you will be living with flakes for a while. I have a one-off factory frame painted in a bassboat blue that is my personal bike. Use a black primer base coat and that will make the color “pop”. The thiner you keep the final product the less likely it will be to chip. Hope that helps and good luck.

[dockbars@gmail.com]

I love these bikes still and rode and raced a factory suspension (orange) in the late 90s and then a Project Underground at the same time.  The paint jobs were some of the most amazing – especially in the sun…  Thank you.  Dov

 

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