I want to get my standard looking Bianchi to look something like this. Not sure about the white rims-thinking something orange or yellow.
Also I want a purple chain with purple cranks.....
or maybe it would be easier to just find a Kalavinka...anybody heard of it?





*this is my Bianchi-would it be possible to do a "makeover"? My frame size requirement would probably be an issue if I were to try to find a frame somewhere. I really want that purple bike, but they aren't taking orders at the particular company right not.....boo . Thoughts please...

Get yourself a custom one here.

a purple custom Kalavinka frameset will run you about $1200 before shipping

Or a NJS approved Kalavinka with Reynolds 853 and the sparkle purple paint job and chromed lugs for about $1800 before shipping (whew!)

(but that is a beautiful bike)

Meow, I hope you know that sporting purple is a warning.

I'll build you a frame for a very affordable price when I get back from UBI

Then you can pick any color!

that frame and fork up there is pure sex...


nothing wrong with purple



it's the color of loving, and happiness, and being cool enough to actually have it on the majority of your bikes....

I want one like that. And if you can build one for me-hell yeah!

Oh Ted-Shut up!

Stainless lugs are possible (more expensive than standard, but cheaper, easier, and more environmentally friendly than chroming, plus you can buff out scratches). There's really no one in the US who does a good chrome job on a bike anymore, so your stays might have to stay purple

Well-I'm gonna' figure something out because I checked their website and I don't think they're even taking orders because it says they are backed up with work!
And I think I'm in love now......... So yah-I'll want something as close as possible. I think I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight....

I'm hearing crickets over here!!!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can take my existing perfect-sized Bianchi frame (see the bad picture in previous post) and turn it into a beautiful sexy purple thing like the Kavalinka???

Anybody?

Yes.

Take your bike to a plating shop. Have it blasted, prepared, and chrome plated. Once that's complete, take it to a paint shop. Have them mask off the chainstays and seatstays, and spray the rest. Leave the fork chrome. Personally, I wouldn't try to copy the chrome lugs 'cause, well, you don't have lugs on your Bianchi.

If you do a search for "plating minneapolis" in Google, you'll find lots of places in the area.

It'll look nice, kinda reminiscent of a late 80's Redline. They were all chrome underneath the paint, that was the magic, if they ever got too scratched up, you could just strip them down to chrome. Booyah!

Well, you could paint your bike purple and put white rims/tires/seat/tape on it.

Personally, I think you'd be better off loving your San Jose for who it is. A San Jose just isn't a Kalavinka, and expecting it to be one is like expecting your significant other to suddenly morph into a supermodel.

The nice thing about bikes is you can keep the significant other and save up for the supermodel, then ride them both.

My bit of advice would be to do as much of the work yourself as you can. That way you end up with a bike that's uniquely yours, a bike you'll have a lot of pride in. I'd also offer my help & tools if you wanted to paint the frame yourself, but honestly, it's too much f$#@! work - get it powdercoated

-ryan

Ahh thank you. Looking into those ideas today!

As far as loving the bike for what it is...I'm enjoying it definitely! I want to make it more my style though. Doesn't necessarily have to be exactly like the "supermodel", but I'd like it to reflect more of my personality and right now by looking at it-it's pretty standard and so not "me" and well-I guess I want it purple....

Here's a nice article you can read about getting a bike plated.