Joe Bell Professional Bicycle Refinishing
"He's a craftsman with a lot of skill who knows what looks good and wants you to have it.
Over the years there have been two or three times when we've had to get a bike painted in a day, and JB and crew always come through for us.
Joe, and his two-man crew of Jon Pucci and Rob Roberson are part of what you get when you buy a Rivendell, and we’re all lucky to have them." —GP
Welcome to the JoeBell.net pages! — We are not currently accepting new orders for custom paint.
Where has the time gone?
It seems like a few short years ago, I was spray canning my Schwinn Varsity next to the water heater in Dad's garage. In the mid 1970's my life changed when I worked for Bill Holland, first as a mechanic and then a painter. Without Bill, there would never have been a JB Paint.
I'll never be able to adequately repay him for his generosity and guidance.
In the mid 1980's, Richard Sachs auditioned a new painter he had never heard of on the recommendation of Brian Baylis. Thirty years later, our collaboration is as strong as ever.
Somewhere in the late '90's, Grant Petersen needed somebody to paint his Rivendell Customs.
We're still doing them and I am happy to call Grant my friend.
I think it was in 2003 or '04, Dave Kirk asked me for a favor to get him out of a jam.
Looking back, I believe it was Dave that did me the favor.
In between have been thousands of repaints of frames I can no longer remember.
The most important paint job has always been the one I am working on at the moment.
Attention to detail is my strength and suits me well in bicycle painting.
My able assistant Jon Pucci does most of the heavy lifting now, and I am sort of his wingman, taking care of detailing and small stuff.
Rob Roberson is semi-retired, but still makes the shop his clubhouse.
He is kind enough to take care of our steel frame repair needs, and there is nobody better.
I am very fortunate to have met and been influenced by so many great people in the last forty years; too many to list here. I am also lucky to have carved out a living doing what I love.
Burnout has not reared it's ugly head and I hope it never does.
Retirement doesn't appear to be on the horizon, and that seems fine with me.
Thank you for letting me paint your bike.
—JB
Two Wheeled Art Brochure, 1998
Why would Richard Sachs send his frames all the way across the country to be painted by JB Professional Bicycle Refinishing? If you've ever seen a Sachs frame, you know that Richard is a singular perfectionist. He's found Joe Bell to be of a similar mindset. For 20 years, Joe and the staff at JB have been turning frames into rolling masterpieces.
Is It Worth it?
Frankly, you might be stunned by how much the flame job above cost. But then again, if you could see the bike in person, you'd be equally astounded by the utterly incredible finish. You'd run your fingers over the color breaks and the decal, and be amazed at how smooth they are. Even blindfolded, you couldn't detect so much as a ripple. And the gloss--so shiny, you'd swear it was still wet.
Two Wheeled Art Brochure, continued…
Does any bike deserve to be this beautiful? If, like the rider who asked for the flames, you have your "bike of a lifetime," remember that there's more to the ultimate frame than just light tubing and good torch work.
Does it make sense to spend this much money on a pait job? Maybe. A bike's finish should do more than just keep the tubes from corroding. A custom bike is a reflection of its rider, and the finish should be, too.
More For Less
But don't get the idea that all we do is flames and zebra stripes. If your favorite old frame just needs sprucing up, we'll give it the same careful attention as our more complex jobs. We welcome even single-color jobs, and the cost is lower than you might imagine. Click here for our price list.
The Wet Look
The process involved in a JB finish is incredibly time-consuming. First, the frame is lightly bead-blasted to enhance primer adhesion. Then a highly corrosion-resistant zinc chromate epoxy primer is applied, and the entire frame is carefully hand-sanded. Custom paint is applied in two to three layers, and then the decals are affixed. The frame now receives two coats of clear with an additional four coats of clear over the decals. Again, the entire frame is hand-sanded, leaving a perfectly smooth surface that allows the final clear coats to flow out in a mirror-like finish.
A JB finish reflects maximum gloss, color and depth. Lug edges are crisp and defined, while even finely detailed decals remain vivid and sharp, yet imperceptible to the touch.
Taking the Time
Can we turn your order around by next week? In a word: no. We take great pride in doing the best job possible, and that means that we take the time to listen to you, and can do virtually anything to ensure you get exactly the look you want.
(We don't mean to be evasive about delivery time, but neither do we want to make promises we can't keep.)
Not Just Paint
If your frame needs more than just a cosmetic makeover, we can also perform whatever modifications or repairs you request. We share our shop with custom framebuilder Bill Holland, and we can handle anything from water bosses, to rechroming, all the way up to complete tube replacement.
Give Us a Ring
If it's time to give your old ride a new look, or you want your new frame to look even better, call JB.
Polished Stainless and Sky Blue JB paint on this Bishop Mixte frame,
Chris Wimpey© photo
