Chrome plated forks

I recently found a Monarch" road bike from (must be the 1980?). Steel,
all lugged, frame, Shimano 600 groupe set, 7 speed cassette, down
tube shifters, etc.

As I'm planning on a rebuild as well as repainting and so on, I'm
wondering about the half chromed forks often seen on some of the
up-market, older, bikes, which always looked good to me.

Getting the polishing and chroming done is not a problem but I had
experience some years ago with chromed aircraft parts that were
required to be baked, after plating, to prevent hydrogen
embrittlement. My question then is this normally done on bicycle
parts? Has anyone chromed stressed bicycle parts without baking?

Or should I forget the idea?

By the way, is anyone has any information about the bike I described
(all I have to go by is the decals) I'd be most appreciative to hear
it.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb
(jdslocombatgmail)

On Mar 14, 4:40*pm, J. D. Slocomb wrote:
I recently found a Monarch" road bike from (must be the 1980?). Steel,
all lugged, frame, Shimano 600 groupe set, 7 speed cassette, *down
tube shifters, etc.

As I'm planning on a rebuild as well as repainting and so on, I'm
wondering about the half chromed forks often seen on some of the
up-market, older, bikes, which always looked good to me.

Getting the polishing and chroming done is not a problem but I had
experience some years ago with chromed aircraft parts that were
required to be baked, after plating, to prevent hydrogen
embrittlement. My question then is this normally done on bicycle
parts? Has anyone chromed stressed bicycle parts without baking?

Or should I forget the idea?

By the way, is anyone has any information about the bike I described
(all I have to go by is the decals) I'd be most appreciative to hear
it.

Cheers,

I used to get all sorts of bike parts chromed at local fender shops
(back when fenders were chrome), and there was no baking. I got my
PX10 frame chromed, and it lived a good long life. I also chromed
forks, and they too lived a good long life. The problem with forks,
though, is that the acide goes through those small vent holes and they
are harder to clean out and neutralize, so you can end up with acid
sitting at the bottom of the fork blade eating up the brass and steel
and probably causing embrittlement, but I'm no metalurgist. -- Jay
Beattie.

On Mar 14, 11:40*pm, J. D. Slocomb wrote:
I recently found a Monarch" road bike from (must be the 1980?). Steel,
all lugged, frame, Shimano 600 groupe set, 7 speed cassette, *down
tube shifters, etc.

As I'm planning on a rebuild as well as repainting and so on, I'm
wondering about the half chromed forks often seen on some of the
up-market, older, bikes, which always looked good to me.

Getting the polishing and chroming done is not a problem but I had
experience some years ago with chromed aircraft parts that were
required to be baked, after plating, to prevent hydrogen
embrittlement. My question then is this normally done on bicycle
parts? Has anyone chromed stressed bicycle parts without baking?

Or should I forget the idea?

Probably. IIRC only the largest cycle manufacturers could employ the
correct procedures for chroming forks. Peugeot and Raleigh were both
authorised by Reynolds to chrome their fork blades. Of course this
made good business sense for alll the parties concerned, it meant
smaller builder didn't get a look in. IIRC the Reynolds branding was
not permitted on small build chrome plated work. You got Columbus if
you wanted the stickers and chrome.

I had some chrome tips done. When it came to straightening, the end
snapped off. So something went awry and the builder was not known for
poor brazing.


By the way, is anyone has any information about the bike I described
(all I have to go by is the decals) I'd be most appreciative to hear
it.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb
(jdslocombatgmail)

On Mar 15, 4:57*am, thirty-six wrote:
On Mar 14, 11:40*pm, J. D. Slocomb wrote:

I recently found a Monarch" road bike from (must be the 1980?). Steel,
all lugged, frame, Shimano 600 groupe set, 7 speed cassette, *down
tube shifters, etc.

As I'm planning on a rebuild as well as repainting and so on, I'm
wondering about the half chromed forks often seen on some of the
up-market, older, bikes, which always looked good to me.

Getting the polishing and chroming done is not a problem but I had
experience some years ago with chromed aircraft parts that were
required to be baked, after plating, to prevent hydrogen
embrittlement. My question then is this normally done on bicycle
parts? Has anyone chromed stressed bicycle parts without baking?

Or should I forget the idea?

Probably. *IIRC only the largest cycle manufacturers could employ the
correct procedures for chroming forks. *Peugeot and Raleigh were both
authorised by Reynolds to chrome their fork blades. *Of course this
made good business sense for alll the parties concerned, it meant
smaller builder didn't get a look in. *IIRC the Reynolds branding was
not permitted on small build chrome plated work. *You got Columbus if
you wanted the stickers and chrome.

I had some chrome tips done. *When it came to straightening, the end
snapped off. *So something went awry and the builder was not known for
poor brazing.

Indeed. Powdercoating is a hundred bux around here and keeps the rust
off.

On Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:57:29 -0700 (PDT), thirty-six
wrote:

On Mar 14, 11:40*pm, J. D. Slocomb wrote:
I recently found a Monarch" road bike from (must be the 1980?). Steel,
all lugged, frame, Shimano 600 groupe set, 7 speed cassette, *down
tube shifters, etc.

As I'm planning on a rebuild as well as repainting and so on, I'm
wondering about the half chromed forks often seen on some of the
up-market, older, bikes, which always looked good to me.

Getting the polishing and chroming done is not a problem but I had
experience some years ago with chromed aircraft parts that were
required to be baked, after plating, to prevent hydrogen
embrittlement. My question then is this normally done on bicycle
parts? Has anyone chromed stressed bicycle parts without baking?

Or should I forget the idea?

Probably. IIRC only the largest cycle manufacturers could employ the
correct procedures for chroming forks. Peugeot and Raleigh were both
authorised by Reynolds to chrome their fork blades. Of course this
made good business sense for alll the parties concerned, it meant
smaller builder didn't get a look in. IIRC the Reynolds branding was
not permitted on small build chrome plated work. You got Columbus if
you wanted the stickers and chrome.

I had some chrome tips done. When it came to straightening, the end
snapped off. So something went awry and the builder was not known for
poor brazing.


By the way, is anyone has any information about the bike I described
(all I have to go by is the decals) I'd be most appreciative to hear
it.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb
(jdslocombatgmail)

Possible hydrogen embrittlement. I was vary much inclined to denigrate
this until I had a chrome-moly (4140) part "hard" chromed plated at a
place in Taiwan. In spite of my complaining that I had an airplane to
catch the shop absolutely refused to hand over the part until it had
been baked.

I've always figured that anyone so stubborn might very well know
something that I don't :-)
Cheers,

John D. Slocomb
(jdslocombatgmail)

This company dose outstanding work. They stripped and triple plated my bike fork for $65. Pretty damn good for all the work it takes. I did it all through the mail.

http://www.barchromeplating.com/site...tact.html#2831