Everyone loves their bike and it’s unlikely you’ll find someone who doesn’t love customizing and modifying their road beasts with decals and stickers. How cool will a graphic kit look on your bike, right? Many people, especially cyclists, prefer to install some form of decals and graphics on their bikes as they can’t stand the fact that their.
The bikes look ordinary. Others may do it to hide any dents or scratches on your car. So if you too are looking for similar solutions or graphic installations, please read this quick and professional guide on how you can apply and install the graphic kits on your bike:
Before you start
Check if the plastic of the graphic kit you bought. It looks faulty, worn or scratched then you need to replace it. Before you apply the graphics to your bike, you need to make sure that the plastic purchased is in good condition.
For installation you will need:
• – paper adhesive tape;
• – paper cutter / scissors;
• – hair dryer or heat gun;
• – degreasing agent or mixture of alcohol and water;
• – squeegee (optional);
Now wash your hands, as clean hands will help you better prepare the surface and also keep the application area cleaner. If your hands have dirt or oil on them, your graphics are likely to lose their stickiness.
Now you need to prepare the surface. If your bike has any pre-installed graphics or tattoos, remove them completely. You can use a hair dryer or a heat gun to heat the old graphic, and then clean the surface with a degreasing agent. It should not leave any type of glue residue on the surface. Before applying the new sticker, the bike material must be warmed up well.
Apply the chart:
Now position the decal graphics over where you want to install them and tape down the decal. This will help keep it in place. Use as much tape as you like to feel comfortable. Now peel off the backing paper from the bottom of the decal halfway. Cut the peeled part and check the alignment of the decal, whether it is the way you want it or not!
Place one of your fingers on one part of the graphics and work in small sections, using your thumb or squeegee. This helps to apply even pressure and eliminate any bubbles and wrinkles in the decal graphics. Working from the center out is an easy way to get rid of bubbles, flaking, or any other deformity. If bubbles still persist, you can try to pop them with a fine needle or pin. If not, keep bringing the bubbles to the edges and repeat the steps.
In case your decal has sharp curves, use a heated decal or heat gun after application. You can also cut off unwanted, extended, and excessive sections that cover ventilation slots, access holes, or bolts.