Not for everybody.
Dreamride offers very unique one-off fine art custom paint jobs by Lee Bridgers, company owner. On Moots, Serotta, Dreamride house-brand and Lynskey bicycle frames only, each paint job (matching painted fork is optional) is personalized by the artist for the individual client. Prices start at $1200 and reflect the overall complexity of the individual project. The beauty of the paint is then built into a high performance cosmetically balanced bicycle.

Artist Bio in brief: Fine art degrees: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BFA painting); San Francisco Art Institute (BFA and MFA in film, video, performance and multi-media). One man shows on three continents in painting, film, video and performance. Work currated by the Smithsonian Institute (video). Spring Show Award, SFAI. Ackland Musuem Award. Support from curators of the Stedilijk Museum in Amsterdam (painting). Teaching: Watercolor painting at Sharon Arts in Golden Gate Park; Fine Art Film/Video lecturer at University of Colorado; Director of Film/Video Tech Program for University of North Carolina; many others. Fine Art restoration in Europe and America. Graphic design for numerous projects in the music business (posters and advertising). Registered street artist in San Francisco.

Time and medium determine cost: State-of-the-art automotive paints require careful attention to detail and each job is personal, so design/painting/curing takes three months to a year to complete. Three months is recommended for curing time for final clearcoat prior to installation of components. Techniques are based on traditional and non-traditional paint application methods and a lifetime of experience in multi-media painting. Methods are based on intuition, spontaneity and much freehand work. Application is done with air brush, hand brush, cloth, mesh, masking with a variety of media and objects, dripping, splatter and more. Client may request colors and a theme. The minimum cost of $1200 is for urethane basecoast, waterborn automotive graphic layers in three or four colors, and urethane clearcoat.

The process: The frame is fabricated to our specifications by MOOTS, SEROTTA, VENTANA or LYNSKEY, based on careful measurements and an interview to determine your riding style. We suggest a visit to Moab for a personal fitting on our Serotta Size Cycle, but we have been successfully fitting people over the phone for 15 years using our own unique measuring methods. The frame is prepped, then primed. Powdercoat primed frames create a rugged base that can withstand any solvent used to get special effects, like those pictured on "Cupcake,", the frame with painted spirals and layering techniques on a red background. In this case prime red was used as the base color. The palette was vaguely suggested by the client.

Most colors are mixed from prime red, blue and yellow, pure white, and black, with use of special pearlized, candy and metallic pigments and additives. Use of waterborne and urethane pigments for graphic layers. Base and top coats are urethane.

Techniques: Application with custom cut and shaped brushes, fabrics, sponges, shaped foam, leather, liquid pens, splatter tools, and air brushes. A pressurized fountain pen is used for low-tech spray and splatter effects. "Each and every stroke of the brush is carefully considered as I abuse, sacrifice and destroy anything necessary to get the effect I want. Every application of the paint is like a musical theme, jazz performed in line and color. Be forewarned: I will only do this kind of work if I am allowed to be spontaneous and sensitive to the desires of the client as well as the art that unfolds in front of me. I do not respond to direct requests for literal images or copies of other paint jobs. You can suggest a theme and a color, but how I interpret is my responsibility." ~ Lee Bridgers

URETHANE AND WATER BASED PAINTS
Water based medium requires patience and careful application and mixing. Worries about toxicity never vanish. Urethane ChromaBase reducers and lacquer thinner are extremely toxic, so liberal use of this kind of paint and solvent is quite damaging to one's liver and kidneys. There is a constant balance of artistic freedom with scientific discipline and health concerns. With Urethane, every tool must be cleaned and spill mopped up with lacquer thinner. There is a reason this paint is only available to pro paint shops. Extreme care must be taken to insure safety. Cancer and degenerative diseases happen to painters. Lee's favorite fine art American painter, JAY DEFEO died of lead poisoning during the production of her most famous work, The Rose. And she was working in oil paint. Get the car paints used in the production of these painted bike frames on your hands and it takes an act or congress to get it off your skin. You can blind yourself in a single session. Amateurs can do damage to themselves and those around them. DO NOT USE AUTO PAINTS AT HOME WITHOUT PROTECTION! Use a respirator, eye protection and latex gloves, keep spectators out of the shop when painting, . . . but we still worry and are constantly reminded of the extreme toxicity of these materials whenever the respirator comes off. "Realize there are millions of gallons of this kind of crap evaporating into the atmosphere every day. "Environmental concerns make me want to keep my contribution to airborn pollution to an absolute minimum. Water-based paints are recommended! New legislation will make non-waterbased paints illegal VERY SOON." ~ Lee Bridgers

No matter the paint medium, the layering process creates most of the color range, producing depth and effects through various ways of mixing pigments in the can and on the frame. After colors are layered and paint is allowed to cure, the frame is gently packaged and shipped to an automotive shop for its Urethane clearcoat. Once the frame returns it is set aside for as much as three months to cure. We can rush a build, if necessary, but the client should know that the paint will have to be treated gently for the first three months. You can ride it, but falling on it could be a disaster.

Ordering: A Lee Bridgers paint job can accompany purchase of a titanium or steel frame, or be part of a complete titanium or steel bike purchase. He will also paint an aluminum frame in some situations (the frame has to have a Dreamride logo on it and there is no warranty on any paint on aluminum). If you have a classic titanium frame you want to turn into an art object, Lee is open to considering working on a used American-made frame, . . . but please, no Chinese made products. No Treks or Specialized frames! You can order a stock frame from us to be painted or I will customize a complete bike for specific needs based on a custom-fitted and fabricated frame. The Raven themed paint job below is a Serotta Classique Titanium frame. "Cupcake," the spiral brush paint job pictured on this page is a Moots CR custom. The white and blue frame with metallic bronze is a custom Serotta Classique Ti frame. Titanium is the perfect "canvas" for a fine art paint job--it practically lasts forever. The complete Dreamride Moots bike with Campy Super Record came in at $11K total. Painting forks, stems, and other components is possible, but this adds substantially to cost. CONTACT DREAMRIDE for more info on pricing. Call 1-888-MOABUTAH to order. Bookmark this page for future updates.

Copyright Dreamride LLC. No material, written, graphics, or photographs on this website, may be reproduced, broadcast, published, re-written, re-edited, or re-used in any way outside of this site without written consent of Dreamride LLC and Lee Bridgers. Use of this site signifies agreement to terms of use.

There have been visitors to this page since April 24, 2009.

Another very happy client visits the Dreamride shop for a final fitting session. Dreamride is not just a bicycle studio, we are a tour company--Moab's original day ride provider. If you come to Moab for a fitting or to pick up a new Moots, Lynskey, Ventana, Serotta or Pegoretti bike, there are special opportunities for YOU. Parts and total cost for Moots bike pictured with Dupont Chromabase paint: