View source for Updating faded plastic parts

[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]
As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost ash grey color. There are 2 products on the market that can help this: Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. Since the Krylon doesn't actually work, there is only one product. So, if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product. 

The product is found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are straightforward on how to prep the surfaces: Wash with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little, then clean with lacquer thinner or acetone. You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint, but this is a dye, meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually dyes the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 minutes of time can take a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd: 

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg|150px]]

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.1.jpg|150px]]  

And the bike from this: 

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 2.jpg|150px]] 

To this: 

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 3.jpg|150px]] 

As you can tell, it makes quite the difference. Also, they make more than just black, so the pink stop/run button can be turned back to red.  

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 4.jpg|150px]]