Son's dad powder coated his bike

[latishia6]

Pissed off is an understatement.

My son's dad didn't see him for years due to domestic abuse. He did a domestic abuse perp programme and now has access every other weekend overnight. In the community/hotel not at his house as he lives 3 hours away.

I bought my son a bike. It was £800 custom built and a gift for him completing his racing season and coming second. He's got another season coming up and he was growing out of his old bike.

His dad was taking him to his training last Saturday so I sent the bike with him. Has always been fine in the past.

Son comes home, dad tells me I'll need to pick the bike up in a few days because son wanted it a different colour and he's had it powder coated. Fuming.

Just been to collect it and it's bright green, the handlebars have been sprayed so the grips are now unsafe and moving around, and I'm just so pissed off.

They usually hold their value well as it's a very good brand. All branding has now been removed and it is now unsellable (well, I can't sell it as a branded bike when he grows out of it!). I'm going to have to buy new handlebars as the club chairman has looked at a photo and said they're not safe (don't spray handlebars!).

I actually don't know what to do with myself right now.

I would tell ex he is due u the full cost of the bike!! How bloody dare he!
not sons fault here he just going along with a vision and prob doing what makes his dad happy but dad has damaged the bike beyond safe use, he is due you the money or sons brand new equal like for like bike. If he doesn’t pay I would take him to small claims. Absolute twat.

I mean it's technically my bike despite my son being the one who rides it!!!!!

Report your ex to the police for criminal damage.

I'm so, so pissed off. There are ways to powder cost bikes. You buy the stickers for the bike from the brand and put them on after powder coating, then lacquer over the top, but it's just a plain green bike and looks so, so shit. I'm actually in disbelief he actually did it.

Yep, invoice him for cost of the bike. Small claims.

He will take it out on my son though.

Going to have a look at small claims but I suspect it will unleash absolute hell on earth.

How old is your son? Did he actually want his bike painted green?

How old is son?

He could ask Dad for new bike for Christmas?
Can you get powder coating removed?

I assume you don't have the kind of relationship where you can discuss this without it absolutely blowing up?

He's 8. The bike was already green, but it's now lime green as his best friend has a lime green bike so he's obviously just gone along with it. He said his dad asked him and he said yes, but he's only 8, he didn't know any better and has a desperate need to keep his dad happy. It's all really confusing for him so I haven't told him I'm annoyed about it. Not sure if that was right to do or not.

You can but all the original logos and paintwork has been blasted off.

Where did he have it done?

I would expect any kind of professional place to know that you don't paint the handlebars and to ask for some proof of ownership.

Could you raise merry hell with them instead and threaten to report them for property damage and handling stolen goods if they don't pay the cost of replacing the bike?

This is a similar frame to the original, now imagine it completely stripped and painted plain lime green. You'd never be able to prove it's a genuine meybo! Honestly ready to explode because I can't even talk to him about it as he will just go mad and shout me down.

I don't think he's done this as a careless gesture for your son.

He's done it on purpose so as to harm/cost you. It sounds as though he suggested this, not your son. He has actually manipulated your son on purpose. This is a power play over you & honestly, he's despicable to use your son like that but at least their contact is fairly low.

So personally I think it's quite important that you pursue this to get your money back. You don't want him to have the impression that you are helpless and will be victimised easily.

He can buy you a new bike for your son, and he can keep the green abomination so that the new bike is safe from him. In future you probably just can't let him have access to any expensive equipment unless he has contributed half.

This.

He needs to learn that he can't continue to abuse you like he did before.

It was at a car body shop. They were obviously apologetic but it's really common to have bikes powder coated, especially BMX bikes that get totally battered. They change hands all the time as kids grow out of them. No fecking clue why they did the handlebars but I suspect they know sod all about bicycles

Why has spraying the handlebars destroyed them? Just remove the grips and fit new ones.

I would go back to them and raise hell.

If they were apologetic it means they know they've fucked up.

So go back in there with your proof of purchase and say, "Look, this is how much the bike is worth, you've ruined it, you actually admitted you have ruined it, and you didn't even check for proof of ownership before you ruined it. I want you to pay me the replacement cost, and if you don't, I will pursue you in the small claims court and report both you and my ex to the police. I will also spread the word far and wide in the local community about what a bunch of incompetent twats you are. Trust me, it's worth £800 to make me drop this."

That's not the point, is it?

I'd ask the bodyshop to pay for the grip repair at least. They've taken on the job and been paid -they need to do it properly. Not much that can be done now with regards to the powder coating. Extremely frustrating.

They should pay to replace the bike.

BMX bikes take an absolute battering. The paint is too smooth and glossy. The paint can also chip and become unstuck underneath them so they could technically slide off. They could twist around and that's not safe. That's why the handlebars are usually rough surfaced.

OP says she needs to buy new handlebars. I disagree. You don’t think that’s relevant?

So sand that part to roughen it up.