RESTORATION NOTES / NOVEMBER 5, 2026

What to prepare before paying for a bicycle decal redraw.

Start by checking existing replacement sets and asking a specialist about your exact model. A missing catalog listing does not mean a vendor cannot make it. A redraw is worth considering when the available artwork does not match the lettering you need.

1. Identify the exact version

Write down the brand, model, approximate year and trim level. Photograph the complete bike and each remaining marking. Similar-looking models can use different outlines, shadows or seat-stay lettering. State what you know and what is uncertain.

2. Photograph what remains

Take a sharp, evenly lit image facing the lettering as directly as possible. Include a ruler in the same area for scale. Also take overlapping views around the tube: a curved tube can hide or distort parts of a wordmark in a single picture. Do not remove or sand away your remaining reference before checking that the photos show everything needed.

3. Measure the artwork

Record overall width and height in millimeters, distinguishing the printed mark from any transparent carrier film. If the design wraps around a tube, record that separately and ask the printer how they want its surface dimensions measured. A photo alone cannot reliably establish physical size.

4. Find evidence for missing details

A catalog picture or another surviving original can help establish a missing letter or outline. Keep its source and year. If no reliable reference exists, a designer can propose an approximation, but that should not be sold as an exact original reproduction.

5. Ask your printer first

Confirm accepted file format, scale, minimum line size, cut paths, material, white/metallic ink and compatibility with the intended finish. An SVG or PDF does not by itself establish that the physical decal will match, stick correctly or withstand a clearcoat.

6. Check a full-size proof

Print at Actual size, measure a calibration bar, compare overall dimensions and inspect spacing and placement. Send the proof to your printer for approval before production.

Our proposed $39 service

One simple, readable single-color wordmark up to 300 mm wide, delivered as SVG and print-proof PDF with one revision. No physical printing, full sets, metallic matching or invention of missing artwork. The service is in preparation; joining the free waitlist is not an order or delivery reservation.

Inspect the fictional 180 mm sample · Join the free waitlist for the $39 service

Existing specialist options

H Lloyd describes redraws from originals or photographs. The Life Machine describes evaluating old photos and damaged decal references for custom production. These are independent alternatives, not our partners or endorsements of our work.

Independent BD360 service. No affiliation with bicycle manufacturers.