Any question answered...

Same as @ectoplasmosis says... buying inside a matched solvent family is much more reliable.

For the decals being compromised, best practice is to buy more decals than you need and test one first by spraying directly on it. Some are paper and the porous fibres can absorb the solvents go pickley. Some are thin vinyl and they just melt. Some have adhesive on the top, some on the bottom, and this reacts badly with the paint. All things which can go wonky when introduced to paint solvents... the worst time to find this out is a the clear coat stage.

One final bit of unsolicited advice which I hope is helpful rather then condescending relates to the clear coat. Done properly, a non-gloss finish should be applied over a clean gloss finish. Broadly speaking, matte/satins/gloss often have the exact same ingredients, only in different quantities... a matte finish will often have more of the drying/accelerant ingredient in it. This makes it initially cure faster so the clear forms in a haze rather than being allowed to flow and make that glassy gloss sheen. As a result, non-glosses aren't as strong as gloss. Non-gloss products land wet and shiny so you can't see the end result mid-process - people tend to under or over apply in order to compensate. Non-gloss finishes mostly can't be polished or de-nibbed either so once they're scuffed, they're always scuffed. As a result, matte and satin finishes need a much more skilled application and aftercare. Best practice sees you do a full gloss clear over the bike and the sticker kit, then gently abrade it a little to get your surface perfect, then get the matte/satin on top. This will also help you get the edges of the decal kit smoother and flatter too.

I too have UK13 feet. I gave up looking for clips large enough to work with my feet years ago. I have tried lots of different options, including DMR V8s with velcro straps. I have just stuck with clipless systems because I cannot get along with anything else.

For my touring I stuck with SPDs but keep a pair of Olukai slip-ons for wandering around the camp site.

thanks both, I'm inclined to experiment with something, I was thinking clips and straps and velcro, as well as clips and straps, but I can see myself reaching the same conclusions as Aroogah.

I bought a Smeg range from eBay for a bargain price. I went to take a look at it this evening before collecting on Monday and it was in the man’s back garden, and not well covered up so wet from rain. Would rain on an unplugged oven be a problem if I leave it to dry out fully before plugging it in? I won’t be fitting it for a couple of months

No. It will have dried by then.
Rain on a plugged in oven might be a problem though

I’ve rescued a number of bits of electronic kit which have been out in the rain. The wet doesn’t usually affect the electronics once it has dried out. What it does do, however, is make the chassis go rusty on the inside where it’s not powdercoated or plated. In your case, it might also have drenched the insulation, which is like a dense rock wool in an oven. Worth checking if it’s likely to be a problem.

Thanks for the extremely detailed reply! And thanks to everyone else. This all sounds like a lot more hassle/expense than I'm willing to invest in a £50 frame that's supposed to be my lockable bike. I reckon I'll just put up with the dull, white paint job.

I mostly use flat pedals. I did half of the TCR in 2019 with innov-8 trail runners. They were fine. I've also used five tens and other flat pedal shoes for long rides.

I use catalyst pedals, which are massive and designed for mid foot. If you pedal with the balls of your feet then normal flat pedals like DMRs would do.

I've never used clips and straps. Don't think they're necessary or useful, and I wouldn't want the hassle on a tandem. I'm riding a tandem this year and it makes it feel a lot less risky starting off knowing I can just put a foot down whenever.

Basically I think clipping in is overrated, unless you are racing or riding in a bunch. So much easier if you're touring to be able to walk easily.

Your feet are likely to bounce off the pedals a bit if you have too high a cadence off road, otherwise really no issues.

Thank you all

Do you need to strip it? Can you not just key the current paint and hit it with a high build primer and all purpose aerosol? Stone chips could/would be a bit of a PITA but the Dart was a few hours work over a sunny weekend (admittedly i left the stone chips). Really not a fan of spraybike finish but the Halfords auto paint/primer i had left over from another project worked really well for its intended purpose.

Just need a sunny weekend...

Oh and FWIW if you still want to strip might want to test how thick the OG paint is laid on to see how much faff chemical strip would be. I'm planning on stripping the white CAAD and i know from the recent paint touch ups the paint is very thin so i'll likely take off the majority with wet and dry and dremel wire brush before using chemicals for the tricky bits. TBF that may just be a trait of ali CAADs, i suspect the steel On One's are laid on a lot thicker .

I wonder if the On one might be powder-coated. No idea if that stuff comes off in the same way as paint - anyone?

If its a high gloss finish, its unlikely to be powder-coat.

Paint stripper won't make a dent in powdercoat.

So mechanical removal only? Sanding for many hours or media blast

Yeah.

Powder doesn't have solvents so chemicals won't do much.

With powder... it's abrasion only really.
Or you can burn it if you can get your torch hot enough.

Powder doesn't have solvents so chemicals won't do much

The fact that it is applied without a solvent carrier doesn't mean it's not soluble. Of course, you wouldn't want to use the required solvents at home 🙂

I've got pedals with straps on the back of my tandems - mainly to keep my kiddy stokers feet engaged.

One of the tandems has an old SA 3 speed hub, I found out on Monday that 2nd gear slips, my foot whizzed round, slipped off the pedal and the pedal hit me hard on the back of my non broken ankle. Oh how I laughed. No clips / straps on the front, and I was wearing some racing flat trainers

I guess I could just slap another layer of paint over the existing one. It's not like there are any nice lugs or anything I want to preserve. I am quite lazy so this low effort option is quite appealing.

Yes.
Sorry.

@AlexD - Tester is right.
I was generalising in order to give you the information I presumed necessary for your DIY project.

You can strip some powder products with chemicals, but not the type of shit you've got under your sink!

Do key the existing paint otherwise the new one has little to hang on to

Just buy a bike in the colour you do actually want.

Nah, that's too easy/expensive.

Japanese crafting videos: what’s really going on there, business-wise? Are these smiths and quaint artisans really generating enough revenue to sustain themselves, monetised videos aside? Or are they filming their hobbies after their workday is finished? Or are they generally financially established homeowners who can afford the time and equipment to shave a single bamboo stick into hundreds of threads to make a bamboo briefcase?

Or could it be click farm productions “recreating” how something might’ve done traditionally, and editing it in a misleading way?

I was joking 🙂

Have you seen what forumengers are happy to pay for a Japanese knife/secateurs/other bladed implement?