Strip the Decals??

[INTENSEe]

I have been thinking about striping the decals off all my components and frame and then taking some black spray paint and dashing it kind of roughly and randomly all over my bike. I don't want to get a lower commuter bike but I want my merlin to seem less attractive to a thief. I love this bike and Instead of buying 3 bikes (mountain, road, commuter) I put all the money into one all around bike. The striping of the decals wouldn't hurt the ride at all but It would take some of the pride away from my bike? should I do it? how would I go about taking the decals off?
http://members.roadfly.com/erik/commuter.jpg

[thb]

I think you could be arrested for doing something like that. I doubt your going to fool anyone into thinking your Merlin is a POS and not worth stealing. I can see why you'd want to commute on it. I'd want to ride that baby everywhere too. Maybe you can get some kind of theft insurance for it. One trick people use for components is to fill the allen heads with something like wax or glue so that they can't easily be removed. when you want to remove the components you have to heat the head up with a lighter to melt the stuff out of the head.

[INTENSEe]

Yea man thanks for the advice! I would be afraid the welder would see it and start crying. That's a great idea about the wax I'm going to do that. I use a kryptonite New York U-lock that has 3000 anti theft insurance and I insure it through state farm. I thought about getting a pos to commute on but I just can't ride any other bike!

[LoneBiker]

I ride a pacific mountain bike with semi slick tires for one of my commuters, i just painted it whole with spraypaint, over the decals and all, although this really isnt a bike someone would want to steal, but it does look okay, and its easy to touch up any scratches.

[The Gordo]

If you need a POS commuter, I'm sure I can whip up something for you out of the 30 or so POS in my garage. I even have a serious Mongoose dual springer with triple clamp fork! I bet K-Mart got at least $200 for it new. It's only the F&F with a stem now.... Looks Good Camo!

[INTENSEe]

LOL, Thanks for the offer. I'm sorry but I think I am going to just have a great time on my bike and lock up good. Hope for the best and ride the rest. I can't wait for work I love the ride up their and back. We are truly lucky. Thanks for the Ideas and help.

[unrooted]

I would probably kick your ass if I knew you, sorry but even thinking about spray painting a merlin is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of,
unless it was one of the newer/lightspeed merlins, then I would just kick you ass for paying so much for a pos, and I hope it is stolen.

[INTENSEe]

Its the ride that counts. The bikes quality that counts and I want to ride my bike everyday everywhere. The bike wouldn't change, just the look. Don't worry man i'm not going to paint it. This bike is worth all the work 7 days a week last summer. It's a custom job too. With a c-dale headshock extra large downtubes and a moots soft-tail design. Man if we met I bet after you kicked my ass we would go for a ride and have a good old time on the trails. Peace man
Keep Riding

[unrooted]

my best friend has a fat/ybbeat, it is quite the sweet ride, I just hate lightspeed, there is just no soul.

[INTENSEe]

Yea I know what you mean, I was looking into buying a litespeed but I was talking to their rep and he was not even a biker?! Even though merlin and litespeed are on the guys at merlin gave me a better impression. I.F. Ti Makes real cool in house type frames.

[INTENSEe]

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