A Van Raam bicycle in a color of your choice

What are RAL colors?

RAL is a labeling system for defining the colors of paints and other coatings. The system was developed in Germany in 1927; RAL stands for Reichsausschuss für Lieferbedingungen (National Committee for Delivery and Quality Assurance). The standard is administered by the German Institute for Gütesicherung und Kennzeichnung e.V.. Would you like to learn more about RAL-Radben? Visit the website of RAL color palettes.  

Van Raam bikes with a self-chosen RAL color

Over the years we have made a lot of bicycles with a self-chosen color. The self-chosen RAL colors are standard in gloss. It is also possible to choose a matte finish, this must be specifically requested.View the possible RAL colors via the button below.

The powder coating of Van Raam frames

The poader coating is done after blasting. The powder is negatively charged and the positively charged frame attracts the powder. 

The production system specifies the hook on which the frame is to be hung. The "varnisher" uses the same system to know what color the frame will be. There are a total of 75 hooks on which frames and bicycle bottoms can be hung.

We are trying to plan it so that all bikes of the same model are sprayed in the same color one after the other (e.g. all matt black Easy Rider). If all matt black Easy Riders are sprayed and there are other bikes that need this color, all bikes that should get the same color are sprayed. Most bicycles get 3 layers of powder. These are two layers of paint and one layer of clear layer. The clear coat can be a gloss or a matt coat.

For the primer, the base coat, the frame passes through a scanner so that the system knows which frame is coming. 6 nozzles are adjusted here. This is done automatically. There is still someone present who extra "sprays" places that cannot be reached by the machine. The paint layer and the top coat are sprayed on completely by hand.

Frame out of the oven

The frame goes into the oven between each layer. The frames are 'baked' at 200 degrees Celsius. The powder melts in the heat and there are two tracks in the oven. The frame stays there for 30 minutes, up to 20 hooks can hang in the oven (2 sides 10 pieces per side). The chain on which the frames are hanging moves on in the oven, because otherwise the chain gets too hot and the hooks with the hanging frames stop.

The frames coming out of the oven and move to the heat recovery zone (WTW nlds.: Warm Terug Winning zone) to cool down. They also heat the next series of frames coming into the oven to 80°C. The frames go from the oven to the heat recovery zone in the cooling zone to cool down to 30°C before the next powder coating is applied or before they leave the paint shop to go to assembly.  

Van Raam Logo Sticker

The stickers are also glued onto the frames in our paint shop. This usually happens before the clear layer is sprayed onto the frame, this way the stickers are firmly attached.

Finished Van Raam bicycle frame

Now the frames are ready and can be further assembled with the remaining parts.

Curious about how a Van Raam bicycle is manufactured from start to finish? View our page about how Van Raam bikes are produced.

Buying a Van Raam bicycle

We have different types of special needs bicycles in our product line. Cycling on a special needs bicycle is different compared to a regular two-wheeled bicycle. To find out which bike will suit you best, it is important to try a bike first. This is possible in our showroom in Varsseveld, the Netherlands or at one of our dealers. Always contact your dealer first to find our if they have any test models. You can make an appointment to visit our showroom in Varsseveld here.

Interested in a custom-made bike in a trendy color? On the price list that can be found on the product page of the Van Raam bicycles you can see what the standard color of each bike is. There are several other colors available for a supplemental fee. The price list also shows the exact price for choosing your own RAL color.