>>1521043Depends on a lot of factors, but generally
>The greater the total quantity, the easier/cheaper it has to be to paint>The more expensive the model, the more expensive the paint can be>The more expensive the model, the more conservative (conservative here means generally one color, even if the paint is flashy, limited or no decals/masks) the paint has to be UNLESS>Really expensive, but limited amounts (we're talking sub 50 bikes total), it can be a really weird paint scheme. People will buy it because it's limited, not because they like the paint.>The $1,500 to $3,000 retail price zone is where weird stuff happens>Cheaper models are built and painted in China/Vietnam>Expensive models are built and painted in Taiwan >Really expensive/limited runs are built in Taiwan and painted here>Almost all painting is handled by a third party, not the bike brand itself>Third parties sell us paint books with 800+ colors, but refuse to paint half of them >The same third parties will do literally whatever you tell them to if you pay enough >Decals are cheaper than masking>Masking is a hard to keep consistent across multiple frame sizes>Laser cutters make masking and decals easier than they used to be>Dentists want to be seen on raw titanium with no finish>Triathletes want their bikes to be pure black or look like a bass boat/race car>Crit bikes can be fucking insane and people will love you for it>Touring bikes need to be tan, brown, clay or green>Nobody has figured out what gravel bike people want>Powdercoating is cheaper than liquid, but more limited in what you can do with it>Almost all schemes across all companies today are just a refresh of something done in the last 50 years>It takes between 8 months and 2 years to get a bike from initial paint/graphic concept to production>If you're squid you charge $350 + shipping to splatter one color paint on a black bike 