Cycleport Dye Job

[FjrVfr]

Last summer I posted some pictures of my Motoport Hi-Viz jacket that suffered from extreme fading (thread). I finally got around to dyeing it after reading a post from another forum. I thought I'd post some before and after shots (click on thumbnails for larger images):

I ordered the dye from Dharma Trading Co. for $28.65 delivered. I went with "601 Sun Yellow" (8 oz.) along with a pound of citric acid powder. I used about 3 or 4 ounces and probably could have gotten away with less. Note that dyeing requires a top load washer and hot water (so Wayne's washing instructions went out the window).


The jacket is coming up on two years old with about 20K miles and looks like I've been living under an overpass. Disappointing from a company that bills itself as "the Best in the World."



The dye did it's job well but the color is certainly not Hi-Viz. In hindsight I might have gone with a blue or black or some other shade of invisible.



For comparison, here it is next to my Olympia vest. The vest is older but probably has fewer miles. It's been washed many times and retains it's color well.


If you're considering Motoport products, my advice is to stick with black. That's probably where you're going to end up anyway. I'll post an update later in the season about how well it holds up.

 

[jekirby]

Stupid questions: did the black parts stay black or are they kind of brown now?

 

[Crash Cash]

Yeah... I had a red one. Now it's a lovely shade of... light pink. Nice.

 

[FjrVfr]

Stupid questions: did the black parts stay black or are they kind of brown now?

They still look black to me. If there's a brown shade to them it's too subtle for my old eyes to see.

 

[jekirby]

Stupid questions: did the black parts stay black or are they kind of brown now?

They still look black to me. If there's a brown shade to them it's too subtle for my old eyes to see.

Just wondering what dying black yellow would do? Interested to see how it holds up. Did you talk with CP to get the formula/procedure for dying?

 

[FjrVfr]

Just wondering what dying black yellow would do? Interested to see how it holds up. Did you talk with CP to get the formula/procedure for dying?

CP? You've got me on that one.

The Dharma website had pretty good instructions for dyeing. I took a guess at how many pounds of material the jacket is and added what they recommended for dye and citric acid. Apparently the acid helps the material absorb the dye. You can use vinegar but I thought the jacket smelled bad enough already

 

[jekirby]

Just wondering what dying black yellow would do? Interested to see how it holds up. Did you talk with CP to get the formula/procedure for dying?

CP? You've got me on that one.

Sorry, Cycleport.

 

[FjrVfr]

CP? You've got me on that one.

Sorry, Cycleport.

No. Last time I corresponded with Wayne all he had to say was essentially "better luck next time." My dealings with Cycleport are thus concluded. Sad because my S.O. was just in the market for gear. Her Olympia Airglide is on it's way.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Great post! I have always avoided certain colors becuase of the fear of fading.

BTW- Those are IOWA HAWKEYE colors- Did you not watch the orange bowl? :yahoo:

IOWA 24 G Tech 14

 

[escapefjrtist]

Thanks for the post and outcome from the fading / die job, very informative. I have the Blk/HV air jacket and although the fading is not as bad, it is beginning on the shoulders. Nice to know that there is an option out there to keep the ugliness at bay. Let us know how the jacket performs after a season and wash.

--G

 

[FjrVfr]

Great post! I have always avoided certain colors becuase of the fear of fading.BTW- Those are IOWA HAWKEYE colors- Did you not watch the orange bowl? :yahoo:

IOWA 24 G Tech 14

By golly, you're right! I'll consider myself a Hawkeye fan instead. They're much closer (and they don't make that unpleasant "buzzing" sound).

 

[dcarver]

Aerostich has the same fading problems. Wonder if they all buy from the same supplier?

 

[mferriter]

Nice dye job.

I've used Dharma dyes in the past, but have always done it in a large pot of boiling water (after removing the pads of course) and used vinegar to set the dye. I was afraid to put dye in my washing machine out of fear of inadvertently dying everything I own.

Has anyone had luck dying mesh jackets? I tried the same method, but the material seems to be different and doesn't take up the dye very well. I tried to dye a silver/grey Joe Rocket mesh jacket black, but it just ended up a slightly darker shade of silver/grey.

 

[stevet]

Resurrecting an old thread... Original Poster- any update on the re-dye job? And was your gear kevlar or cordura?

Anyone else have any experience with the blue? I'm just not a fan of all-black riding gear. I know Aerostich red fades badly. They used hi-viz yellow for a very short time. I have a yellow Darien jacket that's fared pretty well (the color) with exception of just general dirt staining and not enough laundering on my part, but in 5 years and over 40,000 miles it has not faded out like their red does. The sun exposed black trims have faded to a darkish gray.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Resurrecting an old thread... Original Poster- any update on the re-dye job? And was your gear kevlar or cordura?

Anyone else have any experience with the blue? I'm just not a fan of all-black riding gear. I know Aerostich red fades badly. They used hi-viz yellow for a very short time. I have a yellow Darien jacket that's fared pretty well (the color) with exception of just general dirt staining and not enough laundering on my part, but in 5 years and over 40,000 miles it has not faded out like their red does. The sun exposed black trims have faded to a darkish gray.

I went with black to avoid the fading issue, but I had them add the 3M hi-viz reflective tape to the arms and back.

 

[FJR919]

In fairness to Cycleport they do tell you when you buy the gear that Kevlar is very UV sensitive and should be periodically treated with a UV protector. I have Cycleport gear and treat it one to two times a year and it has exhibited no signs of fading in the years that I have owned it. I think your dye job came out great though.