Can I paint a bicycle with just a clear coat?

So I'm repainting an old road bike, but after sanding off some of the paint I decided it would be cool to just sand all of it down to the metal and give it a few clear coats. But bike-painting ';how to';s always include a rust-proof primer. Are there clear primers? or would it be OK to just give it a few coats the clear paint/finish/lacquer?Can I paint a bicycle with just a clear coat?
Yes, you can do it, but will take a bit of prep.





If the frame is steel it will need to be sandblasted and the clear coat applied IMMEDIATELY. Be well advised that anyplace you touch the bike with bare hands, the print will show up on the frame. Also, steel frames will turn a medium grey finish- not stay shiny.





If the frame is aluminum, it will have to be walnut shell blasted. Again, the clear must be applied IMMEDIATELY without touching the frame. This will turn a greyish black eventually unless you take the time to polish the frame before applying.





Regardless of the material, note that you'll need at least 10 coats of clear, and that every single defect will show.Can I paint a bicycle with just a clear coat?
I never heard of a clear primer. Primers are used to cover up differences in the shade of the piece being painted, like bondo etc. You can try a clear coat, the worst that can happen is you have to do it over again.
You could probably just go with a clear coat but im not sure how well it will protect the bike... make sure the metal is really clean before you start and you should be fine just dont leave it in the rain