Crystalline – Project One ICON premium bike paint scheme

Ride and shine

Crystalline turns every ride into something remarkable. Each paint scheme is made by fusing thousands of tiny crystals into lattices that sparkle in any light. Inspired by custom finishes from the world of hot rods and motorcycles, Crystalline brings that same handcrafted artistry to your dream bike. And just like the natural phenomena they replicate, no two frames are ever the same.

Available on all Trek premium road bike platforms.

The process

The temperature needs to hold steady in the low 70s. The activating agents need to be carefully applied by hand after the initial base coat has dried and the frame has been washed in warm water. Then, the frame needs to oxidize for just the right amount of time to allow crystal growth. And after all of this, there’s still no guarantee each crystal will form completely.

All the variables needed to perfect the Crystalline process are extremely temperamental. So, before this colorway could be introduced to the Project One ICON Series, painters had to figure out a way to consistently produce premium results with so many factors at play.

First, they had to create their own crystal-forming activating agent and find special suppliers to source high quality paints that could withstand the concoction. Then, when crystals didn't form naturally in every spot on a bike, they had to hand-paint each one to complete the scheme and make sure every Crystalline bike meets Project One's premium artistic standards.

All ICON Series paint schemes