i know chrome makes anything heavier. powder coating doesnt make much of a difference cuz its basically paint. Powder coating is the technique of applying dry paint to a part. basically u either dip the part into electrically charged power (dried paint) or spray the the charged powder onto the part. then the part is placed in an oven where the powder melts to form a continuos film. then it goes thru this whole curing process till it hardens. so basically its paint..not metal. as far as performance i cant be specific cuz im new to bikes but from what i have read and in riding my bike...i prefer the heavier bike. i feel more control and solid to the ground.i feel if i were on a light bike....it would feel like a toy and might slide easier. but that is just my conclusion based on what makes sense to me. personally i think u should powder coat for the look u r trying to acheive....especially with ur rims. oh and powder coating is better than painting cuz it is much harder and scratch resistant. hope that helps. PEACE!!
i wasnt born this way. lol. here is where i got the info.
http://www.finishing.com/Library/pennisi/powder.html