A couple of years ago, I wrote an ode to my favourite bike, but ever since, I have hardly used it. It's parked under a roof outside. Away from direct exposure to the elements, but moist and with constantly changing conditions. I still love this one and I feel 20 years younger riding it…until my ass votes to leave the rest of my body and all my bones ache, that is.
Unfortunately, the frame is starting to rust and its neat colour is losing shine for every year that passes. I wonder what I can do to stop that: Is there something like a sliding scale of effort to result that you guys have experienced yourself and want to recommend a course of action for me? Not sure I'm ready to free the frame and handle, and sandblast it all before painting. But maybe I should…or maybe there is an easier route that will conserve this bike for a few more years/decades?
For now, I have made sure everything works as it should, and smothered the frame and some other rusty pieces in FluidFilm, a lanolin solution that works wonders on my cars in preventing oxygen access to affected rusting areas. It's a temporary measure that is supposed to make storage less damaging. Looking forward to whatever you guys have to say.
by SjalabaisWoWS
7 Comments
Sand the frame, spray paint and varnish.
If you are lazy or just don’t have much time, you can just clean the frame with alcool and spray paint with some rust resistant paint, those usually are pretty sticky. It will be better than nothing.
I’m not sure where you live but here in the PNW the used bike market is saturated. You may be able to get a current generation nice bike store bike for a few hundred dollars. That’ll have better gearing, tires and brakes. Just something to keep in mind.
Yes. I still have my 20 year old nice mtb aging gracefully in the corner, while I drive a current bike. So, I understand. I’m just trying to help.
Clean it up and bring it inside and hang it up like art? My friend did that with his old first road bike and the effect is kind of neat and sweet.
5 in rotation, preserving for sentimentality… I have one like that. I think that when it starts to get this rusty, I’ll just post it for sale for $100 to pass on to someone else to have powdercoated & throw on fresh components to make it *their* bike.
But I’m also a frequenter on r/xbiking and there’s a non-0% chance I’d go full custom build on it starting with fresh fenders and sending them and the frame to be powdercoated some hot metalflake base to Klein Fade some other candy paints onto and pinstripe, then be putting a bunch of other choice bits & bobs on in lieu of the old cruddy stuff.
You might try WD-40 and steel wool on the rusty bits to clean it off and then polish the bare metal with something that cleans and protects, and this works on not just the frame, but the components as well. You might then use a carnauba wax on the rest that is still painted and this will help protect what’s left from the elements.
Depending on your skill level, re-greasing the bottom bracket, headset, and wheel bearings will also go a long way to extend longevity, and while you have access, you can spray a rust inhibiter into the frame. I did this to a 40 year old Raleigh that spent it’s life on the back of an RV touring Canada and it came out beautifully with quite a bit of character.
I’ve heard some people do a light coat of linseed oil on the frame as added protection, but I’ve not tried this myself.
Basically you need to take the whole thing apart, scrub the rust of every part paint the frame, put it back together again, but it is a huge amount of work.
This is almost identical to one of my old rusty steeds. It was given to me like 15 years ago or so having served many college students. They said the bottom bracket was stuck and failing, and I could have it if I could get the BB out. Well I never got it out, but did keep riding it with a “failing” BB for another 15 years, including my college years too lol.