Try using some aluminium foil scrunched up and rub the chrome with it - I've heard that works really well but never tried it myself. Autosol and the like are for final polishing as they have a very mild cutting ability but would need wax on top to protect afterwards.
Oldschool BMX collectors run into this a lot... they create a 'bath' from a kids paddling pool, then give the frame a good soak in the bath with a solution of oxallic acid (a tip is to fill in voids between the frame with plastic bottles/boxes filled with water or bricks etc to reduce the ammount of acid you need)
If there is no rust breaking through, any metal polish like Autosol, or Duraglitz, Brass etc would be fine.
If there is rust, then it depends on just how much. Light rust would polish out, large blisters, try something like a brillo pad (soak it in 3-in-1oil rather than water). If it looks like the hull of the Lusitania, you'll never recover it without rechroming.
Over Oxalic Acid, I would use household cleaning vinegar as it is 1% stronger than regular vinegar, and after about six hours, after scrubbing with a stiff household brush, I would use a toothbrush and Bar Keepers' Friend. There is also an automotive chrome polish that might work out well. I believe it is made by Simoniz.
If it's pitted, you can't improve it much. BKF etc is good at removing surface rust stains but it can't fix bubbles and pits.
Rechroming is very expensive. For a frame or fork, I would personally scrap the chrome (have it overpainted). As long as the surface is roughed up and an acid etch primer applied, paint over chrome is no problem. Rechroming already-chromed frame tubing embrittles the steel even more and normally requires a lot of polishing (i.e. metal removal) before plating. The worst case scenario is that you pay £600 having the paint and chrome redone, then the frame cracks shortly after you get it back.
Coke,Tin Foil and various other cremes and oils are worth a try but if the pitting is coming through from the back it's a thankless task.Rechroming is probably your only option then
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