How long does steel last?

[Fab Foodie]

I have a 60 y/o steel frame and it's still fine despite having been in some hideous storage for many years.
A new steelie will out last you.

 

[Arjimlad]

Hanging in the garage is my Mum's old Raleigh bike, which I have to get running again. She had it second hand 50 years ago, and it has spent the last 20 years or so doing nothing at all in a detached & cold garage where rust could easily have taken hold.

 

[SquareDaff]

I'm in the process of restoring a 1953 steel racer. Suspect the original owner had looked after it - but the person I bought it from had left it to rust. It cleaned up nicely and I didn't have to make any frame repairs. Just a lot of rust removing!

 

[fossyant]

They will last a long time. Three of my 4 bikes are over 20 years old. Alloy frames have a habbit of oxidising under the paint, which can look a right mess, although not structural, so nothing is perfect.

 

[400bhp]

I had a steel bike in the late 80's - columbus SLX tubing IIRC (lovely bike, had the name of a shop in bolton on it, one in the centre, not Geoff Smith-can't remember the name).

It started to flex around the bb after a fair few years use (was a second hand bike). IIRC it was Geoff Smith that told me this was an issue with the [steel] frames (at the time he put on one very first sealed Mavic bb's on it). Is this correct that they start to flex after a while?

Man, that was a lovely bike - very similar colours and finish to yours Fossy and probably similar parts too IIRC (Dura Ace, 600, Open 4 CD's). Wish I still had it :-(

 

[tyred]

I have three from before WW2 including a surprisingly light Claud Butler. All fine with minimal corrosion.

 

[Smurfy]

If looked after there's no reason why you shouldn't right it into your Will .

I'm riding mine in the afterlife.