I think I may have a trace of rust...

[swee'pea99]

Harsh things have been said of my maintenance scheduling. 'HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!' is one that comes to mind. But I think on the whole I keep a pretty beady eye on things, and make sure everything's tickety-boo, well....just took a look under the saddle, and I suspect it might be a tad sub-optimal:

Now, I don't think it's as bad as it looks, but what if I'm wrong and I put rust dissolver on it and it all falls to bits? Maybe the rust is the only thing holding it together.

Come to think of it, might be worth mentioning the other while I'm about it:

...kind of thing is pretty much endemic throughout the rest of the frame, but I'm not worried about that. You can tell it's just cosmetic, and it hasn't changed significantly over the decade+ I've been riding the bike. (Unfortunately it lives under a cover in the back garden, which is less than ideal but unavoidable.)

The only bit I am a bit concerned about, as I say, is that under-the-saddle joint. First, because it's the only real pressure point that has anything beyond nothing-to-worry-about level rust, and second, because I have the feeling that that has got worse.

What should I do? I love this frame, and I'd love it to see me out.

Any hints & tips much appreciated.

 

[DCLane]

It doesn't look too bad. I'd be taking a wire brush to the worst bits and a proper check.

 

[Sharky]

Would make a good commuter, shopping bikes. Nobody is going to half inch that one.

 

[Drago]

Spray the rusty bits in Duck Oil and celebrate by buying a new piece of twine to hold your trousers up.

 

[MichaelW2]

Just from the photo, this looks like a nice frame. Spray some stuff into all the tubes using any access hole to protect and survive.
Note if you have an olde worlde bottom bracket, check before spraying into the down tube, that it cannot wash out the bearing grease.

 

[swee'pea99]

Just from the photo, this looks like a nice frame. Spray some stuff into all the tubes using any access hole to protect and survive.
Note if you have an olde worlde bottom bracket, check before spraying into the down tube, that it cannot wash out the bearing grease.

Thanks, it's a lovely frame. Wire brush then 'stuff'? Same stuff inside and out - ie, squirted into frame, and used on the surface? Duck oil oil over? Should I treat or remove the rust first, or just slap it on bish bash bosh jobs a goodun?

Oh and yes - the thief-proofing is definitely part of the appeal

 

[wafter]

I intend to use a chelating rust remover on whatever rust requires removing. This is how Evapo-rust works and removes none of the good material underneath unlike mechanical methods or acids.

If you do remove the rust there's then the question of what to do with it afterwards as the bare metal will need sealing properly which will probably be difficult given access to some of it.

You could treat it as-is with some form of inhibitor - a wax or oil. I hear boiled linseed oil is favoured for "sympathetic" protection but I've not tried it.

Rightly or wrongly I get the impression that existing rust might work to retain treatments while applying directly to rust-free metal might make them easier to remove.

 

[Drago]

Oxalic acid doesnt marhnthe good metal -or paint - in the slightest.