Originally Posted by
Agner1
I ask this because I am considering buying a touring bike, and I would like to have a steel frame. Am I too paranoid?
Thanks.
no one is out to get you but the worry is misplaced. There's a cluster of parts on a bicycle that will corrode in a way that will inhibit function or repair if not cleaned and relubed but it's not the frame. It's worth going through all the 5mm threaded eyelets on a frame and re-tap them and install a lubed screw just so that five years down the line you don't have a threaded eyelet full of rusted threads .
On the other hand if you were to dunk your bike in salt water or drag it through a muddy river you should rinse it out repack some bearings. I had a folding bike fall half way into salt water so that it dunked the sealed bearing headset. Some salt corrosion occured between the bearing unit and the headset to such a degree it felt like the headset was loose.
Years ago when zinc/cad plated spokes and chromed steel was common for wheels you could have corrosion problems messing up repairs but I wouldn't be worried about it for the frame.