How to check a frame for rust and damage.
 

Hi there. I'm finally getting around to replacing this fork:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ked-front-fork

It's on an old Dawes Galaxy. As mentioned there, a rear dropout snapped off a few years ago, and then that fork went in a separate incident. Before I try to get it back on the road I am advised to thoroughly inspect the frame for signs of damage elsewhere, in case the whole thing should be condemned.

Are there any particular areas I should focus on, or things I should look out for? I can just scan over it and check all the joints, but since most of it is covered in paint still then perhaps it's hard to tell if there's a problem? Like how that crack on the forks must have developed over a period of time and remained hidden.

Thanks!

Looking at the pictures on your link, I would scrap that frame, if the fork failed due to that much corrosion, the rest of the frame probably has issues as well; snaping a rear dropout as well would give me no confidence in the frame.

For checking corosion, use mark one eyeball, if somthing looks corroded, see how deep it is by scraping / wire brushing off, if it's internal, the you could X-Ray / endoscope, but that would cost more that the bike is worth.

If any of the frame needs repair, the cost of getting a frame builder to replace the tubes will be more than the cost of a new frame

This is of course the sensible thing to do... and I've kept my eyes open for a replacement tourer but found nothing. I got this thing for £70 three or four years ago and it's been great. There aren't many nice second-hand bikes around here... and I do have a fairly limited budget. Basically something under £100 would be great. I have a lot of spare components from and for "bikes of a certain age" so I'm attracted to something not-so-modern as I can maintain it more cheaply and easily. Though I admit 27" wheels become a bit of an annoyance sometimes.

Finding a replacement fork for under £100 will probably be a struggle, and if you are still using 27" wheels that complicates things further.

Have you looked at 2nd hand on ebay, there are some Galaxy's on there at the moment. for not-so-modern, doubt you will find this cheaper than running a new bike, new parts avalibility being a big factor.

I know a few locals who deal in old bicycle parts and if they have a suitable fork it will probably be mine for £10 - they've been excellent sources in the past. IF they have anything, though.

Yea, I'd be everso wary of buying a bike online. I'd want to ride it and inspect it first.

But new parts for new bikes are so expensive, haha. Everything is sealed and disposable. When the brakes get loose these days don't you have to throw away the whole bike and get a new one...?

Being able to strip everything down with conventional cheap tools, clean and regrease things and get it back together really appeals to me - rather than shelling out more money each time, and needing all these newfangled proprietary tools :(

Don't think parts are too expensive, but everyone has their idea of value, and the UK / Euro market has a lot of competition, so you can find most things for a lot below retail , and there is not much on a modern bike that can't be serviced, for tools, as for as propietary tools, there are a few, but there are a lot more manufacturers making them now, so they don't cost much. comparing a bike from now, to say the 80's, the all round quality if far superior now, and getting parts for any bike over 15 years can be hard.

On a steel frame the rust issue can be mostly internal. Outside rust starts when the paint is damaged. But if a frame is ridden in bad weather a lot the internal rust working it's way out towards the paint from the inside is a far more serious problem. Joints on the old brazed lug frames are by far the worst place to look for rust damage as the lug itself adds thickness to that area and the brazing can also support the paint from showing signs of internal rust.

Nope, truly the only way to tell if things are too crusty inside is to look inside. As you're going to or alrealy have the fork out look in the head tube and down the holes into the frame tubes as best you can with a flashlight. But the big one is to pull the bottom bracket and seat post and look through those for signs of major errosion of the steel.