I've just got a decent Concorde steel bike with a few spots of rust. The frame uses Columbus Aelle tubing, and I've taken some example shots of the rusting areas. Some areas are more problematic than others, such as the chainstays, downtube (facing the rear wheel), and others are fine, such as the head tube, down tube, and top tube. I was considering using Tremclad Rust Paint to fix the spots of rust, as it requires minimal prep work and no primer. Before proceeding, however, I'd like some opinions on the rust and suggestions on how to proceed.

The first one is only a chip. The second is rust, and could be wire wheeled off most likely. However I recently stripped a Shogun I thought was in good condition to bare metal. It had rust around almost every lug under the paint. Not bad rust, but surface type, probably from water stopping at the lugs after sitting outside in the rain. My point being, you might be surprised how much rust there is, if you really get into it. Best you can do is treat the rust you can see, and keep an eye out for new rust in the future.,,,,BD

If the rust spots are absolutely dry, Tremclad should work. There are also ways to chemically remove or convert the rust. Oxalic acid (supposedly sold as wood bleach) apparently removes rust without affecting paint or chrome, while phosphoric acid converts it. (Phosphoric acid is used commercially to prepare steel with light surface rust for painting.) Just do a search here for either of these. I've found a phosphoric acid product in a Home Hardware building supply that's intended to remove rust stains from concrete, but have yet to try it on bike parts. I had no luck with oxalic acid in any hardware store or building supply, but finally found some at a taxidermy supply in Quebec. Still haven't got around to trying it.

I'm starting to believe there's a conspiracy underway by European frame manufacturers exporting to North America: make a great frame and use the cheapest paint / finishing techniques available... Honestly, finishing technologies must have improved an order of magnitude over the past 10 years, because I've beaten the hell out of my recent Giant bikes, and the paint has just stayed perfect.

Aside from the "Monday" factor inherent in painting, there's always the conspiricy theory...

Being a repainter, I see many "nice" frames with "Monday" paintjobs!

It just happens on some odd rare occasions. It's the nature of the beast.

And, having painted and repainted Concorde's in that exact scheme, I have to ask...
Are the decals cleared over?

Of the decals supplied to me back then, I never found them to be clear friendly!
(I still have some if you need them. Just put them on OVER the clear!)

I decals are on top of the clear, indeed. I've just removed some of the rust from the affected area in the second picture, and just as predicted, there was more rust. I've removed it with a stainless steel brush. Thankfully, it was only minor surface rust. I've just applied a little Tremclad Rust Paint, and it looks like everything should be fine.

Ive been wanting to say this for some time but havnt for fear that someone would take it the wrong way but here it goes, , Ive had frames with surface rust many times and all Ive done was to remove the rust with soap water and a rag, thats it, after treatment? keep it clean and dry after every ride. Thats it, no chemicals no super cleansers, now this would be different for deep rust but the rust on this bike isnt deep, so yeah, thats what Ive done for years and its worked out very well for me heres where the rust used to be on my Schwinn, most thought it to be a problem but as you can see its now just paint, primer, and blackened steel, no rust, treated as stated above, even ridden in the rain =) the missing paint doesnt bother me as the rest of the bike makes up for it

Well hey, man, there you go! To be honest, I'm only really worried about rust with regard to how it affects the integrity of my frame. I don't want to die because of a rusted frame

I hear you, I wouldnt ride a frame with inside frame rust or deep rust around any load bearing points like the lugs Ill tell you that!