The only problem with my 18 year old Bottecchia is its tendency to rust here in my humid, ocean-side environment. Here is the worst example of a rust spot on the frame:



I've since steel wooled and touched up this spot. It doesn't take much sanding at all to get to clear metal, so the rust does seem to be limited to the surface.

So what are the best strategies for avoiding these kind of rust spots? My current strategy is to clean the frame after every ride and wax it periodically.

WD-40 was initially developed to prevent rust (WD = Water Displacement). Would it be weird to wipe down my frame with WD-40 after a ride?

(Here's a picture of the full frame.)

Thanks,

In Great Britain, it is common to hear old-timers talk about wiping bikes down with an oily rag - which actually would provide some protective benefit. I'd hesitate to use WD-40 though, as I'm not sure that prolonged usage wouldn't affect the finish.

If it's getting on the outside on the edge of the tube, I'd be concerned about it getting inside the frame... especially if it's not due to leaving it in the rain, but from your atmosphere. I would think about using J.P. Weigle Frame Saver or boiled linseed inside the frame. Then I'd use Collonite's Insulator Wax #845 on the outside. This wax puts a nice shine on the bike, car, etc, yet was designed as a heavy duty wax for protection. On a car, it's truly a twice a year wax, and on a bike, I'll do it once a year. This stuff is great. It may be a bit hard to find locally, but of course there are places on the inter-web.

https://www.colliniteindustrial.com/#products

Worth a try?
Rust Treatments
Naval Jelly® Rust Dissolver


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Naval Jelly® Rust Dissolver has been known and trusted for decades
Ideal for heavily rusted items, dissolves rust taking the surface down to the bare metal
Simply brush on, watch it dissolve the rust, and rinse off
Follow-up by priming or painting the surface, or apply a topcoat that will protect the surface from exposure to moisture

The old wood and fabic airplanes had this problem in the welded tube fuselage frame. A check of home built airplane suppliers might find you stuff like this https://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/cs/corrosion.html


The tube seal stuff down the page looks interesting.