Anyone ever thought of placing Silica gel, that stuff that comes in the box with about everything you buy, in a steel frame to fight any moisture that might finds its way in? If you've got a cartridge BB ... I see no down-side to trying it. Thought?

For those that don't know, Silica Gel is used to absorb moisture. They put little packets of it in shoe-boxes, electronics, etc to keep moisture at bay as your product get shipped via un-climate-controlled vessels over great oceans (which I hear have moisture in them).

There's a very good reason not to do this: The gel becomes saturated with absorbed moisture. . . and then sits there. Rust will form in a small circle around it, etc. etc.

In those cute little packages, it's meant to be disposable. When it's done its (time limited) duty, you dispose of it.

Higher quality Silica Packs, for long-term storage (with guns, cameras, etc), need to be periodically baked dry.

So, do I need to explain further?

Don't do it.

Just store your bike in dry conditions. When it's been soaked in rain, snow, whatever, wipe it down. Ride. Repeat as needed.

I see your point. I work in design, this isn't my first bad idea.

What about a sacrificial anode, like that used on a boat? Would this cut down on the dissimilar metals corrosion?

I love eating those things.

Yum.

Are you riding a hot water heater??

For that to work, I think you'd have to bond all the dissimilar metals, and who wants to ride a bike festooned with runs of wire to a chunk of zinc?

I zinc not.

But...but...everything bolts to the...FRAME!

If you are actually concerned about internal rust, then I suggest a proper application of FrameSaver.

There are similar products that work, too. Search the archives.

Not quite everything. Everything but the kitchen zinc.

A solution looking for a problem. The bike world is rife with it.

It is what we do best in this forum. It gives our empty lives meaning.....

It is all in the marketing, you see the chunk of zinc is marketed as a traffic light signal activator and the wires running to it are antennae to intensify the effect. The anti-corrosion aspects of the assembly are simply a bonus, not the primary motivator of the concept (even though they are), that way people won't think you're nuts riding around on a bicycle resembling the Back to the Future DeLorean.

ps, my life is not empty, I've got a garage full of stuff to prove otherwise.

Frame Saver is too easy.

Maybe fill the tubes with boat foam ... I hear it dampens road vibrations.

Anodes don't work unless there is an electrolyte of some kind.Guess you could fill the frame with water.....

Use Frame saver or some type of rust convertor POR 15.

That expanding foam from a spray can? Terrible idea -- I have some gory pictures of vintage cars where that was used as support for weakening metal.

+1 They work on boats because they are below the water line.

What you may want to consider is to use a battery to set up a current between the frame and a sacrificial metal. Next time you replace your car battery, hold on to the old one as it will be perfect for this application.

-G

Go buy some Wd40(water dispersant try 40) works for the USAF

does that gel stuff do anything cool when you light in on fire?