Can Surface Rust Eventually Compromise A Frame?
08-02-14 | 12:01 PM
#1
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From: Portland OR
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Can Surface Rust Eventually Compromise A Frame?
How bad do spots of surface rust have to be, to threaten the integrity of a steel frame?
I have a vintage frame (SLX) with a few 1/4" wide spots of surface rust where the paint is chipped. But radiating out from some of these spots are squiggly black tracks which seem to be under the paint, and won't come off with Goof Off. I suspect those are rust tracks.
My plan has been to sand the rusty spots and touch up the paint, while leaving the black tracks alone. The bike will then be placed into duty as a high school boy's school bike including being locked up in the rain. I imagine any rust under the paint will continue to develop.
Will those rust tracks ever compromise the frame? If left untreated, would the spots of surface rust ever do so?
I'm basically wondering if we treat rusty chips simply for cosmetic reasons, or if there are functional reasons to do so?
I have a vintage frame (SLX) with a few 1/4" wide spots of surface rust where the paint is chipped. But radiating out from some of these spots are squiggly black tracks which seem to be under the paint, and won't come off with Goof Off. I suspect those are rust tracks.
My plan has been to sand the rusty spots and touch up the paint, while leaving the black tracks alone. The bike will then be placed into duty as a high school boy's school bike including being locked up in the rain. I imagine any rust under the paint will continue to develop.
Will those rust tracks ever compromise the frame? If left untreated, would the spots of surface rust ever do so?
I'm basically wondering if we treat rusty chips simply for cosmetic reasons, or if there are functional reasons to do so?
08-02-14 | 12:08 PM
#2
weapons-grade bolognium
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Across the street from Chicago
Bikes: Battaglin Cromor, Ciocc Designer 84, Schwinn Superior 1981
Rust never sleeps.
therefore, eventually it will eat through and cause pin-holes.
If the frame is going to be used as highschool boys bike, it will be stolen long before the rust becomes a worry.
therefore, eventually it will eat through and cause pin-holes.
If the frame is going to be used as highschool boys bike, it will be stolen long before the rust becomes a worry.
08-02-14 | 12:24 PM
#3
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From: Portland OR
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
He'll lock the hell out of it. U lock + heavy chain. Almost all the bikes stolen off Portland streets were cable locked, per our police dept. I think there is a good chance he will take the bike to college, should he wish to. So the longer term longevity of the frame will, probably, matter.
Have we ever seen a quality (not gaspipe) steel frame that has been structurally compromised by rust? How bad did the rust look?
Have we ever seen a quality (not gaspipe) steel frame that has been structurally compromised by rust? How bad did the rust look?
08-02-14 | 03:02 PM
#4
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
I would be more concerned about internal corrosion.
Potential fork assembly failures scare me far more than frame failures -- I have experienced three of the latter (one drive side chainstay, one bottom bracket shell, one downtube right behind the butting), and never felt my safety was compromised.
Potential fork assembly failures scare me far more than frame failures -- I have experienced three of the latter (one drive side chainstay, one bottom bracket shell, one downtube right behind the butting), and never felt my safety was compromised.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
08-03-14 | 05:49 AM
#6
Thread Starter
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From: Portland OR
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Ick! Was that caused by rust? Internal? I don't see any external.
I'll Framesaver the inside of this frame.
I'll Framesaver the inside of this frame.
08-03-14 | 07:56 AM
#7
SE Wis
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
