Rust proof?
 

Since in my area have been getting lot of rain for the whole summer, my question has come up to the point where I try to find a solution Of my worrisome about rust building on my bike. Is there a proper way to equip/clean my bike to ride in the rain to prevent rusts from building? Before and after ride in the rain? Anything will help. Thanks.

Treat the inside of you frame with "Frame Saver", and the outside with car wax.

Carbon fiber is corrosion proof, and titanium and aluminum are so resistant that even riding through brine all winter will not really affect them.

The chain and gears, and the spokes on the wheels are still susceptible, though.

+1

Go to your local auto parts store or a hardware store and buy a spray can of automotive rustproofing oil...I've used a product called Rustcheck and sprayed it on the inside of my steel frames.

That's an expensive solution to an almost non-existing problem...It take a very very long time for a chromoly steel bike frame to rust out to a point of it being unrideable. I don't think I've ever heard of it.

I like and trust Boeshield for rust proofing. It is purpose made for the job by people who know their business.

....really?

What is inside and outside frame?

Some people buy titanium framed bicycles specifically for their corrosion resistance (pretty much no natural environment on earth will affect them) and immunity to UV damage (which the epoxy resin in carbon fiber can be degraded over time by).

Frankly, unless you're riding your bike regularly through seawater in puddles or along the beach, I don't think it's really that much of a concern.

The inside of the tubing, mostly inaccessible except for the the seat tube when you remove the saddle post.

I see. Let's put the concern on frame and money aside. That leaves me the most important parts that flows me on the road which is pedals, chain, shifter(they are metals right) and the I'm..rest derailure(sp?) How can I keep up with rust free daily through rain or no rain?

TriFlow. I've used it for decades on all sorts of mechanical equipment--especially bikes--and it's never failed me.

The biggest factor in reducing/preventing rust, IMO, is parking it inside at home, preferably in an air conditioned/low humidity room. If your bike spends most of its time there, moisture won't have a chance to fester and corrode. You can let the bike drip dry after a wet ride, none of the components on a bicycle should flash-rust overnight.

I would give it a rinse with clean water after riding through brined/salted roads during winter, if that's a thing you do.

The salt air of places like Martha's Vineyard is a killer to bikes that spend their life in it.

I've treated several frames with AMS Oil Heavy Duty Metal Protector. One $8 can will do 3 bikes.

For bikes that are going to see a harsh environment, I pack the bearings in lots of marine trailer hub grease; the stuff that can both hold up at highway speeds under load and then get submerged several feet to launch the boat. Nothing a bicycle see will ever touch it. (Any auto parts store.) I also use that grease on threads.

If you really want a finish that will protect a steel frame in any conditions. paint it with a two part epoxy paint. (A brush does a surprisingly good job. Epoxy "flows" as it sets up and brush marks disappear. (Don't even think about touching the paint at this time!)

Ben

Problem is most components use chrome plated steel bolts..

there is no perfect cure short of the Moon

which is too small to retain an atmosphere, .. with Oxygen in it..

given Rust is Iron Oxide after all ..

I have seen some horrendously rusted bikes, but for the most part they were ones that lived outside in all weather. If you store your bike inside and do normal care and maintenance you should not have any issue with rust. There are a lot of phobic tendencies here about rust on frames, especially internally, and that sells a lot of products that supposedly treat the condition (the phobia, that is). I have never treated a frame with Frame Saver or the like and have had no internal rust issues on any of the many bikes that I own. I own 7 steel bikes ranging from 20-50 years old. My daily commuter bike, which gets the most abuse, is over 45 years old, ridden in all weather, all year and the only rust is the small amount that forms if I get a chip in the paint and don't attend to it quick. After every wet ride, I just wipe it dry with a damp rag. I do use anti-seize on the BB threads, and grease the stem and seat tube but that's about it.

To summarize: Wipe it down when wet, store it in a dry area, maintain the components, and don't worry.

This is my feeling. I see a lot of 1970s steel road bikes in daily use. I've never personally heard of one failing due to rust. IMO, this is a non-issue. Squirt some Boeshield in the tubes if you're worried.

Inside surface of the tubing, and the outside surface of the tubing.

Aluminum corrodes quickly in salty environments, if you live near the beach you figure this out soon enough. Carbon fiber does not corrode, but exposure to UV light and some chemicals can cause the epoxy used to bond the carbon materials to break down. Titanium is impervious to corrosion, UV light, and chemicals. Steel is more durable than aluminum or carbon fiber, cheaper, and can last decades in bad environments so long as you keep it clean.

I've had a couple steel road bikes which were made in the 1940's, and they are still in good condition now.

You really have to neglect a bike for it to rust. And even then its typically the stuff i.e. pedals, wheels, seat post, stem, etc., that rusts and not the frame. The only exception is a Walmart bike. It may look identical to the bike you bought at your LBS when its shiny and new, but a year from purchase is when you'll really see what you get for 100 bucks.

The simplest way to keep in from rusting is to stay out of the rain. If it does get wet, rinse it with tap water as soon as you get home. Even better, wash and dry it.

Don't ride your nice bikes in the rain. Get a rain bike. Rain bikes are cheap bikes that you don't care about ruining. Make sure to slap some plastic full size fenders on it. The fenders are there to protect you, not the bike. Beat the hell out of the bike all you want, just as long as it still works.

Rain bikes are fun. It's a game to see how long you can keep the thing going. It can teach you a lot about maintenance when you have a cheap beater bike to work on which you don't care about as much as your more expensive nicer bikes.

I'll definitely remember this. Thank you.

Ti is an awesome material and after riding a ti bike for over a year now, I can say it may rival my steel bikes and certainly is getting the most riding these days. The corrosion resistance is great but the ride quality is even greater and it is pretty light too!

A little rust on the chain, cassette and other drivetrain parts is not of concern, really. It's light surface rust and if you're riding your bicycle, and wiping moisture off it after rides, especially in salted snow, it is fine. Keep your chain oiled--salted snow will make your drivetrain crusty within an hour or two, so you can carry oil with you on rides--and your chain will transfer a little oil to your cassette, as well as knock off rust with normal shifting.

Remember, rust, if dry, is usually fairly benign (rust inside your frame can be dangerous, because it's damp in there and damp is bad for untreated steel). Rust is just iron oxide, a chemical compound formed through exposure to oxygen in the atmosphere. A layer of oxide on the surface of steel--normal red rust--is actually helpful in some ways, in that it creates a barrier through which fresh oxygen cannot penetrate, protecting the non-oxidized steel below. Think of an old tractor or truck; often it will have chipped or scraped off paint patches. A thin patina of stabilized rust--a layer of oxide--will form in those places. The steel there is being dried often, so it is not of concern, just as it's not a problem to have a light layer of rust on your bike. It may look unsightly, but it's actually helpful in some ways.

Actually, all of the inside surfaces of the bike's frame are accessible when you remove the bottom bracket, seat post, and fork.

The average cyclist will never remove the bottom bracket or fork from their bicycle. That's why I said "mostly"

Was carless for 10 years, commuted by bike year-round, all four seasons here in West Michigan. Lots of lovely salt on the roads in the winter. Never ever treated the frame and never ever had any issues with rust in the tubes. For 10 years after that I had a car, but still commuted by bike year-round with the same nicely salted Michigan roads, except this time it was on a frame I brazed myself. Never ever treated it and I still have it sans the rear triangle. I bent those with the car. Looking inside the BB and down tube/seat tube there is only light surface rust just like the previous bike had. Pulled the stays off and cut them open, no rust.

There is absolutely no question in my mind that the narrative "rust from the inside" is simply that. A narrative. Perhaps to sell Frame Saver? If you are really concerned, mix automatic tranny fluid with chainsaw bar oil 50/50 and roll it around inside the tubes. Tranny fluid has anti corrosion qualities and the bar oil helps it stick to the tubing.