On my steel framed bikes I shoot bosheild into the tubes once a year as part of a yearly maintenance schedule. Never had a rust issue.

Judging from the number of very old bikes around (the vast majority of which have never been treated with a rust inhibitor), I'd say that rust on steel framed bikes is a non issue on the human lifetime scale.

My frame is 25 years old with no rust.

Still looks like he had quite a career
didn't make the TDF podium, but often in the hunt

He now sells bikes by the name of Rowona, there's a neat one for sale there: Vintage Rolf Wolfshohl Rowona Steel Cyclocross Frame Set 1970 80s Columbus | eBay

I have three steel bikes (four if you include the tandem). My current winter commuter is an old steel Trek from 1978; it has a little rust around scratches (need to touch them up this summer). My IRO fixed gear from 2010 or so does not have any rust (that I've noticed). My custom Steve Rex from 2014 has no rust; built up with Record EPS it weighs in at 18.5 pounds and is as stiff as I want/need, and comfortable as well.

If you see rust on a road frame it's most likely because the owner kept it out in the garage collecting dust for the last few decades.

Plenty of 40 year-old steel frames still around and in nice shape, having only had modest care...so I wouldn't worry about rust.

Why not pick up a vintage high-quality steel frame on Ebay or elsewhere, and with all the money you'll save, use that to buy better/lighter components, and really build something nice?

In 39 years this has not been my experience.

I like the idea of crabon seatmast on an otherwise steel frame.

This bike's under 11 lbs. I don't think I'd want one that light. Maybe same frame, with cheaper parts, in the vicinity of 14 lbs would be nice.

http://www.englishcycles.com/wp-cont..._006_30701.jpg

I don't doubt that one bit. But there are lots of reasons why different folks have different experience along these lines. I don't wipe my steel frame down after ever ride, not even when it is used on the trainer. Stupid, yes, but there you have it. I go down on the ground a lot (relative to talented riders) and get some paint damage from time to time. Occasionally a wrench will slip (like on the BB cups) and mar the paint. Removing and replacing wheels tends to mar the finish on the dropouts and rust can result there. All kinds of things. Just saying that if you look at the overall range of experience and the average experience, I think you are going to see steel bikes sporting some rust. Inside, outside, on the dropouts. It is simply what steel does.

I'm not saying that a steel bike is going to typically rust and fail, even over an extended period of time.

But are you honestly saying that steel bikes don't rust where they're scratched if you don't touch up the scratch?

Not a big issue, but the OP asked if there were downsides to Steel other than weight, and rust is one. Obviously debateable how significant it is, but you do have to touch up scratches on steel frames to avoid rust, and you don't have to do that with Ti.

There's rust and there's rust.

It's one thing to talk about light, superficial rust at paint nicks, but something else altogether to suggest rust is a problem.

Any bike with paint nicks is unattractive; I really don't think the light surface oxidation that can occur makes it any worse.

I'm looking at my 12 year old Lemond on the trainer right now; it's got paint nicks, but no rust, even though I sweat on it while it's on the trainer, and use it for my spring/winter rides (remembering in Michigan we salt the roads, too).

Sure, I clean it pretty regularly and well, and use Pledge on it (:)), so that's going to help prevent the rust, but even if I didn't, the little bit of light rusting that would occur at those nicks is not going to be "an issue" in any sense of the term.

I have never seen a bike rendered unsafe to ride due to rust. I've seen components rust to sh*t rendering a bike unrideable, but never a bike that was rusting through or anything like that. Cosmetic issues are cosmetic issues, irrespective of the material, so the question is whether Ti, carbon, or Al is less prone to cosmetic issues than steel. I dunno, but if that's an issue for someone as a buyer, I'd probably look at the cost of refinishing, too. Steel is easy to strip and paint; I don't even know how you'd address carbon scratches.

This is why my next winter commuter is likely to be Ti (or SS ;)).

Ok, I see we're mostly on the same page. I've encountered minor, superficial rust at paint chips and scratches that, if left alone, will not turn into the more serious pitting type of rust. It will form an oxidized coating and proceed no further. I just feel the need to elaborate on the topic occasionally, because many times the first criticism of the steel pundits is the rust issue, and it's just blown way out of proportion. It just isn't so.

Sure I've seen bikes left out in the yard or abandoned somewhere, and they're rusted like a beast. An equally bad environment is a house by the sea shore due to the salt in the air. There you have to be conscientious about your anti-rust maintenance. And yes, I've heard heavy sweaters make it hard on their bikes. I can see that too, because of the high salt content. But under normal conditions, rust is not an issue at all.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...hwinnconti.jpg

This beast here was born 1976. It was once left on my front porch for a couple of years, and currently has spent the last 8 years in my unheated shed. Nada rust in 39 years, zero, zip, zilch. :)

Even back when I rode $99 hi-ten steel 10-speeds, I never had one rust. Only time I've ever seen steel bikes rust, is if they were seriously abused to the point where the paint was majorly damaged and left that way; or if they were routinely left outside in all weather.

Rust. Steel rusts. But with minimal prep and care a steel frame with wall thickness that are not extreme will serve well in nearly all conditions. Coastal environments are tough as is winter road salt. Likewise ridden by a heavy sweater. But for the rest, those frames with decent wall thickness last a long time, many miles with very little care. Classic 531 frames very seldom die from rust. None of my bikes have. My Peter Mooney has 46,000 miles on it and saw a ridiculously wet ride year one. Got repainted (for completely unrelated reasons) 5 years later, then saw another ridiculous wet ride. My previous commuter saw 26,000 miles of year round riding in Portland. Never frame saved it or touched up the paint. Died in a crash. Not saying that rust isn't an issue. Just that most frame die of unnatural causes LONG before rust becomes an issue to anything but the eye.

The prep and care? A decent paint job. Framesaver. Allow BBs to drain after wet (esp fenderless) rides. I am quite guilty of never doing the last bit. And less than half of my bikes have seen framesaver.

If rust was the issue that some claim, then we would not see 30 year old steel frames except the few that were babied or not ridden and stored indoors. My fleet wouldn't exist. (Newest current - 1983. True it is on its second or third paint job. Oldest is 1974. Paint is original and in tough shape.

Now, the new, light, stiff, very thinwalled large diameter tubed steel bikes are a different story. It will not take long for rust to do real damage to the thin walls. Those bikes do have to be babied. (And not dropped or looked at sideways.)

Ben

Not a hint of corrosion on my eight year old 953 stainless steel frame which I've ridden for many thousands of miles in all kinds of weather including lots of rain and hot days when I was sweating like Niagara Falls (well, that's probably a slight exaggeration). ;)

Yeah. Imagine that.

Steel bikes don't rust and wheels never need to be trued. What a wonderful world this is.

• Can rust. Doesn't mean it will, but the possibility exists so there may be extra maintenance or other precautions you'd want to take that aren't necessary with other materials.
• More expensive. The best steel frames aren't churned out with cheap Chinese labor. They're hand built by experienced craftsmen and command a higher price.
• More difficult to test ride. Limited demand means shops don't usually stock a lot of steel frames/bikes. Even if you're buying "off the rack" finding one in your size to test ride might be tough. And if you're going full custom, it's impossible.
• Might have to wait. The better builders often have waiting lists that can get long as spring approaches.

That said, I love my steel Curtlo CX and when the time comes to replace my CF road bike, I'll seriously consider a modern steel frame.

They can if you let the bike sit for years. My 23 year old Paramount has had tiny nicks forever . No rust. The inside of the tubes obviously aren't painted. BB shell, seat tube and headtube aren't painted on the inside and have never had frame saver. No rust. Wipe them out with a rag and it looks brand new, actually.

I bet you never have to true your wheels either. Or maybe you just live in Death Valley. Not New Orleans, that's for damn sure.

What's up with the punk comments? Did I offend you?

Well, actually, they are:
Online Buy Wholesale steel bicycle frames from China steel bicycle frames Wholesalers | Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

Some pretty nice ones made cheaply in Taiwan as well, eg:
FAQs | The Information Hole | Surly Bikes

No, I shouldn't have gone off like that. Not your fault. I apologize.

Here's the thing. On the 41 folks make such bizarre claims. And they could be completely genuine. But the claims are stated in a way that suggests (to me) their quite unusual experience is the norm. And that just isn't so. Most steel bikes develop some amount of rust. Okay, so not yours, but most do. Even with your positive experience, it seems you should know that steel bikes rust. It just seems you are being disingenuous. Just like the folks who ride wheels for 10,000 miles without having to true them. Even if that is true for theirs, so what. That isn't the norm. So why teach it as if it is what everyone can expect? That's my point. That's all.