Salvagable?
 

I've got this old Raleigh, not quite sure how old though. It's pretty rusted, I'm just wondering if it's surface damage or if the integrity of the bike has been compromised. Is it something I could just sand off? Although I really like the paint. BTW, a lot of the stuff around the bottom bracket is actually dirt, not rust.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6066/photo0052t.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9656/photo0053ak.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3200/photo0054n.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/7534/photo0055zt.jpg

Start out with some cleaner and a brillo pad or steel wool. See if it starts cleaning up or if you start to take off any material.

MAN that's a hard post to read!

The bad news is I don't think that you're going to be able to clean up all of the rust on that bike short of having the frame media blasted. It'll take a lot of work and, if you don't get every little bit, the rust will just come back.

The good news is that (assuming it's the right size) it looks to me like a perfect base for a campus or errand bike. If you don't put too much money into components it'll be easy to find more tempting theft targets to park next to.

I would...

A. Build it like it is currently. Would look cool partially showing the decals. There is a lot of rust though.

B. Its probably solid, but IMO would not be worth the hassle getting every little bit of surface rust off. Start with a different frame.

Put an Aerospoke on it and ride it as is.

My biggest fear is that something that badly rusted has pitting and needs body filler or in this case tube filler before it can be refinished to original smoothness. Shame it rusted like that.

Upside is, as a beater, it's not rusted enough that it wouldn't last another 20 years scrubbed and repainted.

trollmod

Primer and paint. No one will know.

Take apart, clean as good as you can, rattle can it, build it cheap, and ride.

Oxalic acid bath.

It looks pretty bad, but could just be surface dmg. Just do what others have said.

IMHO, i wouldn't bother with this.

^this. Get a tub big enough to fit the frame and run to Home Depot (or any other hardware store) and buy some wood bleach. Mix with water and dunk it for a few days. I've done it with small parts and it works really well.

Wasn't it you that said "SSFG - where the inmates run the asylum"? :lol:

that bike looks toast. ride as is as a abeater.

Looks like a beater to me. I'd get some paint on there, especially if you'll be riding it in the rain/snow. If you leave it unprotected like that the rust will get way worse and render the frame completely useless.

i think its a perfectly good candidate for a beater bike if you are willing to put the elbow grease into it.
i like elbow greasin' so i would do it lol, any excuse for a project....

i would:
spray with paint stripper....
use cheapo kiddie pool the size of frame and do the oxalic acid bath to remove rust....
sand down anything remaining....
then rattlecan it with some rustoleum.

We have a term for this:

"Polo condition"