Paint/corrosion problems?
06-22-20, 05:49 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Paint/corrosion problems?
Hi all, I'm looking at potentially buying this bike and have noticed some issues with the paint on the headtube, chainstay and seatstay. I'm no expert, so I'd appreciate some advice on what is going on, whether there could be corrosion or other issues underneath (maybe hard to tell from the seller's pictures but they're all I've got for now) or if it's nothing to worry about.
New to the forum so not sure how to link to pictures without breaking any rules, and not very good with tech... I've got them on a folder in my Google drive ready to go though!
New to the forum so not sure how to link to pictures without breaking any rules, and not very good with tech... I've got them on a folder in my Google drive ready to go though!
06-24-20, 05:11 AM
#3
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Nothing to worry about. The steel tubes on a frame are pretty thick, good to ride for 50 years. But then again it depends on the bike. If it's one of those cheap highstreet mtbs for kids or similar, likelyhood is they are made with the cheapest chinese steel, those bikes rust through and through fast.
I ride a 90's mtb, I found it abandonned. It has lots of rust spots and judging by the tyres, has been standing out in the rain for at least a decade. But it was made of good steel and the rust hasn't propagated beyond the surface.
In my experience, if the rust has formed a blackish brown protective layer, and you can't scratch it with your finger nail, it's good steel and the rust won't propagate deeper. If the rust has swolen and become puffy and crumbles easily with a scratch of a fingernail, it's rubbish..
I ride a 90's mtb, I found it abandonned. It has lots of rust spots and judging by the tyres, has been standing out in the rain for at least a decade. But it was made of good steel and the rust hasn't propagated beyond the surface.
In my experience, if the rust has formed a blackish brown protective layer, and you can't scratch it with your finger nail, it's good steel and the rust won't propagate deeper. If the rust has swolen and become puffy and crumbles easily with a scratch of a fingernail, it's rubbish..
I beg to differ. Not as thick as you want to think.
Really can't evaluate the OP's case without pictures.
Last edited by dedhed; 06-24-20 at 06:58 AM.
06-24-20, 08:46 AM
#5
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Have a 38 year old steel frame Bianchi with all sorts of crusty rust on the corners of the same parts you mention. Been that way for decades, used to live next to the beach in LA so lots of salt exposure. I'm 245# and still ride the snot out of the bike.
i am thinking about refinishing since some of the cable stays are so crusty I have trouble routing cable through them. Don't want to stop riding the bike though.
i am thinking about refinishing since some of the cable stays are so crusty I have trouble routing cable through them. Don't want to stop riding the bike though.
06-24-20, 09:37 AM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Thank you all for your input so far, and thank you Kret for pulling my thread up through the depths.
The bike was built by Chas Roberts in 1994, Columbus SL. Now that it’s in my possession, I’m seeing quite a lot of rust spiders or “filiform corrosion” (as I’ve just learned from another thread in this forum) in many spots, top tube from presumably sweat, seatstay, and so on. On the chain stay it’s that the paint has become discoloured and grungy underneath the plastic/tape protector. I suspect I won’t know quite how bad the rust is until I get all the paint off.
I’ll probably just ride it for now as Pop N Wood has said he does, but look into getting it repainted in the next few months when budget allows and pray the rust doesn’t go super deep, though by the looks of it it might be extensive in terms of spread, at least.
Let’s see if I can get upload some pictures in another comment...
The bike was built by Chas Roberts in 1994, Columbus SL. Now that it’s in my possession, I’m seeing quite a lot of rust spiders or “filiform corrosion” (as I’ve just learned from another thread in this forum) in many spots, top tube from presumably sweat, seatstay, and so on. On the chain stay it’s that the paint has become discoloured and grungy underneath the plastic/tape protector. I suspect I won’t know quite how bad the rust is until I get all the paint off.
I’ll probably just ride it for now as Pop N Wood has said he does, but look into getting it repainted in the next few months when budget allows and pray the rust doesn’t go super deep, though by the looks of it it might be extensive in terms of spread, at least.
Let’s see if I can get upload some pictures in another comment...
06-24-20, 09:48 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
Gonna go engage in some other posts, say hi and stuff as I can’t upload pictures pre-10 posts. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.
06-24-20, 10:48 AM
#8
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Fair enough, I stand corrected. I only speak from my experience and the steel frames that I seen cut open had tubes around 3mm thick. It really depends on the bike like you said. Just wanted to give the guy some answer as the thread's been going under without a single reply and it is a fair question.
Kret.
Kret.
06-24-20, 12:58 PM
#10
Senior Member
The worst corrosion is always on the inside of the frame. Condensation collects in the bottom bracket. There is no way to seal a frame so completely as to exclude water vapor. Inspect by removing bottom bracket and carefully examining low end of all four accessible tubes. Frames do rust through. They can rust all the way through while paint remains perfect. Expecting comments denying this, sixty years riding experience here and have seen dozens of quality frames that expired exactly this way.
External rust is usually minor although extended wet storage can cause pitting. Sand all rust spots. In most cases, especially with better quality tubes, the rust is very shallow. For something as extraordinary as a Charles Roberts get expert opinion before deciding it is a loss.
Steel frames should be vented. Older bikes accomplished this with open top seat posts. The other method is to drill a hole in bottom bracket shell.
External rust is usually minor although extended wet storage can cause pitting. Sand all rust spots. In most cases, especially with better quality tubes, the rust is very shallow. For something as extraordinary as a Charles Roberts get expert opinion before deciding it is a loss.
Steel frames should be vented. Older bikes accomplished this with open top seat posts. The other method is to drill a hole in bottom bracket shell.
06-24-20, 01:47 PM
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I have a semi related question.... I have a new/old frame and it has a few chips in the paint.where small rust spots are visible. Can i just paint over these or would i need to strip the paint treat the rust then paint it.
the spots are very small but there's a few of them
the spots are very small but there's a few of them
06-25-20, 11:45 AM
#13
Junior Member
Thread Starter
This kind of rust (especially black on the chainstay) is the acceptable kind, it doesn't propegate or kill your bike. The problem is the puffy, flaky, swolen and inflated type. Not only is it messy but it exposes the metal to further corrosion as opposed to shielding it and acts like a sponge for humidity thus worsening the case.
Again, this is my experience.
As for "saving the thread from the depths"
lol, no worries mate, I don't like posting in over populated threads anyway and I hate when people ghost me too.
Kret
Again, this is my experience.
As for "saving the thread from the depths"
lol, no worries mate, I don't like posting in over populated threads anyway and I hate when people ghost me too.Kret
Hah, I catch your drift
06-25-20, 12:03 PM
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
The worst corrosion is always on the inside of the frame. Condensation collects in the bottom bracket. There is no way to seal a frame so completely as to exclude water vapor. Inspect by removing bottom bracket and carefully examining low end of all four accessible tubes. Frames do rust through. They can rust all the way through while paint remains perfect. Expecting comments denying this, sixty years riding experience here and have seen dozens of quality frames that expired exactly this way.
External rust is usually minor although extended wet storage can cause pitting. Sand all rust spots. In most cases, especially with better quality tubes, the rust is very shallow. For something as extraordinary as a Charles Roberts get expert opinion before deciding it is a loss.
Steel frames should be vented. Older bikes accomplished this with open top seat posts. The other method is to drill a hole in bottom bracket shell.
External rust is usually minor although extended wet storage can cause pitting. Sand all rust spots. In most cases, especially with better quality tubes, the rust is very shallow. For something as extraordinary as a Charles Roberts get expert opinion before deciding it is a loss.
Steel frames should be vented. Older bikes accomplished this with open top seat posts. The other method is to drill a hole in bottom bracket shell.
I plan to get it looked at inside and out, then hopefully repainted by someone well-recommended, I think they have summer slots open. Unfortunately I don’t yet have the know how to take parts off a bike and be confident I can put them back right.
Judging from the pictures, do you reckon I should sand those spots down myself first? Or wait?
06-25-20, 12:13 PM
#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Head tube for good measure. I don't THINK there's rust under there, was the tape maybe put there to protect from cable rub...?
06-25-20, 01:47 PM
#16
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Head tube for good measure. I don't THINK there's rust under there, was the tape maybe put there to protect from cable rub...?
06-29-20, 11:21 AM
#18
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I see what you mean by puffy now, can definitely see the difference between that and the red bike.
Have uploaded pictures of the rust spots on my bike now... what do you think? Do I need to get a respray/do some of my own work soonish, or can it wait?
Have uploaded pictures of the rust spots on my bike now... what do you think? Do I need to get a respray/do some of my own work soonish, or can it wait?
