Champ340

Hey guys, I was recently doing some maintenance on my Midnight Special and had the wheels off with the bike resting on bottom bracket and forks. Thru axles were installed at the time. Bike was resting on carpeted garage floor.

It wasn't until later I read the Surly Maintenance page and it mentioned 3 times not to rest bike on forks.

Could I have done damage? How would I know? It seems like overkill to me and written by a lawyer but I would be interested in everyone's opinions.

blamester

​​​​​​Well if it can't support it's own weight.
​​​​​​What contacts the floor?
I think you would already know if it was damaged.

Champ340

It rests on the fork dropouts.

blamester

So there can only be paint damage. What else can there be unless you jumped up and down on it.
I presume a person or persons have damaged the fork and Surly covered themselves against it.

dsaul

On a thru axle fork, with the axle installed, the worst that could happen is chipped paint. That warning goes back to the days of QR forks with open dropouts that could be bent from hammering on a crown race with the dropouts on the floor.

FBOATSB

Pretty easy to tip your bike over and bend/dent something.

J.Higgins 

This is a non-issue. Reminds me of lawyer-lips.

Sy Reene

Surly has some odd warnings sometimes. Weren't they the ones who wrote a long blog explanation about why you can't put kickstands on their bikes?

HillRider

I also have a Midnight Special. This is not a delicate fork and you would have to really pound on those fork tips to damage them. I wouldn't drop it (or any fork) onto a hard surface from an appreciable height and certainly wouldn't rest the fork on it's dropouts while pounding on a crown race setter but otherwise the warning is just lawyer-speak.

ClydeClydeson

They do seem to enjoy tongue-in-cheek fun in their literature, but my understanding is that a kickstand clamped on a LHT's chainstays could easily crush the tube. They now make a pair of brackets with curved faces to spread out the load on the tubes from the kickstand clamp.

Champ340

Thanks alot guys for the replies. Gives me peace of mind. The whole reason I brought a Surly was so I wouldn't have to baby it like my carbon bikes.

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Champ340

Thanks for that. I would be interested to know your opinions of the MS. Any areas to keep an eye on especially. Did you use any form of rust protection on the inside of the frame?

himespau 

It does seem to be an odd warning.

dedhed

Who has carpeting in their garage?

Champ340

Haha great question. It's pretty common in New Zealand. Garage specific carpet.

dedhed

Interesting. Not going to work around here with winter, dropping snow boogers off the car, not to mention me welding and torching in my garage.

Eric F 

I do. Part of it, anyway. My garage is not used for cars. Currently, it's a multi-purpose room that includes a woodworking/shop area, a workout area, a music studio, and a bike area. The half with music and bike stuff has thin carpet and a couple of cheap rugs covering the concrete floor. There's also a beer fridge and a small sofa.

veganbikes

Don't listen to the others, that bike is certainly trashed, send it my way and I will properly and safely dispose of it according to Surly spec.

HillRider

I like mine a lot and I'm happy I bought it. Nothing particular to be concerned about and no weaknesses. It is not a lightweight but Surly frames are not bought for minimal weight.

I did treat all of the frame and fork tube internals, like I do with all steel frames, with Amsoil HDMP. It's an identical product to Weigle's Frame Saver but a bigger can for less money and you can get it at any NAPA auto parts dealer. I ride in all kinds of weather and the peace of mind is worth the minor cost and effort to rust proof it.

Champ340

Great thanks I'll do the same. How often will you reapply?

SoSmellyAir

Heck yeah! I was hoping you would chime in because the original topic of this thread particularly calls for your signature: steel is indeed real.

HillRider

I don't. I treat the frames and forks heavily using two applications about 48 hours apart and rotate them frequently while they they drying. I do this when everything is new and before the bike is built up. After that the frame is considered protected for life.

I have a 1983 Trek 400 frame I bought used in the early 1990's and Amsoil treated it and the fork right after I bought it. It was my rain / bad weather bike for 15 years and then rebuilt as a fixie for my son-in-law. It's still in great shape with no retreatment.

J.Higgins 

I'll have to try that stuff from NAPA if I get a chance. I think I read somewhere that Surly frames have some coating inside, but when I tried to find confirmation of that on their site, all I found was an article recommending that their frames be treated with a sticky-oil coating product such as JP Wiegle, or motor fogging oil. I've used the Framesaver, but in my experience, Fluidfilm works equally as good - or better - and its way cheaper. Its also a little easier on your nose. It still stinks, but its way less stinky than Framesaver. Not an issue unless you suffer from MCS.

HillRider

If the odor of Weigel's Frame Saver bothers you, the Amsoil HDMP will too as it exactly the same product. I've always used it outside laying down newspapers (remember them?) under the frame to catch the overspray and minor leakage.

himespau 

Honestly, the last time I used Frame Saver, I specifically had to go to a gas station just to get a Sunday paper for the purpose of overspray and plugging the tubes (I think that was also the last time I've bought a Sunday paper for myself). Was about to build up a new steel frame and hunted down my half-used can and was thinking about having to wait until Sunday to get another big paper when I found a different frame to use instead. The next time the in-laws come for the weekend, I'll have to save the paper after they go as we always get one for them.