I've spent a number of winters with steel frames encased in salt. I do clean them regularly, but all the same, rust does form. Isn't it a protective seal against further corrosion, though? I've convinced myself that it's all largely cosmetic and that any steel frame can withstand salt thrown at it for three months of the year.
On Feb 1, 1:15 pm, geezer <bair.m...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Mark, > > You don't mention whether they salt in your area or not. I live in > northern Michigan where they salt with a vengeance. > > I can't ride anything nice in the winter here because of the salt. > Even when things clear up a bit, any puddles on the road are > corrosive. Kiss bare aluminum good-bye, cosmetically. Tiny paint > chips on a steel frame become rust spots in minutes. Its awfully > disheartening. > > The only solution I have found is to ride a craigslist beater in the > winter. Old non-suspension mountain bikes work best. (We call them > DUI-cycles around here!) Clean them periodically at the quarter-wash > and use a non-sticky lube on the chain. I look for a bike with fender > eyelets, decent chainrings and cassettes and a smooth bottom-bracket, > then give them a tune-up in the fall. Don't fall in love with them, > because they're disposable! It amazes me sometimes how much of a > licking those old 6 and 7 speed bikes will take and keep on ticking. > > Mike -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
