Steel Frame Maintenance Question

dhsean

dhsean

Member
I'm about to order a steel frame (Salsa Ala Carte) and started to wonder what I need to do to keep it from rusting. I have done some searches and came up with this:

JP Weigle Frame Saver: Shake the can for a minute or so and with the seat post removed spray a liberal blast into the frame and then and rotate it in the air.

Is this necessary before it is built up?
 
i have a steel trek frame that is 15 years old and spent the last 10 years as a hybrid road bike (viva la street fighter!) that saw a TON of salt and nasty conditions. it is fine. by the time a steel frame rusts though (provided you keep it indoors) you'll be WAY ready for a new one.
 
With steel frames its a good idea to frame prep them. After putting the frame prep in spin and rotate the frame around then pull all plugs out and let it sit for about a day to dry.

Psylosl
 
Psylosl said:
With steel frames its a good idea to frame prep them. After putting the frame prep in spin and rotate the frame around then pull all plugs out and let it sit for about a day to dry.

Psylosl
Click to expand...

Do builders like Independent Fabrications do this to their frames or is it just an after market thing? (asked the IF owner)
 
I have never heard of any frame builders frame prepping their frames in house. I would be the shop or the owner of the frame doing the prepping.

Psylosl
 
Psylosl said:
I have never heard of any frame builders frame prepping their frames in house. I would be the shop or the owner of the frame doing the prepping.

Psylosl
Click to expand...

Well,... since it was a test bike I bought from Somerville cycles a year or so before they went under and they didn't mention it, and I didn't do it, it did not get done. Thanks for the info.
 
Frame Saver can't hurt. Back in the day I heard frame builders recommending motor oil or penetrating oil for the same purposes.

It's been pointed out here in the past that today's high-end steel is so highly alloyed that rust is a minimal concern.

Three of my four current bikes are steel, two are over ten years old. I'm a big fan.
 
Salsa Alacarte

My bike should be in this week. So I should have it ready for the weekend. Salsa Alacarte XXS. I'm excited to get back to my roots and am using this as a test to see what I like. Didn't want to spend a ton of money and find out I didn't like the feel. But it is really small, semi slack and hopefully being steel have enough spring in it for me to push into the corners. I'm excited to get it out there this weekend, fully rigid, should be fun.
 
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