Pro tip: Leave your bike in the rain for 6 months and the frame rusts faster than you think

Last month I pulled my old Schwinn out of a buddy's backyard where it sat since January. The chain was totally seized and the brake cables snapped when I touched them. I spent like 4 hours with rust remover and finally got the wheels moving but the frame has these pitted spots now. Anyone else ever try to restore a bike that sat outside too long and just gave up halfway through?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie_adams16d ago

Had a buddy throw a wad of steel wool in a jar of vinegar overnight and that stripped his frame better than any store bought remover. Just saying, sometimes the kitchen sink stuff works better than the fancy chemicals.

emery29016d ago

Call the whole thing a lost cause and strip the frame down to bare metal, then just clear coat it for a patina look. That pitted rust adds character and saves you from fighting a losing battle with primer and paint. Spent two hours on a bike last year before realizing rust never sleeps and just gave it a new lease on life as a wall decoration.

alicecraig16d ago

Read somewhere that clear coating rust is actually a legit preservation method, something about the rust forming a protective layer if you keep it dry. I mean, I guess the whole "rust never sleeps" thing is real, but if you seal it well enough maybe it just stops? That wall decoration idea is kinda genius though, better than fighting with it for weeks.