Seat tube rust on my CSi

[Keith A]

This past Friday I'm riding my '96 CSi home from work and the clouds start looking pretty dark. So I pick up the pace and am hoping to make it home before it dumps on me. Unfortunately, I didn't make it...but was able to escape to where my daughter works and so I was only in the rain for 5 minutes or so.

When I got home, I gave my CSi a good cleaning and part of the process was to remove the seat post and make sure no water was in the seat tube. During this process, I was inspecting the seat tube and noticed a fair amount light surface rust. This isn't the big chunky type of rust, but it appears to be a thin coating in the seat tube.

So what is my best option for preserving this frame? I don't know if this frame every had Framesaver applied or not...but I certainly have not done so. Is this the best way to go? Should I first do something about the rust in the seat tube?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Mike748]

All uncoated steel develops a light surface oxidation that does no harm. Its only when you get trapped moisture in a crevice/cavity like under chipped paint, around the water bottle bosses, in a joint that you get a real problem.

Nevertheless, frame saver would be a good idea... those CSi tubes are darn thin at the ends. I believe the chemistry of it will neutralize light surface rust and will prevent it getting worse. I recommend you dissassemble the bike and do the whole frame though. The BB and chain stays are more susceptible to rust than the vertical seat tube. I drilled a drain hole in my CSi (!!) and Parmount BB's for good measure.

[Peter P.]

Remove the seatpost and bottom bracket. Spray the inside of the seat tube liberally with WD-40, Liquid Wrench, or similar stuff. Stick a bottle brush down the tube and scrub-you will probably have to fabricate an extension of some sort-or you could substitute by plunging a rag down the tube. Then spray with Framesaver and you're all set.

[Pete Serotta]

+!....then use Weigle frame saver. This should be done every few years.....

Rust never sleeps.....

from serotta.com site on services needed:


Steel Frames
Serotta uses the finest modern steel alloys in the construction of our steel bicycle frames. With proper care, corrosion should not affect the long-life and integrity of the frame. To help limit the potential for corrosion, an approved rust inhibitor such as 'Frame Saver' should be reapplied to the inside of your frame at least once a year. Ask your dealer to provide this service at the time of your annual overhaul service

Remove the seatpost and bottom bracket. Spray the inside of the seat tube liberally with WD-40, Liquid Wrench, or similar stuff. Stick a bottle brush down the tube and scrub-you will probably have to fabricate an extension of some sort-or you could substitute by plunging a rag down the tube. Then spray with Framesaver and you're all set.

[Tom Kellogg]

Don't use muriatic! That will be death for your frame. The stuff that body shops use to etch and clean steel is phosphoric acid. DuPont's version is called 5717S or "Metal Conditioner" step A. Honestly, I wouldn't bother though. If you don't have the rust flakes, just use FrameSaver. It will absolutely stop any developing rust and prevent any new rust as long as you get it everywhere in there. Like Serotta, I would recommend that you take the post and BB out, let it sit overnight in a low humidity place and then really hose it out with Framesaver. Then, all your worries are over.

[Keith A]

Tom -- Thanks for taking the time to reply on both forums :)

I think I'll just stick to the Frame Saver and pull the fork, bottom bracket and seat post (maybe the headset too) and give it a good coating. BTW, this bike (as do all of mine) lives inside my house in the dining room. So it has the lowest humidity possible...but I do live in Florida :eek:

[Marcusaurelius]

If I remember correctly framesaver recommends you coat the inside of your tubes every two years.

[40x14]

Don't use muriatic! That will be death for your frame. The stuff that body shops use to etch and clean steel is phosphoric acid. DuPont's version is called 5717S or "Metal Conditioner" step A. Honestly, I wouldn't bother though. If you don't have the rust flakes, just use FrameSaver. It will absolutely stop any developing rust and prevent any new rust as long as you get it everywhere in there. Like Serotta, I would recommend that you take the post and BB out, let it sit overnight in a low humidity place and then really hose it out with Framesaver. Then, all your worries are over.I recently disassembled my 2006 (lemond) in order to frame saver it and in the process I discovered mild surface rust in the bottom bracket and very small rust flakes emanating from the chainstays. There was a chainstay protector covering the drive side drainage hole. :crap:

I spent about a half hour banging on the stays with a mallet to unlodge as much as possible since there is no easy access to the chainstay. Attached is a photo of the flecks that came unlodged. The flecks are on a standard size paper towel and weigh about 2 grams (for reference).

Should I be worried and is there a way to verify whether it is surface rust or worse?

[Tom Kellogg]

That is more than surface rust. Since it came from a welded frame, you can't really get in there to clean things out. So, you have done what you can to get the worst of the rust chips out. Get a can of FrameSaver and shoot a bunch in there, run it back and forth (front to back) in the stay, then keep doing the same as you rotate the frame around the axis of the stay. The stuff is very runny and will completely coat the inside of the stay. The remaining rust will soak up quite a bit, but once you are sure that you have coated every inside surface and the excess FrameSaver still runs out of the access hole, you are good to go. Once the FrameSaver dries (over night) there will be no further rust development. It is possible that your stays are rusted through in a few places, but just keep an eye on them. If you are going to break one, you will have warning.

The moral of this story? Use FrameSaver when the frame is new. Good luck.

[Sam in VA]

I always wax the frame first and then use WD-40 to clean up all of the drips and dribbles from the frame's exterior before it dries. I suppose there is a possibility that the WD-40 could damage paint or decals, but I haven't had a problem...