Getting rid of rust

[pjgraham86]

Hi

I've just had my 12 year old Diamondback Allure hybrid overhauled and serviced to the tune of £78 with a view to doing some winter rides while my carbon road bike is cocooned for the winter.

It's been regularly serviced but all those cold winters in the garden shed have taken their toll on the metal and there's a fair bit of rust on seat post, handlebars etc and the spokes and wheels have been dulled by salt and other chemical attacks !

Apart from the obvious (but somewhat crude) candidates like sandpaper and wire wool, does anyone have any other suggestions for products that would remove the rust effectively ? After removing it I'd propose to polish the metal parts with Autosol or similar metal polish and do the same with the wheel rims and spokes. I might even use some of my Collinite car wax to finish the job.

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

Peter

 

[John the Monkey]

http://bicycletutor.com/rust-removal/

Might help...

 

[Macka]

For small spots of rust I use tin foil, scrunched up and rubbed over the rust spots. Works a treat.

 

[bonj2]

apparently electrolysis is a method of doing it. I once tried it and it did what it said it was supposed to but didn't remove much rust. may have done if i'd have left it longer.

 

[tyred]

Tinfoil will work or you could try those green kitchen scourer pads with a little light oil added to it. If that doesn't work, use a fine wire wool with a oil added to it or a brass wire brush (the type used for cleaning spark plugs).

 

[jimboalee]

I've got this little bottle of white liquid rust converter. I will check its name tonight.

Paint it on, leave till semi dry and wipe excess off with dry cloth.

The rust turns black.

If the excess liquid is not wiped away, it dries a purple colour which I think looks OK on chrome parts.

I liberally treated my BSA 20" shopping bike chrome parts years ago, and only need to give them a quick polish now and again. The purple effect wears off with successive polishings, so the chrome is now bright with tiny black spots where the rust broke through.

The alternative to this is to get the handlebars etc re-chromed at my local plating shop.

 

[tyred]

Your probably using either Jenolite or Hammerite Kurust (SP?). There are others on the market as well and are easily available from motor factors but I always thought they needed to be painted over with something else to give any sort of protection.

 

[jimboalee]

Another mention about restoring old vehicles ( including bicycles ), it depends on what use the vehicle will be intended for.

An old bike that will be used as a hack, IMHO, needs a coat of rust converter and a good dose of silicone based polish.

My pug 531 however, got the full works.