rusty wheels

[PhilD]

I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is a
reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.

I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
barely grubby, let alone rusty.

Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same age,
where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical care
and attention, and so on.

Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
chemical industry in some way)?

Thanks,

PhilD

--
<><

 

[Richard]

PhilD wrote:

> I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
> round.

On the sidewall of the wheel where the brakes press, or on the middle
bit where the spokes are, or both?

> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
> chemical industry in some way)?

Personally, I wouldn't; I'd buy an aluminium wheel instead which doesn't
rust (yes, I know it does, but...). It will be lighter (and the
braking will be improved, although on a rear wheel that doesn't make
very much difference; if, however, you say the front wheel is also
steel-rimmed, I'd run (do not cycle ;-) to the nearest decent bike shop
and buy an ally one. Your braking, particularly in the wet, will
improve by a zillion times.

If you're really, really keen to keep the steel wheels for whatever
reason, it's possible to get them rechromed properly at your local
chromery; see the yellow pages, probably under motorbike garages.
You'd need to strip them down, however, to the bare rims and then
rebuild them afterwords.

R.

 

[Jim Price]

PhilD wrote:
> I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is a
> reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
> bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.
>
> I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
> round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
> barely grubby, let alone rusty.

You ride a bike with steel rims in all weathers? Do you not find the
power of the brakes a little on the low side when it rains?

> Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same age,
> where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical care
> and attention, and so on.

If you always brake with the rear brake, that could cause a difference.

> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
> chemical industry in some way)?

Possibly not the answer you're looking for, but a replacement wheel with
an alloy rim would certainly rust less, with the added benefit of being
able to stop in the wet.

--
JimP
--
"We don't have a plan, so nothing can go wrong" - Spike Milligan

 

[PhilD]

Richard wrote:
> On the sidewall of the wheel where the brakes press, or on the middle
> bit where the spokes are, or both?

The middle bit. The "middle bit" is quite large, as the rims are
shaped to take rod brakes. The bike actually has conventional caliper
brakes: I did not see any rust where the blocks rub.

By the way, yes steel rims are heavy, but so is the whole bike. It's
solid steel and feels like it's made of lead! I use it for fun,
shopping and a challenge (it's particularly fun zooming past "yoof" on
multi-geared bikes who try and race but can't keep up).

Nevertheless, thank you for your comments.

PhilD

--
<><

 

[Ian Blake]

On 12 Jan 2006 07:29:28 -0800, "PhilD" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
>round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
>barely grubby, let alone rusty.
>
>Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same age,
>where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical care
>and attention, and so on.
>

The back wheel is sprayed by some of the muck thrown up by the front
wheel. The front wheel usually rides in clear air unless there is a
vehicle in front. More muck usually leads to more corrosion.

 

[Pete Biggs]

PhilD wrote:
> I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is
> a reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
> bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.
>
> I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
> round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
> barely grubby, let alone rusty.
>
> Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same
> age, where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical
> care and attention, and so on.

More rubbish lands on the rear wheel and damages the surface. Chrome
itself doesn't rust but damage the chrome and the steel underneath rusts
and comes out to the surface.

> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
> chemical industry in some way)?

I would have though re-chroming must be done professionally. Is it worth
it anyway considering alloy rims can't rust, provide far better braking
and are lighter and stronger? (Stronger due to the way they're made and
amount of metal).

Meantime, metal polish does wonders (eg. Autosol). Very lightly sand if
necessary, but too much abrasion will eventually make the rust come back
worse than ever (although might make it look better at first).

~PB, sold lots of second-hand "racers" with steel rims in a previous life

 

[Emperor's New Widescreen]

"PhilD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is a
> reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
> bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.
>
> I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
> round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
> barely grubby, let alone rusty.
>
> Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same age,
> where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical care
> and attention, and so on.
>
> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
> chemical industry in some way)?
>

A lot of people don't bother cleaning the rear wheel so much
becuase it gets dirtier.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, PhilD
('[email protected]') wrote:

> I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is a
> reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
> bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.

Something wrong here. Aluminium rims don't rust (obviously), and steel
rims have not been used on bikes of any quality for many years (15? 20?)
for the very good reason that they're positively lethal in the wet.

Is this a reproduction antique with antique parts, or what?

> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
> chemical industry in some way)?

Unless this is reproduction-for-the-sake-of (in which case, yes you're
going to have to get it rechromed), replacing the rims with aluminium
ones would be a much, much better idea.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Our modern industrial economy takes a mountain covered with trees,
;; lakes, running streams and transforms it into a mountain of junk,
;; garbage, slime pits, and debris. -- Edward Abbey

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

PhilD wrote:

> Richard wrote:
>
>>On the sidewall of the wheel where the brakes press, or on the middle
>>bit where the spokes are, or both?
>
>
> The middle bit. The "middle bit" is quite large, as the rims are
> shaped to take rod brakes. The bike actually has conventional caliper
> brakes: I did not see any rust where the blocks rub.
>
> By the way, yes steel rims are heavy, but so is the whole bike. It's
> solid steel and feels like it's made of lead! I use it for fun,
> shopping and a challenge (it's particularly fun zooming past "yoof" on
> multi-geared bikes who try and race but can't keep up).
>
> Nevertheless, thank you for your comments.

As well as being lighter and rust-free, alloy rims are normally stronger
than steel. The material is weaker, but alu can be extruded into a
strong box section, whereas steel is just a flat plate bent into shape.
And then there's wet weather braking, which is an order of magnitude
better.

 

[Paulmouk]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> PhilD wrote:
>> I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is
>> a reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
>> bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.
>>
>> I noticed today that the rear rim is very rusty in sort of spots all
>> round. It looks a bit like it's got chicken pox. The front rim is
>> barely grubby, let alone rusty.
>>
>> Why the difference? As far as I can tell, the wheels are the same
>> age, where the one goes so the other follows, they receive identical
>> care and attention, and so on.
>
> More rubbish lands on the rear wheel and damages the surface. Chrome
> itself doesn't rust but damage the chrome and the steel underneath rusts
> and comes out to the surface.
>
>> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
>> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
>> chemical industry in some way)?
>
> I would have though re-chroming must be done professionally. Is it worth
> it anyway considering alloy rims can't rust, provide far better braking
> and are lighter and stronger? (Stronger due to the way they're made and
> amount of metal).
>
> Meantime, metal polish does wonders (eg. Autosol). Very lightly sand if
> necessary, but too much abrasion will eventually make the rust come back
> worse than ever (although might make it look better at first).
>
> ~PB, sold lots of second-hand "racers" with steel rims in a previous life

I seem to remember from my motorbike years (35 yrs ago!) when I used to take
stuff to a small rechroming place in Norwich, being told that chrome plating
is slightly porous and rust will come through. Thicker chrome will resist
rusting better.
I think they used to copper plate first and then deposit the chrome on that.
I think. As I said it was a long time ago.
Lightly sanding will scratch the high shine so only do it if the surface is
already on the way out. Good chrome polishes contain rust inhibitor.

Paul.

 

[PhilD]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <[email protected]>, PhilD
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
> > I ride a Raleigh Sports (amongst other things). Well, strictly it is a
> > reproduction Sports, a little over 2 years old. I usually ride this
> > bike 2 or 3 times a week, all weathers.
>
> Something wrong here. Aluminium rims don't rust (obviously), and steel
> rims have not been used on bikes of any quality for many years (15? 20?)
> for the very good reason that they're positively lethal in the wet.

Yes, I've noticed the poor wet-weather braking, but know to allow for
it (no accidents yet: I intend to keep it that way!)

> Is this a reproduction antique with antique parts, or what?

It is a repro, as close as can be. See
<http://deaves47.users.btopenworld.com/bikes/Lenton.jpg>; made in India
c1999. It was so authentic that it said "made in Nottingham", with a
separate sticker saying no, not really.


> Unless this is reproduction-for-the-sake-of (in which case, yes you're
> going to have to get it rechromed), replacing the rims with aluminium
> ones would be a much, much better idea.

Thanks,

PhilD

--
<><

 

[POHB]

In my youth I always used Autosol on the chrome bits and it was almost
miraculous. What started looking like a mass of rust ended up shiney with
just a few little pits. Of course it didn't last very long but it was good
while it did.

>> Also, any good suggestions for removing rust and re-chroming (short of
>> dismantling the bike and sending parts to a company allied to the
>> chemical industry in some way)?
> >
> Meantime, metal polish does wonders (eg. Autosol). Very lightly sand if
> necessary, but too much abrasion will eventually make the rust come back
> worse than ever (although might make it look better at first).
>

 

[soup]

Richard wrote:
>buy an aluminium wheel instead which
> doesn't rust (yes, I know it does, but...).

<pedant>
Oh no it doesn't, it can oxidise (well it very readily gets a coating of
oxide on the surface which protects the rest of it yada yada yada ...)
but it cannot rust, only items with iron in them can rust.
</pedant>
--
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value. The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .

 

[Richard]

soup wrote:
> Richard wrote:
>
>>buy an aluminium wheel instead which
>>doesn't rust (yes, I know it does, but...).
>
>
> <pedant>
> Oh no it doesn't, it can oxidise (well it very readily gets a coating of
> oxide on the surface which protects the rest of it yada yada yada ...)
> but it cannot rust, only items with iron in them can rust.
> </pedant>

I know, I was being concise at the expense of accuracy.

R.