[theslowcyclistxx]

Hi!

I am considering saving up for a Ritchey Outback steel gravel frameset. However, I cannot store it inside anywhere, which means it has to go outside all year. My current mtb (old 26 carbon) has the same condition and it does perfectly fine without any rust. Yet, I am a bit concerned about the frame rusting, although Ritchey support said it was lackered in some way that would prevent rust unless the paint goes off. What are your experiences – should I find some other frame, or will the frame be fine even after mud and dirt?

Thanks!

Topic

[Secret_squirrel]

Buy something cheaper and use

Buy something cheaper and use the difference between it and the Ritchey to buy one of those lean-to bike sheds – the monster green steel ones spring to mind. 

Though the Ritchey would be a fabulous bike you are spoil for choice in the quality steel market if you shop carefully, especially if you include pre-loved.

[Compact Corned Beef]

It looks as if you’d be able

It looks as if you’d be able to to take the wheels off, take the seatpost out, decouple the frame and then basically fold it in half, rather than do the full disassembly, and that might fit it under a bed or somesuch without too much faff building it back up.

Also, they’re just really cool. If I could justify it, I’d love to add one to the stable.

[Compact Corned Beef]

Because you’ll destroy the

Because you’ll destroy the cycling industry with ideas like that, you mad fool!

[EddyBerckx]

fair enough

fair enough 🙂

[EK Spinner]

my tuppence worth, and a bit

my tuppence worth, and a bit of reverse logic from the norm

When it comes to winter bikes or those that need to be stored outside then why isn’t the norm carbon – it is less affeted by the rain/salt/general crud and doesn’t corrode (from the inside or he outside), so its only the groupset that needs to kept as clean

[Recoveryride]

I’m not sure that not

I’m not sure that not permanently storing your bike outside in a country with a pretty damp climate counts as especially careful … 

[ktache]

I have heard that bringing a

I have heard that bringing a steel bike inside a nice centrally heated home can cause internal rust because condenstion forms on the inside.

There are specialist aerosol Frame Protector products out there.  You squirt it in all the holes and slosh the waxy paintish stuff around.

J P Weigly was the one, but the brand was sold.

[EddyBerckx]

Ok I realise hardly anyone

Ok I realise hardly anyone leaves their nice steel bike outside but honestly, the amount of snarky comments I’ve seen by steel bike owners over the years towards plastic carbon bike owners due to bike longevity etc etc etc…wow, this is an eye opener ?

Not having a go, I love a nice steel bike, didn’t realise you had to be this careful though (again, I suppose people rarely leave them outside that much tbf)

[Joe Totale]

No way I’d leave a £2,500
No way I’d leave a £2,500 bike outside for any amount of time, not just because of corrosion but because of security.

Ritchey do a breakaway version of the Outback which is designed with traveling in mind and comes with a travel bag. How about buying that version instead and then storing the bike inside your home in the travel bag?

It’d be a faff having to dis/reassemble the bike each time you want to ride it but I’d far rather do that then leave it outdoors.

[wycombewheeler]

theslowcyclistxx wrote:

No place inside, it’s a town house! But the alternative is going with another frame material, e.g. ti or alu, so maybe that is the best choice after all…

I would be averse to leaving a good bike outside due to security reasons as much as anything else. No space to put a secure bike shelter? which will help security and protect from the elements.

Outside chained to the rainings in the street seems like the worst place.

[theslowcyclistxx]

No place inside, it’s a town

No place inside, it’s a town house! But the alternative is going with another frame material, e.g. ti or alu, so maybe that is the best choice after all…

[Recoveryride]

Totally up to you, but I

Totally up to you, but I wouldn’t be spending money on a quality frame then leaving it in conditions that will almost certainly damage it. Yes, the methods mentioned above will help, but ultimately bikes stored outside will see water ingress; down the seatube, down the headtube, etc etc. Even with cataphoresis treatment, prolonged water ingress over time causes steel to rust – that’s a fairly undisputed engineering truth. I’d also be surprise if any company warrantied a frame for failure after internal rust. ‘So how did you store the bike?’ ‘Err…outside’. ‘Sorry bud – can’t help you.’

Is there really nowhere inside it can go? Mine sits at the end of the lounge. No, the Mrs isn’t thrilled, but when I point out if it gets nicked or knackered from being outside, the cost of replacement rules out the next 2 holidays, she’s a bit more amenable.

[OldRidgeback]

The frame of my oldest MTB is

The frame of my oldest MTB is over 30 years old. It’s lived outside for the last 20 years, since we moved to our current house and we had kids and didn’t have room to store bikes inside any more. My younger son now uses it more than I do, or was doing so to get to and from school. Yep, it’s a heavy old beater and looks like it came out of a skip. But underneath the crud it’s got some nice components and it stops and goes ok for commuting.

Many years ago now I worked out it’d done over 30,000 miles commuting across London, with the occasional off-road trip. Now that it’s relegated to secondary duties it doesn’t cover quite the same distance but is still used regularly.

A frame made of good quality chromo steel shouldn’t see major structural failure if it’s been painted properly and is looked after properly (cleaning, WD40 and a cover). You can help reduce corrosion further through sacrificial protection, bolting alloy components for non-critical structural duties made from metals with higher valency to it. Unpainted alloy carriers or bottle holders or mudguards would do the trick.

[Chris Hayes]

Yes. Without question. It

Yes. Without question. It might take a while, but it is inevitable. It’s not just the frame either. Your chain will go first.  Then the anodized coating on all your shiny allen bolts, then the rest of the drive chain…then your bike!

I have a steel Gios that has been treated internally against rust, but I still don’t leave it outside. I’d sleep outside myself first….

[Recoveryride]

Short answer: quite possibly

Short answer: quite possibly/probably.

Longer answer: assuming not stainless steel. Intact paintwork protects the outside of the frame. The inside of the frame should have cataphoresis treatment, though it’s generally recommended that’s applied annually. If a bike is left out in the elements for a long time, there’s a good chance that water will get into and potentially hang about on the inside of the frame. This can cause corrosion over time. More to the point, it’s often corrosion you can’t see until it is catastrophic.

I personally wouldn’t store anything other than a proper beater bike outside. You are drastically reducing its useful life.

[Author]

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