Possible frame problem - '98 Hardrock (pictures)

First post, so hello folks. Hope you can help

I'm planning my first big(ish) camping tour - probably Pacific Coast Highway and on to Vegas. I am considering using my old MTB - it's a 1998 Hardrock that has been sitting in a garage since I stopped riding it years ago.

Of course, I need to be sure the frame is in good enough condition to be worth building up as a tourer. After inspecting it myself I have found one blemish I'm not sure about (pictures below): It's a thin raised line - the paint does not seem to be cracked. I chipped off some paint and there is a dark line on the metal where the raised line was - this is smooth and does not seem to be a crack. I thought it could be a harmless remnant of the manufacturing process that was painted over, but am concerned it is some sort of flaw/weakness in the metal itself. Is anyone able to shed light on this? If so, thanks




The rest of the frame seems fine to me, but I'm no expert. Maybe should take it to a bike shop for inspection...

It's just surface rust tracking under the paint, you can see the raised line in the paint. Sand that back to bare metal with some wet or dry and then prime and repaint - it'll be fine for many a year.

Exactly the kind of reply I was hoping for Thanks for your time.

It looks as if it's started where the paint has been damaged by a dropped chain (see the damage to the top of the dropout) which has allowed a bit of moisture to get in there in the first place - it then progresses in a sort of "worm trail".
But anyway, file off the burring on top of the dropout, rub back to bare metal (with wet or dry) any affected areas and prime/repaint.

I rode the Pacific Coast highway in 1994 - a brilliant ride! Make sure you do it N-S otherwise you will have the wind against you! One hour I did 27 miles - not bad for a slicked-up MTB with panniers for camping!

"It's just surface rust"

Looks like an alloy frame to me. Though I've had some odd corrosion on my alloy frame - where the headset has rusted, it seems to have somehow spread beneath the paint down the head tube.

Those welds look way too small to be alloy. Bikepedia also lists it as double-butted Cromoly

What Raging Bulls said ^^^
The dropouts are brazed into slots in the seat and chain stays.

Right you are, I agree about the welds, plus the rack mount bit thingy gives it away.