Rust prevention Reynolds K2 Cromo Frame.

[mattrixdesign2]

Inherited my Dads Raleigh Peak MTB (early 90s), its has been cleaned up, surprising how much gunk there is to shift. The bike on the whole is in good nick, all original parts, all I have changed is the gear and brake cables and housing, will be adding some SPDs (flats on it are shot to pcs), getting the rear wheel serviced (it goes but makes a rough noise)... Even the sellers sticker, made in England stickers remain.

I know its not a desirable retro machine, but I want to use it as a winter commuted and look after it, it will never be sold on.

The paint work is good on the forks and top tube, some minor marking on the down tube, but on 1 of the seat stays near the rear wheel there is missing paint, rust, and further up some rougher area where it looks like rust will come through.

I remember when these bikes were advertised there was some marketing blurb about 15 layers of durable pain (inc a gurantee!) and Reynolds K2 Cromoly Frame (I think it was a version of 501 or similar?). So what can I do to stop it getting worse, how do I treat the area, and make it look respectable?

Thanks

 

[Archemist]

Hi

There's basically encapsulators and converters.

Besides the Halfords, Kurust, etc products try Bilt hamner - Deox gel (converter) is good but takes time and severe rust can take 4+ applications to get back to bare metal.

http://www.bilthamber.com/

You will be left with clean steel but if the rust was sever it will be scarred from the rust - so it won't be flat, you then have the fun of filling with hi-build primers etc if you want to touch in the paint.

We've just done my lad's Rockhopper in the same way and nearly all back to bear metal now - as it is metallic green bordering on the turquoise we may just end up using acrylic lacquer to coat the scratches and leave it scarred but stable.

Oh and yes try a bit 1st but Deox doesn't generally damage surrounding paint.

cheers & good luck
And