Not a structural issue, and it never will be @ the head tube.
This is inevitable with a clear-over-steel bike. Paint, and more importantly, primer, chemically prevent rust, while clear coatings do not. The best a clear coating can offer is a barrier between the metal and the environment, and as soon as that barrier is breached, rust can run under the coating.
Where this can, but often doesn’t become a structural issue is at the stays – where the metal is thinnest. However, rust rarely kills frames *from the outside in*, as the outside of bikes gets dry relatively fast. Where rust normally kills frames is from the inside out, since water accumulation in the stays doesn’t dry quickly. But that’s neither here nor there as the rust you show has nothing to do with the stays – just offering a bit of background.
nathbrush on
Thank you. That’s put my mind at ease and I appreciate the additional background info.
2 Comments
Not a structural issue, and it never will be @ the head tube.
This is inevitable with a clear-over-steel bike. Paint, and more importantly, primer, chemically prevent rust, while clear coatings do not. The best a clear coating can offer is a barrier between the metal and the environment, and as soon as that barrier is breached, rust can run under the coating.
Where this can, but often doesn’t become a structural issue is at the stays – where the metal is thinnest. However, rust rarely kills frames *from the outside in*, as the outside of bikes gets dry relatively fast. Where rust normally kills frames is from the inside out, since water accumulation in the stays doesn’t dry quickly. But that’s neither here nor there as the rust you show has nothing to do with the stays – just offering a bit of background.
Thank you. That’s put my mind at ease and I appreciate the additional background info.