There’s an awful lot of rust in my Piglets seat tube. Only had it about 7 months.

I keep noticing it ’cause I swap my dropper post between bikes.

They claim to have “ED coated inside and out for rust protection”. Should I be worried, and is there anything I can do to help?

I’ve been spraying GT85 on it but that doesn’t seem to do much

tbf, GT85 will do bugger all – it’s a water dispersant really.

I wouldn’t worry about some surface rust on a frame.

Ace thanks!

Aye I thought the GT85 would disperse any water getting in there and stop rusting. It gets quite wet ’cause I sometimes totally drop my dropper (the non-droppy bit) for some bonkers steep stuff. Means the seat-tube gets full of mud and wet

What does ED mean? My steel frame was apparantly dipped in something but can’t recall what, 4 years on and it’s not too bad, not much evidence of rust at all.

7 months and rusty would have me worried but it all depends how much rust I guess. GT85/WD40 are worth using imo as both stop water from lingering. Do you hose your bike everytime you use it?

I’m not sure, I got that from the Ragley website.. After some Googling I believe it’s “Cathodic Electro Deposited (ED) Coating”. There’s a bit about it here: http://www.shivpolishing.com/ed-coating-services.html

I haven’t washed it in a few weeks to be fair.. been riding it a lot. Normally hose it after every ride though. Although I hose it with a seat post in water probably still sneaks in there.

I have 3 steel frames.

use some good seatpost grease, it’s better than the thin gt85/wd40 especially if you are swopping the seatpost in and out and then up and down during a ride.

GT85/wd40 will get rid of water (well drive it out) when you spray it and strip out all the lubes in your bottom bracket, hubs, headsets etc. They are so thin that they will have pretty much evaporated before your next spin, meaning they will do bugger in real terms against another spin’s muck. Use thick grease.

I coated a frame with waxoyl and where I’ve been moving the seatpost there is surface rust, inside the headset area is still spotless. At one point there was so much rust the seatpost was jammed in and the frame was nearly ruined getting it out (the seatpost was destroyed). There is however still loads of steel frame left and surface rust and i’m still using the bike 12 month later with more seatpost grease stuff perfectly fine.

The split in seatpost shims provide a clear route in for water, but don’t know if the pig has one or not.

Aaaaaaaah I’ve been a naughty boy and haven’t been using any grease on the seatpost… I’ll pop some in there before heading out today. Thanks!

I primarily use the GT85 on my chain after riding to drive out the water and stop it rusting. But I’ve also been spraying it on my BB cups thinking it would help keep things dry. I’m glad you pointed out my error!

Cheers for the tips – I’ll keep the GT85 for my chain only!

WD40 is just cleaned and perfumed petroleum, perfect for cleaning but evaporates quickly…and as I learned does not prevent rust..
sick grease for the seatpost..and some duct tape covering the slot under the seatclamp worked fine for me during the last years…

The split in seatpost shims provide a clear route in for water, but don’t know if the pig has one or not

Just had a look. There is a slit in the seatpost. Back when I said I was “hosing” it after rides, what I should have said is.. I’m driving it to the garage and powerwashing it…

Pretty much all my riding is at Innerleithen in the rain and mud so anything other than a powerwasher takes ages!

Here’s a photo of that slit bitty. Worth taping up?:

P1020540 by DavidHodgson, on Flickr

And one of my Piglet ’cause I think she’s beautiful:

P1020544 by DavidHodgson, on Flickr

I’ve got a Soul and was advised by Cotic to leave the seatpost out when not using the bike. Very few signs of rust anywhere so it seems to be working. Don’t know if you already do that but must a tip if you don’t I also always grease the seatpost when I put it on to ride.

was advised by Cotic to leave the seatpost out when not using the bike.

I tend to just spray the chain with GT85, leave the bike to defrost and sneak into bed covered in mud 😆

I’ll give that a go though, cheers!

A quick lesson in maintenance.

Remove the chain (get a powerlink or something) before washing then spray with gt85 to get rid of the water, if gt85 gets on your disc pads they are history. Once the gt85 has evaporated refit and lightly oil.

Powerwashing will help kill your bike, the pressure is so high it will wash all the protective/lubricting grease out of your hubs, headset and bb cups.

Don’t use normal grease with your seatpost – get a proper seatpost one, otherwise your seatpost will constantly sink.

If like me you are lazy, leave the bike to dry, brush off the mud once dry and relube the chain with proper lube – you should get away with it quite well if you are keeping the bike in your house.

I wouldn’t worry about the seatpost split – all my steel bikes have one and it’s not a worry. take the post out to allow the sitting water to evaporate out if you want.

Its steel, and steel rusts.

Did you give it an application of rust-inhibitor before assembling/riding it?

Also take out the post and remember to upturn the bike so any water will run out.

Thanks! I am terribly lazy when it comes to cleaning.

Did you give it an application of rust-inhibitor before assembling/riding it?

Nope! Lazy / ignorant / just want to ride! 🙄

Thanks! I am terribly lazy when it comes to cleaning.

Washed my regular hardtail twice in just over 4 years.

God bless hub gears.

Just imagine whats going on in the seat stays & chain stays! 😮

Being serious, something like acf50 sprayed in frame will look after the bits the grease can’t get to.

Did you give it an application of rust-inhibitor before assembling/riding it?

Nope! Lazy / ignorant / just want to ride

went out on my Reynolds 531 (ie. cromo steel) winter road bike today. Got the frame for my 16th birthday. Never gave it any treatment. I am now 40…

If I wash any bike I take the seatpost out and turn the bike upside down so any water that has got in the frame pours out, also briefly stand bike on its ‘nose’ and ‘tail’ to get water out of other nooks and crevices (you might be amazed how much can get in and sit in a stay).

Used ACF50 in my motorbike when I rode year-round and it seemed to do the job, never used it on a cycle though. Wouldnt stress it too much, you are likely to get some thin surface rust, it is unlikely to go further than that.

b r – Member

Did you give it an application of rust-inhibitor before assembling/riding it?

Would you, for a frame that’s supposed to be rustproofed?