Hello
I am getting a giant reign fullsuspension frame, i live in sometimes cold, wet Denmark, and we have salt on our roads in the winter, could i ride the frame just raw, without paint ???
Or will it be damaged ??? -or could i give it some kind of wax or treatment to protect it ???
It will oxidize (white bloom on the surface), which will protect the frame.
-ok, so it wont suddenly vanish under me!
i was a bit worried....
Make sure the pivots are well greased 🙂
I've seen a alu cable stop corrode to the point where it broke off in Scotland.
I wouldn't bother.
You may have problems where steel bolts are attached.
Could be worse, it could be steel 😉
Unless someone has stripped it, the frame is probably lacquered already. And a bit of car wax on top won't do any harm.
If/when/where the lacquer gets scratched the aluminium underneath will oxidise locally. If there is lots of salt around for a long time it could become a problem, but if you give it the occasional winter wash (and wax) you should be fine.
I thought aluminium was fairly resistant to corrosion - builds up a layer of oxide very quickly which protects it. This is why aluminium is never shiny. It's only when you have a situation where the oxide is removed somehow that you get problems - I believe mercury eats aluminium for breakfast, for example. I would be more worried about the steel components on your bike! There are probably lots of them...
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i striped the paint off my commuter bike last summer
gave it a good shine with metal polish and elbow grease
rode it all winter and left it parked outside
i washed it once last year when it got really manky and again last week when it got another polish
the steel bottle cage bosses have gone rusty but the alloy frame seems fine