Aluminuim frame storage...

Whytepeak

I've got an alu frame that I'm keeping for a build next spring, and want to keep it out of the way...

But is storing it in a damp garage, an environment not dissimilar to being outside, the right think to do? - I've little space to store it in the house, and was wondering if the frame would come to any harm hung up in there for a while...

Sorry for the repetative subject of my topics... :roll:

Thanks for your help...

Foll Zofalot

I'm no expert but I keep my Trek 6700 which is aluminum over winter in my Dad's garage, so far no problem and have been doing this for a few years now.

Buckled_Rims

My Aluminum framed commute bike which I bought in Nov 2006 is left out in the garden in all weathers, apart from a simple tarpaulin over it. It hasn't corroded yet

Father Faff

I heard that aluminium bikes corrode from the inside so one day when you are riding your coat of paint it will collapse in a heap......

Buckled_Rims

Father Faff wrote:

I heard that aluminium bikes corrode from the inside so one day when you are riding your coat of paint it will collapse in a heap......

Wow, I hope so, what better words of advice to upgrading to a carbon framed bike

Whytepeak

Thanks guys, so it should be fine, but it may disintegrate mid-ride. :?

Father Faff
I heard they become weaker at the welds over time - all this folk lore, I don't know :roll: .

bails87

Aluminium oxidises, it self seals in effect, as soon bare metal is revealed it oxidises and protects the metal underneath it. I think father faff is thinking of steel frames, which can rust from the inside because the inside isn't protected by paint.

Whytepeak

bails87 wrote:

Aluminium oxidises, it self seals in effect, as soon bare metal is revealed it oxidises and protects the metal underneath it. I think father faff is thinking of steel frames, which can rust from the inside because the inside isn't protected by paint.

But surely the product 'aluminium oxide' must be a result of a reaction between the oxygen in the air, and the bare aluminium. So it must still corrode the aluminium, and the welds will become weaker. But I know I'm just being picky now :roll: .

I'll probably just store it there anyhow, seems to be the genral consensus...

Father Faff

I'm sure I have read that aluminium is the shortest lasting frame material..... I suppose the way to test this is to have an alu bike, a steel bike, a carbon bike, a titanium bike, a ..er....bamboo bike, and a...er...er....er....magnesium bike (very rare I think because magnesium dissolves on contact with water or hydrogen or something).

Good excuse to have a few bikes in the damp shed if it is all in aid of scientifc research.

Whytepeak

Hmmm, I'm a bit sceptical of that.

There would be a many variables to control, but I don't see how that is a hypothesis that applies to mtb frames.

Good excuse to have a few bikes in the damp shed if it is all in aid of scientifc research.

I'll do that .

supersonic

Aluminium does indead form a protective oxide layer. This does not precipitate through the material as it can with some steels. The same goes for titanium too, the outer layer is not actual titanium, but very hard salt - these are in fact ceramics.

The environmnet can play a part ie salt water from roads can eat into the aluminium. But generally rain water poses no problems and that tough layer will suffice.

Nothing to worry about. Unless you live in the sea.

ride_whenever

Meh, aluminium oxide is insoluble enough not to worry about.

As for magnesium, a) it's very soft so no one would make one without alloying it to aluminium. b) it doesn't react with water, the oxide coating is too stable to react with water before it is steam.

supersonic

The mag frames that Merida and Saracen (probably the same people lol) made were proofed on the inside to prevent corrosion.

captainfly

A frame should be fine in a garage, I would be concernec if it were under salt water with a current running through it. It is the vibration and impacts that harden an ally frame that cause stress fractures.

Father Faff

I'm sure I remember in a chemistry class at school the teached stickng a line of magnesium in some kind of gas, possibly it was pure oxygen, and the thing exploded with a blinding white light?

bails87

It burns brightly when you put it in a hot flame. So more likely it was over a bunsen burner.

There are metals that react like that with water, caesium is one I think, and sodium?

If it reacted like that with oxygen, then you'd never see the reaction, because it would have reacted already with the oxygen in the air.

chriszs

I've got a GT Avalance 1.0 frame in my garage which is aluminium. (Unfinished Project) And I've had it in there a while. As long as you keep the frame off the ground it should be fine. I've got mine on a fold out single bike wall mount that does the trick.

Kiblams

supersonic wrote:

Nothing to worry about. Unless you live in the sea.

If Kevin Costner ever takes up the sport he is screwed...

Good to know my frame isn't going to disintegrate on me

JamesBrckmn

Magnesium does react with water, producing hydrogen, but if it has paint it should be fine. Aluminium reacts with water too, but not so easily as magnesium. Just don't go getting a francium frame, stripping the paint off and riding it in the rain. You'd blow up half of England.

ride_whenever

Magnesium does not react with water at room temperature in any exciting way, the hydroxide layer is too insoluble, you get a very small amount of hydrogen, but it's a very slow process fairly quickly stopped by the hydroxide, very freshly made finely divided magnesium will react with water as there is enough surface area without the hydroxide on it. It does react with steam however as the extra heat will overcome the initial activation barrier.

What is really nasty however is mercury on aluminium, the aluminium dissolves into the mercury, then precipitates on the mercury-air boundary as aluminium oxide, which easily falls off, so the mercury will eat through it.