Raw exposed aluminium???

steviemidnight

So my current commuter is looking a bit worse for wear, components are all good as they have been replaced as necessary hence i can't bring my self to ditch the bike.

Basically my dilemma is as follows:
Paint is scuffed and scratched and i'd like to strip the bike back to its raw aluminium frame. I've read numerous articles on how to do this or get it done and that they need no treatment once back to raw. i.e. people from racers to mountain bikers who highly recommend it.

However:
As anyone done this?
How does the frame react to salt and the shitty London roads in winter - i commute regardless if conditions so snow salt etc.
Can you recommends a paint stripper, ball barnishing place in SE, E London?

Let me know your thoughts or shall i just buy a new frame

veronese68

My son's frankenbike is just bare aluminium, it oxidises and looks a bit rough but I've been told the aluminium oxide is a tougher finish than the natural aluminium, don't know if there's any truth in that. The main advantages are that it looks a bit scabby so it is less likely to get stolen. It's actually a really nice Kinesis frame that we bought off Ebay for £10 because it looked shabby so there were no other bidders.

supersonic

Yeop, it oxisises and protects the frame. However road salt is powerful stuff, so kep an eye on it and wash of quickly.

Barteos

It'll be a lot of work and you'll have to maintain it, otherwise it'll go grey/dull.

Powdercoat it instead.

t4tomo

having gone to the effeort of stripping it down to bare metal, surely its worth laquering it with a clear coat at that point?

veronese68

t4tomo wrote:

having gone to the effeort of stripping it down to bare metal, surely its worth laquering it with a clear coat at that point?

Only if you want it to look a bit bling. The scruffy look works in other ways as mentioned, depends on what you want out of it.

ai_1

Aluminium is rarely used without a finish on consumer components, especially for use outdoors. Aluminium surfaces oxidise very quickly when exposed to oxygen in the air and this oxide layer is indeed more durable than the surface would otherwise be. Bike frames are not made from pure aluminium, they're all alloys which have better strength, fatigue resistence and other structural properties ideal for bikes. However, I think most aluminium alloys produce less robust oxide layers that are more vulnerable to corrosion. The most common solution is to anodise aluminium alloy components which produces a thick and consistent oxide layer that is harder and more durable than the raw finish and usually looks better too.
You could get your frame anodised after you've stripped it but I've no idea how much it would cost to get this done. Basic anodising may not be hugely expensive although I reckon the price would rise quickly if you wanted any custom colouring etc...

steviemidnight

thanks for replies,
I like the scruffy look, well i'd brush it with wire wool, so if i get any scratches i can just rough them up. i know it oxidises which like you mentioned it apparently protects it and will look grey my boss bought a old Raleigh Special projects Ti frame and it looked awesome.

But i'm kind of considering the dame Scott CP1 SL frame as an easier alternative now. i can't resist a bargain but i hate the thought of loads kicking around london. But would make the 20m commute a little nicer

iPete

http://www.armourtexltd.co.uk/

EKE_38BPM

My daily ride a raw aluminium road bike that lives outside and rarely gets a proper washing. The frame was quite old when it was given to me and I've had it for a couple of years now.

Its fine.

SmellTheGlove

Interesting research project - pretty much +1 to all that Ai-1 said.
If it's 7000 series and left uncoated it will be buggered in a couple of seasons, never mind winter.
If it's 6000 series it might last a bit longer.
If you can afford to have it stripped and plated with 15 microns minimum electroless nickel, that would be durable.
Anodising process might weaken welds esp. hard anodising.

All the best
DB

First.Aspect

SmellTheGlove wrote:

Interesting research project - pretty much +1 to all that Ai-1 said.
If it's 7000 series and left uncoated it will be buggered in a couple of seasons, never mind winter.
If it's 6000 series it might last a bit longer.
If you can afford to have it stripped and plated with 15 microns minimum electroless nickel, that would be durable.
Anodising process might weaken welds esp. hard anodising.

All the best
DB

:?
Ignore this. Reading about cyclists' take on science can be like getting the news from National Enquirer sometimes. High end aluminium frames lose their stiffness after each ride, didn't you know? Don't buy magnesium wheels, they catch fire. Put helium in your tubes, it makes your bike lighter. If you scratch carbon, its broken. Don't leave carbon fibre out in the sun. Or the snow. Don't use degreaser on your chain, its literally totally impossible to get oil back on all the exposed moving parts you can see with your own eyes. Yawn.

A quick wiki scan with aid of a couple of chemistry degrees suggests to me that your main issue could be galvanic corrosion. This probably explains the effects of road salt as well, because in solution its an electrolyte.

Anyway, I suspect EKE and ai_1 have it about right. Why not just give it a try, if you are thinking of getting a new frame anyway. I very much doubt it will dissolve this winter.

SteppenHerring

May I use the word "amphoteric"? It's a great word - right up there with azeotropic.

bennett_346

First Aspect wrote:

Put helium in your tubes, it makes your bike lighter.

But it does, very minutely

SteppenHerring

bennett_346 wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Put helium in your tubes, it makes your bike lighter.

But it does, very minutely

Not as much as letting the air out altogether.