Hobbyist Tests 46 Rust Inhibitors on Steel

[Evan E.]

Have you heard about the man who bought 46 different rust-prevention products and tested them, side by side, on bits of steel? Here you go:

https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

The gist: WD-40 Specialist Long-Term Corrosion Inhibitor and Frog Lube CLP (cleaning, lubrication, rust prevention) are the two products that best protected the steel against water and salt. The WD-40 corrosion inhibitor has the usual safety warnings and hazard warnings. The Frog Lube is "bio-based" and "non-hazardous in every way." 

Speaking of rust prevention: I found a piece of steel, sanded it with coarse sandpaper to make it shiny, and then treated it with what I had handy: Butcher's Boston Polish paste wax, Boeshield T-9, J. P. Weigel's Framesaver, and food-grade flax oil (a.k.a. raw and natural linseed oil). I left the steel outdoors. Here is what the steel looked like after seven days:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RogjxBAcQKTvtmP-TzD3ON_hlVWJDA8s/view?usp=sharing

On the morning of Day Eight and on the morning of Day Nine, I sprayed the steel with a fine mist of salted water (one teaspoon of salt in a quarter cup of water). This is what the steel looked like on the morning of Day Eleven:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWR9Qa7QjIjXwktKUPwNP6xSv6G3gL9R/view?usp=sharing

It appears the clear winner in my little evaluation is Framesaver. Please note, however, that the food-grade flax oil had no chance at all since flax oil reportedly takes four weeks to dry/cure/harden. Anyway: just wanted to share this info with you-all in case you feel like spraying your bike tubes with something or other.

Evan Elliot

San Francisco

[Nick Payne]

Someone a few years back did a long term test of half a dozen products on CrMo tubing, and published the results on mtbr.com. I think Fluid Film was the winner there.

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/anti-corrosion-product-shootout.1073581/

Nick

[Evan E.]

Hi Nick,

Yep! I think that Fluid Film was indeed the winner on that mtbr.com thread. But Fluid Film didn't do nearly as well on DIY_Guy's test of 46 different products. Also, I know that some bike people contend that Fluid Film isn't thin or "flowy" enough to actually coat all of the insides of bike tubes. Who knows? This DIY-Guy's test is just another evaluation to ponder -- and another test with which to argue.

Evan

[Mackenzy Albright]

I'm always interested in rust prohibitors. We've all seen 30 plus year old bikes with tubes that look brand new. We've also all seen or heard of the mechanic who comes across a frame with the bottom bracket has crumbled into dust. I switched from frame saver to fluid film after reading the MTBR thread and never looked back. I've definitely been in wet riding conditions (riding through tire height standing water and heavy rain) as well as corrosive winter riding. The main thing is I do attempt to avoid frequent extreme temperature changes when possible. 

The thing I appreciate about fluid film is it's food industry grade and relatively non-toxic. Aside from smelling like goats and a bit gooey mess for the first while. The worst damage is going to happen where water pools (ie bottom bracket or bottom of stays) I don't find those area's difficult to make sure they get adequately coated. I've yet to see a frame rust out in the middle or top of a tube.