Tough call...
ilan said:
I have an '98 steel Fisher hardtail that has already been stripped and repainted once at the factory and, a few years later, rust spots are appearing on the stays and top tube. I don't know if there is rust inside the tubes. How long can i expect the bike to last with just sanding the rust spots and coating them with clear nailpolish (old trick i learned in a bike shop). I prefer not to make the frame a wall-ornament, but i don't want to be on it when it fails.
thanks,
ilan
I bet that your bike has lots of miles left in it. It's likely that the rust spots on your stays and top tube are superficial- I've seen lots of steel bikes that are ridden for years and years after the appearance of copious 'surface' rust. As you probably know, steel frames are very resiliant. Unless left outside on a pile of rocksalt for several winters, rarely do they rust out to the point of losing their integrity.
This being said, perhaps it's getting to be time that the frame be put out to stud, sort-to-say. It might be ready fror service in a less than "full time"capacity, as a grocery-getter or campus cruiser. Even if rusty, I'm sure it could handle the less stressfull chores. Besides, rusty bikes don't make the best wall ornaments.
I have a Surly 1x1 with a hairline crack on the seat tube, about 2 inches below the seat collar. I keep an eye on the crack- and use it as a beater campus bike. Will it fail? Maybe. But I haven't noticed any further developement in the crack, and can't bear to retire it completely.
If you do decide to keep it in service, do you old steed a favor and pick up some JP Weigel's framesaver, or some Boeshield in the aerosol can to treat the inside of your frame. This will keep the frame from rusting any further- I treat all of my new steel frames with it on purchase, then retreat them once a year. I've yet to have a steel frame rust when treated in this fashion, even my beater Surly, which sees lots of roadsalt in the winter.
Good luck.