Caring for a new steel bike

[HillSlugger]

My new bike has a steel frame. The bike lives in the house, in the heated basement, between rides. Do I need to do any preventative maintenance to prevent rust, something like Frame Saver?

[mimitabby]

not really. you can wipe it dry after a long wet ride. It will be just fine inside.

[DebW]

I've read that the new steel frames have thinner walls than older frames, and therefore a once a year application of Framesaver is a good idea.

[Popoki_Nui]

Check for chips, scratches, and abrasions (even if they don't appear to have penetrated to bare metal) and attend to them promptly. Clear nail polish will do until you can repair them properly.
Also check the frame ventilation holes if your frame has them (some frames have sealed and purged frame tubing and may not have these holes). Look for tiny holes at the top, bottom (or both) of your seat stays, chain stays, and front fork. These holes help your frame breathe and allow internal moisture to evaporate.
Use a pin or length of thin wire to keep them free of mud and road cheese.

[Blueberry]

Check for chips, scratches, and abrasions (even if they don't appear to have penetrated to bare metal) and attend to them promptly. Clear nail polish will do until you can repair them properly..

So how does one repair them properly? I've got many a scratch covered with clear nail polish. Bike Friday actually send me the powder coat (in powder form) and some nail polish to repair the chipping paint on my frame (search under Bike Friday and you'll find pictures of the chipping paint...)

Just curious, as I'm relatively new to steel bikes (but loving them...)

CA

[Popoki_Nui]

So how does one repair them properly? I've got many a scratch covered with clear nail polish. Bike Friday actually send me the powder coat (in powder form) and some nail polish to repair the chipping paint on my frame (search under Bike Friday and you'll find pictures of the chipping paint...)

Just curious, as I'm relatively new to steel bikes (but loving them...)

CA

I do essentially the same thing except I use primer and matching colour coat. I'll patch these little scratches until I have several, then I will sand, prime, and respray the entire tube or stay, and blend it into the rest of the frame until it looks like the original paint.
I hate having lots of bumpy little repaired scratches, but I'm probably more fanatical about nice paint than most people are.

[mimitabby]

So how does one repair them properly? I've got many a scratch covered with clear nail polish. Bike Friday actually send me the powder coat (in powder form) and some nail polish to repair the chipping paint on my frame (search under Bike Friday and you'll find pictures of the chipping paint...)

Just curious, as I'm relatively new to steel bikes (but loving them...)

CA

so what do you do with the powder?

i use nail polish on my bike too. I found garish yellow and navy blue polish
close enough for my use.

[Trek420]

I've read that the new steel frames have thinner walls than older frames, and therefore a once a year application of Framesaver is a good idea.

DebW, I'll look up framesaver. My steel road bike lives indoors, is rarely ridden in the rain (and never uphill ) This sounds like something I should be doing.

Trek loves my steel bikes 420