Quote Originally Posted by kaian View Post
How would one check for internal rust??? Is there anything I can look for BEFORE I buy it that would tell me whether or not there is rust on the inside?
The only easy thing I can think of is to pull out the seatpost and look in the seat tube. The area around the bottom bracket would be more telling, but not easy to get a peak into. A feel for the condition of the bottom bracket would be a clue. If the bb feels well greased and adjusted, then someone has probably taken care of it regularly, and a good grease job keeps water out. A bb is best felt without the crank arms on the spindle, but barring that, drop the chain off the inner chainring and give the crank a feel and a spin. Spinning freely and smoothly is good. Also try to wiggle the crank arms in directions other than around in circles - any unwanted movement here is bad. Oh, and ask the current owner if he rides in the rain.