I have a 7005 aluminium framed bicycle and have gotten into the habit of touching up any chips in the paintwork with a spot of clear car laquer. I appreciate that corrossion isn't as big a problem with aluminium bikes as it is with steel, but it seems a worthwhile thing to do.
Yesterday I was touching up a few chips on the chainstay and applied slightly too much, as I wiped the drip away I noticed that the laquer took some of the paint off with it (not much and not down to the metal). Today the paintwork in that area feels a little rough, I guess that there must be a fairly strong solvent in the laquer. Is this stuff safe to use, presumably it won't damage/weaken the metal work? When I bought it, as it was meant for car paintwork, I checked with the guy in the shop whether it was safe for aluminium and was assured that it was (the guy in the bike shop also suggested car paint as being ideal for bikes). Should I be using something else?
Yesterday I was touching up a few chips on the chainstay and applied slightly too much, as I wiped the drip away I noticed that the laquer took some of the paint off with it (not much and not down to the metal).
Use enamal, not lacquer touch up paint. Enamal is safe to use on all paints, lacquer will lift everything but lacquer (and sometimes even that).
Nail polish. It's an enamel (not as "corrosive" as lacquer), results in a harder finish, fills the scratch better and is available in virtually every color imaginable (and a few that aren't).
May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris
Nail polish. It's an enamel (not as "corrosive" as lacquer), results in a harder finish, fills the scratch better and is available in virtually every color imaginable (and a few that aren't).
May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris
sure. bottom line, the solvent you are talking about is likely similar to the stuff in the original paint. it's nothing to worry about as far as the metal is concerned. appearance is another issue, but you are the only one to judge what's acceptable there.
in the grand scheme of things, i'd be more worried about the physical damage to the tube surface initiating fatigue, but again, unless you have something serious, you can pretty much disregard it for normal use.
the fact that you regularly inspect and take care of your bike is /way/ more important than anything else. you are likely going to discover any problems before they become a safety issue. regular inspections help prevent injury.
