C-dale 3.0 frame

Remove the paint that is bubbling, reprime and paint.

The reason this is happening is the cables are steel and the aluminum is becoming anodic, oxidizing preferentially. How to prevent this is isolation of the steel cable housings from the frame using plastic end caps.

You can also use aluminum cable housings. This is the expensive route since Nokons cost about $100 a set (brake and shifter)

"Roland2k" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have an old C-dale 3.0 frame. It's in relatively good shape, but I
am worried about some paint bubbling up around the cable stays along
the top tube. I assume the aluminum is starting to corrode. Is the
damage irreparable? What's the best way to stop it before it gets any
worse?
TIA,
Roland

Roland I just refinished an old SR800 with the same problem. The corrosion
was really much worse once the paint came off. I sandblasted the frame and
filled the pits with multiple (many many coats!) of 3M etching primer. The
LBS had some plastic C-dale cable stays in stock for a fiver and change. If
you take the cable guide off of the bottom bracket you will recoil in REAL
horror.... now that was just a mess down there!

I pulled, yanked, torqued and squeezed the frame every way possible while it
was still naked from the sandblasting, just looking for cracks. She was
clean. Good luck Roland; it will take a week or so of priming and wet
sanding to get it smooth, but it can be pretty again.

Harvey - Big Legs, small mind.

"Har-VEE" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Roland I just refinished an old SR800 with the same problem. The corrosion
was really much worse once the paint came off. I sandblasted the frame and
filled the pits with multiple (many many coats!) of 3M etching primer. The
LBS had some plastic C-dale cable stays in stock for a fiver and change. If
you take the cable guide off of the bottom bracket you will recoil in REAL
horror.... now that was just a mess down there!

I pulled, yanked, torqued and squeezed the frame every way possible while it
was still naked from the sandblasting, just looking for cracks. She was
clean. Good luck Roland; it will take a week or so of priming and wet
sanding to get it smooth, but it can be pretty again.

Harvey - Big Legs, small mind.

Thanks for the reply. Good information!

Har-VEE wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

Roland I just refinished an old SR800 with the same problem. The corrosion
was really much worse once the paint came off. I sandblasted the frame and
filled the pits with multiple (many many coats!) of 3M etching primer. The
LBS had some plastic C-dale cable stays in stock for a fiver and change.

If

Quoted message said:

you take the cable guide off of the bottom bracket you will recoil in REAL
horror.... now that was just a mess down there!

I pulled, yanked, torqued and squeezed the frame every way possible while

it

Quoted message said:

was still naked from the sandblasting, just looking for cracks. She was
clean. Good luck Roland; it will take a week or so of priming and wet
sanding to get it smooth, but it can be pretty again.

To find cracks in metal, warm up, paint with oil. The oil is sucked into any
cracks. Rub off surplus oil with a clean cloth. Dust with carbon or french
chalk. The line of a crack will show up. Manipulation may me necessary to
show up all cracks.

Trevor