Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

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photobike
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Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by photobike »

My family has a number of bikes of varying qualities from Recumbents to tandems to kids bikes to Trekking style etc. I don't have sufficient covered storage for all of them and notice that some but not all have nuts, bolts etc that rust very quickly. Individual bolts in stainless are expensive and require repeated trips to bike shops etc.

Is anyone aware of where I might get a selection of high quality 'bike' sized nuts, bolts etc that would cover most of the requirements on bikes. Does anywhere supply bike shops with a ready made kit of the most commonly used sizes? Over time I would expect if I could get them that it would save both money and time. Or is there anywhere that supplies nuts and bolts etc in assortments likely to include the most commonly used sizes. Rust free or stainless and suitably strong would be the main considerations.

Thanks

Peter
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Gattonero
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by Gattonero »

Given how much difference there is between parts, just think of a stem, it would bei mpossible to make "kits".
Usually, motorcycle retailers can supply good stuff at good prices.
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Threevok
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by Threevok »

All can suggest is eBay.

I sourced all the bolts I needed when I built my Singlespeed, but (as you mentioned) it wasn't cheap - especially as most of them were Ti
nirakaro
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by nirakaro »

Go to eBay, search for the size you want, plus 'A2 stainless', which will be inexpensive, and strong enough except for safety-critical applications.
Colin Stanley
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by Colin Stanley »

I use:
http://www.namrick.co.uk/
I get my stainless steel fasteners from them. Quite fast response.
Great for allen cap screws for mudguards, pannier racks etc. Also heavy stuff too.
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horizon
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by horizon »

nirakaro wrote:Go to eBay, search for the size you want, plus 'A2 stainless', which will be inexpensive, and strong enough except for safety-critical applications.


Brucey had also mentioned the problem of stainless steel being less strong than (presumably) ordinary shiny steel bolts. So that might exclude all stem bolts, brake bolts, saddle bolts, pannier bolts etc etc. It would be good to know which are the really critical ones and whether there is an alternative to having to put up with (or frequently replace) rusty bolt heads.
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Brucey
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by Brucey »

horizon wrote:
nirakaro wrote:Go to eBay, search for the size you want, plus 'A2 stainless', which will be inexpensive, and strong enough except for safety-critical applications.


Brucey had also mentioned the problem of stainless steel being less strong than (presumably) ordinary shiny steel bolts.


well it all depends which 'ordinary steel bolts' you have to start with. 'Ordinary bolts' can vary in strength by a factor of at least x2.5. Industrial fasteners are normally marked so that you know how strong they are, with unmarked fasteners being the least strong.

However bicycle component manufacturers often fit bespoke bolts that are not marked in the conventional way but are nonetheless high tensile bolts of some kind. In safety critical parts such as stems and brake hardware, you need to find out what strength grade the bolts are. Occasionally you can infer it from a torque rating; a high torque rating (for that thread size) suggests a strong bolt is used, but a low torque rating doesn't prove a low strength bolt is present.

So that might exclude all stem bolts, brake bolts, saddle bolts, pannier bolts etc etc. It would be good to know which are the really critical ones and whether there is an alternative to having to put up with (or frequently replace) rusty bolt heads.


one factor that is overlooked is how tough the bolts are in low cycle fatigue. This is important because very many bolts that are used to hold bicycles together do yield as the bolt is tightened. They tend to yield not in pure tension, but in bending, because the surfaces they are clamping are not parallel. IME most basic stainless bolts (A2-70 rated) are considerably tougher than most non-stainless bolts of similar yield strength. This makes them better than you might think for all kinds of bicycle applications. The strength of an A2-70 bolt is nominally a little less than that of an 8.8 grade bolt but the work required to break the former is usually a lot more than the latter. I will happily use such stainless bolts in all but a few places on a typical bike.

BTW you can buy A2-70 grade bolts in toolstation and screwfix.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mattsccm
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by mattsccm »

I know I might sound awkward here! Why not just look in the yellow pages or what ever local directory you fancy and search for a fastener supplier. Its my experience that every medium sized town or even trading estate has such a thing. They carry bolts, nail, rivets, screws and every fastener you could ever want and thousands that you don't. Prices will be pennies. I can buy stainless bolts etc from car boots sales but all I am doing is giving some mark up to the chap who wents to the local supplier. So I do the same.
Buying from a bike shop is a mugs game!

10mm x m5 Allen bolts are £1.89 for 5 on ebay! I pay 5 p each. Evrn the boot sale does 10 for a quid.
Quality? The same.
Brucey
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by Brucey »

you can buy a bag of fifty M5 stainless capheads from screwfix or toolstation for two or three quid.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
nirakaro
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by nirakaro »

mattsccm wrote:
10mm x m5 Allen bolts are £1.89 for 5 on ebay! I pay 5 p each. Evrn the boot sale does 10 for a quid.
Quality? The same.

Horses for courses. Even though I live in a city, it would be at least a six-mile round trip to go out and buy them. If i factor in my time - even at a fraction of minimum wage - the price on eBay's a bargain. Plus I can order them at midnight if I fancy.
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531colin
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by 531colin »

"Westfield fasteners" (google) have a much wider range than say Screwfix
fastpedaller
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by fastpedaller »

nirakaro wrote:
mattsccm wrote:
10mm x m5 Allen bolts are £1.89 for 5 on ebay! I pay 5 p each. Evrn the boot sale does 10 for a quid.
Quality? The same.

Horses for courses. Even though I live in a city, it would be at least a six-mile round trip to go out and buy them. If i factor in my time - even at a fraction of minimum wage - the price on eBay's a bargain. Plus I can order them at midnight if I fancy.


Even cheaper (as Brucey correctly says) from Screwfix, but £50 for free postage, a trip to outlet of £5 postage!
MikeF
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by MikeF »

An alternative might be to coat the existing nuts and bolts and exposed parts with Waxoyl. I've found it very effective even though my supply is still from a 1970s/80s 5gallon tin!
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keyboardmonkey
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by keyboardmonkey »

I think I read a convincing explanation elsewhere on this forum - I dare say from Brucey - that A2 stainless steel bolts would not be suitable replacements for my rusty stem bolts, so apart from those I have replaced the tarnished mish mash of M5 bolts on my 'winter' bike with some from a pack I bought from Screwfix:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/socket-cap-sc ... pack/14216

Admittedly I am within walking distance of my local Screwfix store, I already had a vice, some nuts of the right size (to hold fast the bolts in the vice) and a junior hacksaw, but all I did was cut down the 20mm bolts to suit each requirement and then tidy up the ends with a warding file.

Those 20mm M5 Screwfix cap bolts are currently £3.77 for 50. I don't expect I'll need to buy any more...
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Source of a selection of non-rusting bolts

Post by SimonCelsa »

I bought a bag of these a few years ago: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/nuts-bolts/ ... -250g-bag/

Haven't used too many but doubtless the odd one will come in handy every now & then. I tend to agree with the 'reviews'.

All the best, Simon
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