Frame ding - should I be concerned?

[Sweep]

Stupidly leant my Ridgeback Expedition bike (26 inch wheels) against a sharpish concrete post by the seat and it slipped (lesson learned) - lots of scrapes on the top bar paintwork I can live with I suppose - battle scars - not a bike that needs to look pristine anyway.

But there are two dings/indentations/dimples on the top bar - one tiny, one a bit bigger. But no sign of cracking or a sharp edge I stress.

Need I be worried about any loss of structural strength? I should perhaps say that although I am of moderate (I like to think) weight, the bike is sometimes loaded up to high heaven with bulky heavy camping gear and have just bought a near 5kg tent for winter camping. I am not a minimalist tourer.

Much to my surprise have managed to get a reasonable pic of it.

Atached here:

The area affected is about 1cm square.


The frame is Reynolds 520.

Initial web research suggests I will be OK but seeking advice from you knowledgeable folk.

On the smaller issue of the paintwork, I seem to remember seeing recommendations to use nail polish to prevent rust. Good idea?

Thanks in anticipation/concern.

[hamster]

On 520 the tubing is pretty sturdy. I wouldn't worry - I've ridden for years on frames with worse dents.

[SimonCelsa]

I'd say it's had it, death trap, steer well clear.
I'll give you £25 scrap value for it, delivered to my home address.
You'll look good in green nail polish.

[landsurfer]

I'd say it's had it, death trap, steer well clear.
I'll give you £25 scrap value for it, delivered to my home address.
You'll look good in green nail polish.

Good try....

Don't worry about it ... fill it with blutac and put a sticker on it ....

[PH]

What a shame, been there done that, don't beat yourself up about it.
I'd class it as cosmetic, but also keep an eye on it just in the unlikely case something develops. I've used nail polish to protect exposed metal, does the job and lasts well, but it didn't blend in as well as I'd hoped. IMO no match is better than a poor one, I'd be inclined to paint it over in a contrasting colour or maybe a sticker (After something to cover the bare metal)

[Sweep]

Thanks for the sympathy PH and also for practical encouragement.

Nail polish it is - cripes the stuff women put on themselves.

Good source of cheap functional nail polish?

No need to be this season's shade.

[JakobW]

The racing green shade on my tourer (paint resprayed by Bob Jackson) is perfectly matched by Humbrol model enamel paint no. 3 (Brunswick Green) - available here online, but your local friendly model shop should do you a tin for 99p or so:
https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/produc ... ick-green/

I've touched up quite a few chips and scrapes; at this rate I expect my tin to last another decade or so...

[9494arnold]

Or a tin of touch up paint from Halfords or a decent car accessory shop, usually comes with it's own brush.

And you could consider car body filler in the dent just to give a smoother finish. Frame enammelers often fill little dings, usually with brass/ silver solder before refinishing.

[Sweep]

The racing green shade on my tourer (paint resprayed by Bob Jackson) is perfectly matched by Humbrol model enamel paint no. 3 (Brunswick Green) - available here online, but your local friendly model shop should do you a tin for 99p or so:
https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/produc ... ick-green/

I've touched up quite a few chips and scrapes; at this rate I expect my tin to last another decade or so...

You are a star jacob.

Edit, do you prepare the surface in any way before applying the magic humbrol? Do you then put anything on top of the paint?

[NetworkMan]

In the 1970's when trying to deal with rusty cars, which were much more common then than now, I reckoned old fashioned Jenolite was the best treatment. It converts iron oxide to iron phostate (and water I think) using phosphric acid. Iron phosphate is a good surface preparation for paint. I recall that Kurust didn't seem at all as good. Mind you, that was all along time ago.......

[Ray]

Good source of cheap functional nail polish?

You can usually find a market stall selling nail varnish, among other things. Likely to be cheap, and has the advantage that you can take your bike with you to check the colour in daylight.

[Sweep]

The racing green shade on my tourer (paint resprayed by Bob Jackson) is perfectly matched by Humbrol model enamel paint no. 3 (Brunswick Green) - available here online, but your local friendly model shop should do you a tin for 99p or so:
https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/produc ... ick-green/

I've touched up quite a few chips and scrapes; at this rate I expect my tin to last another decade or so...

Thanks to your inspiration, jacob, found this:

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/humbrol-ac ... 90236-1019


Hobbycraft on some retail parks I think.

Have dim memories of wandering into one - somewhat creepy - lots of dolls heads - possibly for women of a certain age and psyche who have swerved multiple cats and ended up in doll land.

Would still be interestred in any advice you may have on surface prep and any post painting treatment if needed.

[fastpedaller]

I had a similar dent in the top tube of a 531 frame (must have been caused when I tumbled off on ice about 5 years before) and didn't even notice it for all that time (didn't clean the bike either ). Never caused a problem.

[PH]

The racing green shade on my tourer (paint resprayed by Bob Jackson) is perfectly matched by Humbrol model enamel paint no. 3 (Brunswick Green) - available here online, but your local friendly model shop should do you a tin for 99p or so:
https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/produc ... ick-green/

I've touched up quite a few chips and scrapes; at this rate I expect my tin to last another decade or so...

Thanks to your inspiration, jacob, found this:

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/humbrol-ac ... 90236-1019


Hobbycraft on some retail parks I think.

Have dim memories of wandering into one - somewhat creepy - lots of dolls heads - possibly for women of a certain age and psyche who have swerved multiple cats and ended up in doll land.

Would still be interestred in any advice you may have on surface prep and any post painting treatment if needed.

Your link is to a water based acrylic and Jackob's was to a solvent based enamel, you might need a paint expert to confirm but I'd have thought the enamel would be tougher and better suited to outdoor use. Preparation - very light sanding, try and smooth the edges of the existing paint, several thin coats rather than a thick one, a thin primer if you like though I'd probably not bother. You haven't really got much to lose, if six months down the line it's looking like it isn't going to stay on, you can always rub it off and start again.

[JakobW]

Yep, I'd expect the enamel to be a little tougher, but obviously you need to use paint thinners/turps/white spirits etc. to clean your brush. TBH none of the scrapes and chips I've touched up have been down to the metal - whatever primer and basecoat BJ use is clearly fairly tenacious! As a result I've just cleaned the area around the scratch with a baby wipe and a clean rag, then painted a dab of enamel on with a modeller's brush, sometimes following up with a second coat once it's dry - the paint is a good enough match that you can only see the touch-ins from a foot or two away. If I were really bothered I guess I could try multiple coats, smoothing the edges of the paint with some fine-grade wet and dry sandpaper (actually thinking about it something like a foam-backed nail buffer might work quite well), but IMO chips and scrapes are unavoidable; as long as you're protecting the frame and the touch-ups aren't too visible I'm fairly relaxed...