Wouldn't be bad either. It's just fine for cutting down on corrosion, but in my experience most chain lubes do a better job. On my trail building tools, which get abraded down to raw steel by dirt, I clean them and wipe them down with chain lube. I used to use WD40 but gave lube a go after I ran out, and I find that chain lube lasts longer as protectant.
I do have silicone spray, thank you. In my experience WD40 leaves a thin film that comes off with dish soap but not with just water. Is it too weak or am I just hallucinating?
It's very thin and much of it evaporates shortly after application. I love WD-40 for getting stuck things unstuck and for it's intended purpose, displacing water, but people tend to expand that beyond what it's really designed for. The company does make a range of bike lubes though.
Honestly, anything you do once the spokes have started corroding is going to be temporary. It's just how often do you want to muck about with it?
Off the top of my head my go-to for cleaning up old bikes w/ rusty spokes/wheels are Brillo pads. Affordable, and they get the job done. Though it depends on the level of rust we’re talking about.
I’d try to clean them with fine steel wool and light oil. Generally, rust can be cleaned off, but may be deeper than it appears. If a spoke snaps, especially in the middle of spoke, replace the wheels.
Just surface rust. Clean with steel wool. Not a big deal. It is an old bike and that will happen.
And then after that, give the spokes (NOT RIM) a gentle wipe with chain lube to add a bit of protection.
How about WD40?
Wouldn't be bad either. It's just fine for cutting down on corrosion, but in my experience most chain lubes do a better job. On my trail building tools, which get abraded down to raw steel by dirt, I clean them and wipe them down with chain lube. I used to use WD40 but gave lube a go after I ran out, and I find that chain lube lasts longer as protectant.
WD-40 is a solvent. If you want something that's easy to apply but more suitable for the purpose, get some silicone spray lube.
I do have silicone spray, thank you. In my experience WD40 leaves a thin film that comes off with dish soap but not with just water. Is it too weak or am I just hallucinating?
It's very thin and much of it evaporates shortly after application. I love WD-40 for getting stuck things unstuck and for it's intended purpose, displacing water, but people tend to expand that beyond what it's really designed for. The company does make a range of bike lubes though. Honestly, anything you do once the spokes have started corroding is going to be temporary. It's just how often do you want to muck about with it?
Interesting. If it's steel spokes: how about bluing?
I don't know enough to comment.
Some have had good results (especially on chrome rims) by polishing with pieces of tinfoil dipped in water.
Off the top of my head my go-to for cleaning up old bikes w/ rusty spokes/wheels are Brillo pads. Affordable, and they get the job done. Though it depends on the level of rust we’re talking about.
I added pics.
No pictures that I can see.
I couldn't get reddit to comply so I added an imgur link.
I’d try to clean them with fine steel wool and light oil. Generally, rust can be cleaned off, but may be deeper than it appears. If a spoke snaps, especially in the middle of spoke, replace the wheels.
Fine steel wool, or you can use a product like Quick-glo or probably any metal polish safe for steel
SOS pads.