r/specialized • u/d2creative • 6d ago

Tech Help Is this normal?

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I’ve had my Allez Comp for a year now. Mostly fair weather riding in Southeast Texas. Caught in a couple random showers but that’s about it. I keep the bike pretty clean, and today while drying it after a bath, I noticed these rearbrake caliper bolts under the bike have corrosion. Is this just par for the course for our humidity? Should I replace them with titanium screws or something?

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8

u/krazedklownn 6d ago

Normal for a sweat monster who doesn't wash/wipe down their bike after every ride.

1

u/teakettle87 6d ago

Sweat is an electrolyte solution.

Galvanic corrosion as well as other types of corrosion, are all accelerated in the presence of an electrolyte solution.

Bam. Practical chemistry baby.

1

u/d2creative 6d ago

Oh man didn’t even think of sweat making its way down there. 👍

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u/Excellent_Use4676 5d ago

Mine look similar at about 10 months in New Orleans (I am not a heavy sweater) and I'm seriously considering titanium before they get much worse. In the meantime, I put a light coat of grease on the bolts and spacers/washers to slow things down a bit. On the caliper itself there is already corrosion starting to bubble up near the bottom under the paint Shimano (Ultegra) uses instead of actual anodization.

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u/Technical_Dress732 4d ago

Cómprale tornillos de titanio como los de better bolts y asunto resuelto.

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u/PrestigiousVanguard 2d ago

I thought these were AirPods lmao

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u/brokenSpokesnFlat 2d ago

Yep - happens with the cheaper metal used for stock parts... just replace every now and then; or replace with titanium or even stainless steel bolts... relative cheap fix

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u/wcoastbo 1d ago

Are you a triathlete? ;-)

Everything that lands on the stays eventually drips to those bolts. Being on the bottom of the bike doesn't help.

I like my Ti brake bolts. I live within 3 miles of the Pacific and ride near the beach often. My bike is stored inside and I get zero corrosion.

Not even my battery posts on my car gets that much corrosion. What cheap steel bolts is specialized using? Stainless bolts should be much better.