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This is obviously (from the images) a suspension fork, and a very low-end one. Suspension forks are heavier than their rigid counterparts, but the trade-off is that they absorb shocks. These rust spots MUST MEAN the fork has long ago COMPLETELY LOST its ability to work properly as a suspension. As a result, you are carrying useless extra-weight, are not ...

Throw that thing out and get a rigid fork. You don't need suspension unless you're riding off-road, or jumping over cars, or whatever it is the kids do these days. And bad suspension is worse than no suspension. Rigid forks are pretty durable, so you may be able to find up a used one. Make sure that the crown-to-axle distance is similar to what you have ...

Where possible, replace with stainless fasteners. Things like water bottle bracket bolts are readily available in stainless at a good hardware store. But most fasteners on a good quality bike are stainless to begin with, so it may be that you're not seeing "rust" per se but rather a sort of corrosion that can form on stainless.

After cleaning I give the bolts a small squirt of WD40 followed by a good rub down. This leaves a very fine film of oil that won't hold dirt but is just enough to stave off the rust if done regularly. The spray also displaces (WD, water displacement, geddit?) any water left from cleaning in any little gaps.

No, it wouldn't work as long as the frame is not hermetically sealed to keep water from entering (I don't know why manufacturers don't do that). The silica gel can only absorb a tiny quantity of water, a drop or so per packet, then it becomes ineffective. It is only effective to absorb water vapor. You can bake it in the oven to regenerate it. If you want ...

Even though it's a "beater bike", I'm guessing you really want to keep it around for a while. If that's the case, I believe the best protection for it would be to paint it. Strip the frame down (take all the components off) and thoroughly wash it. If you want to do the job yourself, sand the frame down to remove any rust spots. If you have too much ...

In addition to the visible rust on the stanchion tube (that's what those are called), the rust has most likely damaged the gaskets sealing off the lower tubes - the portion of the fork that the stanchion tubes slide into. Even if you got the rust off and got the stanchion tubes in a good-as-new condition (which is probably impossible) you'd still have to ...

While I agree with cherouvim that wet lube is a good thing for rust prevention, I would also ask if it's possible to store the bike higher up, perhaps with some kind of simple cover to prevent the rain and salt-spray from getting to it. Perhaps a couple of hooks on the wall and some rope or a simple bench or couple of large stones to stand the bike on. ...

You need to start using a "wet" chain lube. “Wet” chain lubes are recommended for wet riding conditions. They are generally made from oils and are not easily washed off by water. Have a look at http://www.pinkbike.com/news/To-the-Point-Chain-Lube-2013.html for detailed chain maintenance information.

I generally wipe whatever greasy or oily rag I have lying around at the shop on any uncoated steer tubes as a habit. We're in a fairly dry area so it's not of great importance. If I was in a wet area I'd use a product called FrameSaver. There is no concern with slippage if the steer tube is greasy.

Little bits of rust shouldn't hurt anything, but if you're getting lots of rust or it just drives you crazy you might consider spraying them down with a wax based lubricant or dry lube. Finish Line's Teflon dry lube might be a good option because it has a tendency to build up on chains, which means it goes on thick and may act as a barrier to oxidation. ...

You may have to do some searching to find the right sizes but you could go with stainless steel hardware. Buying them in small quantities can be expensive. I have had issues with some hardware that is countersunk. Conventional allenheads won't fit in the hole. Maybe that is why they call the brand "Specialized".

What the other Dan said, plus if you drop the stuff into your seat tube it will end up in the bottom bracket housing and muck up your BB bearings. It is quite unusual for frames to rust through anyway (I've only seen it on frames that have been left in the weather for years, if not decades), and if you're that concerned you can remove the BB and headset ...

If this is a beater bike then I think the 2 component epoxy and adhesive silicon tape is probably going overboard. Steel is very resilient compared to many other frame materials so little scratches, dents, and dings are unlikely to cause much harm. Obviously the downside to steel is that it's prone to oxidation (rust) and needs to be protected. Externally I ...

Rust on the frame is the least of your worries. It's the moving parts you should be looking at: derailleurs, chain, bearings, brakes... Since it's an old bike, it probably has non-sealed bearings, so you should clean and repack them (if you ride regularly, you should do this once a year). Replace the chain if it looks rusty or if it's stiff. As for the ...

It sounds like it's only superficial damage if it's only happened since the frame's paint got damaged. If you can get it all off with steel wool then you should be fine, though you may want to look into getting the frame repainted with a good waterproof/anti-rust paint. As for the creeking, verify that the bolts holding the front fork and handlebar ...

Sounds like you have only surface rust. The frame would have to rust through to cause any integrity problems and that would take many years of damp conditions. The creaking you hear when shifting your weight to the bars may be the headset. It may be worth getting it serviced. As its likely the grease has escaped/become clogged with dirt causing the ...

You can get stainless steel chains, but that won't stop the other components from failing, and they are typically not all stainless so will still rust a bit. Have a read of This answer as it has useful information on rust resistant chains.

Reading that it forms a "flexible waterproof skin" I would have concerns over how thick this stuff is. The stem/steerer tube interface is pretty tight fitting and unless it is completely cured like a paint, I could see it having durability issues when you try to slide the stem on. I think I would just install the stem dry and get it all tightened down and ...

I like using marine grease in the hex "slot" itself. Just get a mini grease gun and some tubes of marine grease (both available from automotive shops), and then you can quickly apply little blobs of grease in each bolt head. You'll end up with some grease on the ends of your hex wrenches whenever you make adjustments, but this way you know that your bolt ...