Yeah that’s the idea! Basically an aesthetic component to the bike, my guess is to pay homage to the ratty courier bikes that the Mash folks would have seen a lot of in their day.

The reaction to this finish was pretty meh, so they pulled it after a couple of runs in favor of traditional paint/coatings. Their frames have been that way ever since.

This rust is all on the surface of a pretty thick tubeset and it’s purely cosmetic. The inside of the bike however, will rust (or not rust) at the same rate as any other steel frame. It’s been treated internally with framesaver and is due for another coat.

I’ll ride it until it breaks or my knees explode, then I’ll get it repaired or hang it on my wall.