Surface rust - clearing up

Maybe this would be hard to tell from a picture, I don't know, but how easy is it usually to clean up and then prevent this sort of surface rust from reoccurring?

Depends what you want it to look like - you can wire brush excess rust off, treat with jenolite or similar (phosphoric acid based) then prime & paint. That will stop the rust spreading but will look scabby. If you want to do it properly, dismantle, have the part blast cleaned (masking off screw threads etc.) then powdercoat or paint.

I knew the latter was an option but don't think it would be worth it for this.

The biggest issue with the former I think may be the colour matching.

Could try here

http://www.rsbikepaint.com/en-gb/colours.php

Rust converter

Than paint

Having spent many years restoring classic cars I've tried loads of different rust treatments. The stuff you can buy at Halfords is frankly useless, you need to be buying products from the like of Dinitrol or Bilt Hamber. Even then the best you can do is slow the rust down, it won't stop it for ever.

The only way to kill it is to remove every last trace of corrosion, ie get back to clean metal. Make good the surface and then paint. Be wary of riding with just primer applied as many are porous to water so you end up applying top coat that seals moisture into the metal.

The best primer I found for use with cellulose based paints was Bonda. I rarely got rust coming back using it and it is waterproof.

Wire brushes or rotary wire cups in an angle grinder look like they're removing rust but all they really do is to get rid of the loose stuff and polish up the surface corrosion. A far better way to get it out is a powerfile fitted with a ceramic belt.

Have it blasted and powder coated .

Put a sticker over it .

Spray on grease sorts it forever, and sod all preparation required