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Water in frame
 

[Closed] Water in frame

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[#4112857]

With all this rain we've been having, my Kona Dawg supreme keeps filling with water.
When tipped up, about a pint drains through the headset.
Does anyone have any ingenious solutions on how to stop the water getting in?
The seatpost is tight, as is the headset, and there are no obvious holes.
It has to be coming in through the seatube or headtube, and it is definitely from rain and not from a jetwash or anything.


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 6:54 pm
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Quite funny that! I have several bikes and none of them fill with water except one and you guess it, it's a Kona, but I only get a little water out when I clean out the B/B area. I suppose it has to be getting in through the split at the top of the seatpost tube. I've since packed the split with lots of grease to try and keep the water out, but I wouldn't worry about it too much unless your frame is steel! 😉


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 7:40 pm
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I'd be fairly concerned about your headset...


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 7:42 pm
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I would be drilling some drainage hole in that....Like this guy but for bikes....Speed holes if you will.

[IMG] [/IMG]


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 7:49 pm
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I tipped some water out of my Heckler the other day. Nowhere near a pint though.


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 7:54 pm
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Fill the gap in the seat tube with grease.


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 7:59 pm
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I remove my seat post on the Pitch after I've washed it and flip the bike upside down, a little water comes out but no where near a pint.

I've drilled a 3mm hole in the BB shell on my Kula, it's second hand so I don't have to worry about warranty issues.


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 8:01 pm
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I once had to buy cookies for the staff at an LBS after my bike deposited a pint of dirty rusty water over their floor and all over Rob's foot when he took the bottom bracket out my MTB 😳

And I transformed the handling of my road bike by taking the seatpost out and tipping it upside down last winter......


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 9:48 pm
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dont think there is a way of stopping water getting in, but i usually drill a 2mm hole through the screw that holds the plastic cable guide onto the underside of the BB on my bikes, which lets any water ingress out before it does any damage. it does the job without poking holes in your frame 🙂


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 11:08 pm
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Mine all have a hole in the bottom. Some of them, it was there originally, others I've added.


 
Posted : 28/06/2012 11:15 pm
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On a couple of bikes there was no internal vent hole from top to seat tube, so I whittled a champagne cork down a little and shoved it in, job done.

The bubbles do give one an awful headache though, still, beggars can't be choosers or so the butler tells me.


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 12:29 am
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Ha, wierd. I was going to post this about my Dawg Supreme too.

So, is it OK to drill a 2mm or 3mm hole in the bottom of the BB shell?

Last time I changed the BB on my dawg it looks like I'd dribbled down my leg.


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 8:40 am
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just had a look at my crush, already a few drainage holes in there from the factory!


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 10:05 am
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mrmjt - brant always said a 5mm hole int he BB of Inbreds was ok. My c456 had one in from new.

I guess it depends on the frame - if it's at the 'sturdy' end of the spectrum you'll be fine but clearly any warranty may be void if you starting adding lightness...


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 10:07 am
 Pook
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I last cleaned my bike in a canal. Lots of water came out of the frame then too


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 10:24 am
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It's scandium tubing, and they feel very thin- not sure if it's such a good idea to drill?
Has anyone done this (and survived)?


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 12:42 pm
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Drill the hole or stop the water getting in...simples.
A 5mm hole will not be problem in any frame, but I admire the guy drilling the cable-guide bolt....inspired....if it is large enough to drain and not get blocked or have surface tension retain water.
It also needs to be trimmed short to BB depth allow draining.
Poke it regularly to keep clear.

Check the seatstays and chainstays for holes from manufacture and seal them up.
Check the seat post and consider a plug below the post limits.
Grease the seat tube below the clamp, particularly if you do not constantly move the post up and down.

Jetwash...the ultimate slow-killer.

PaulD


 
Posted : 29/06/2012 2:07 pm