Zing frame fills with water when cycling in the rain

pmatt
pmatt Posts: 2
edited September 2008 in Workshop
Everytime I go cycling in the rain my frame gradually fills up with water - quite a considerble amount is getting in. It's a Kona Zing Delux Carbon Frame.

I've considered drilling holes but not convinced this is a good idea and would rather be stopping it getting there in the first place

Any ideas / Suggestions.

Cheers

Paul

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Take the seatpost out and the flip the bike upside down and wiggle it about a bit.
    I like bikes...

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  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Well Disco mechanics used to drill holes in their bottom bracket shells to let the water drain out of there - so I guess you could do that - but I'd check with Kona first.
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    Use a sealant where the seatpost goes into the tube, and also along the slot at the back. That is where the water gets in.

    There is no need to drill a hole in the bb, just remove the screw for the cable guide to drain it.
  • System_1
    System_1 Posts: 513
    I had a similar problem on a couple of frames. Unscrewing the bolt that holds the cable guide to the bottom bracket is usually enough to get the water out.

    EDIT: Beaten to it by Smoking Joe.
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    Can you locate the hole(s)where the water is getting in, can you block the hole/ space off in some way. Drilling holes in your frame seems a bit drastic to me.I get water in my Gazelle Vuelta as there are holes drilled in the chainstay, to get the water out i just lift the front of the bike up and leave it balanced on the back wheel, the water is out in seconds, no problem Greetings Ademort
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • Special K
    Special K Posts: 449
    Check all the holes in your frame:

    headset
    stem/steerer
    seatpost
    bb shell

    there may be others like on the inside of the chain stays, and rear brake mountings and screw-in front mech mounts.

    Make sure that there is plenty of grease packing out your bb and headset, stem/steerer

    Drain fully - depending on the shape of your frame, upside down might be good (it was for mine).

    tape up holes in frame around seatpost and chainstays. Frameprotector plastic is ideal, stickers also good, duct tape great, clingfilm in emergencies (it does work!).

    tricky holes are ones where the cables are guided through the tubes - check them and decide which method or combination of methods will work best.
    "There are holes in the sky,
    Where the rain gets in.
    But they're ever so small
    That's why rain is thin. " Spike Milligan
  • System_1
    System_1 Posts: 513
    The majority water is almost certainly getting in through the seatube/seatpost junction. The contact points are never perfect and leave tiny little gaps so water kicking up off your back wheel will drip down the back edge of your seatpost and fill the bottom bracket. Putting plenty grease in your seat tube before fitting the seatpost will help eliminate this.

    It's not a good idea to turn the bike upside down to get rid of the water either. Seat tubes are one long piece of tubing that just have just little holes drilled in them at the points the down tube and top tube are welded to them. Turning the bike upside down runs the risk of getting water in these holes and into the downtube and seat tube and will be almost impossible to get out properly.

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