water in my frame

masonsteven
masonsteven Posts: 8
edited September 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
when in wet weather my bike is taking in water and pooling in the bottom bracket, i only found out because i started gettin noise from my crank, so i turned the bike upside down to inspect it, loads of water poured down the seatpost. the bike is still under warranty. the crank now makes a noise under pressure, everytime it rains when i'm ou,t i get home and the bike has water in it. any advice on this problem would be much appreciated..
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Comments

  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    Work out where it is getting in!

    grease your seatpost and headset and anywhere it can get in.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • masonsteven
    masonsteven Posts: 8
    only had the bike 3 months and i think i need a new crank. taking it back to the shop tomorrow, i'm going to suggest they fill the frame with water to see where it leaks, this should tell them where it gets in.. i'm not sure if it would be covered in the warranty, i dont think i should have to pay if there's a fault
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    My old scott used to do it, it's most likely where water is flicking up off the back wheel , onto the seatpost/clamp and into the seat tube.
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    I am not sure I would suggest asking them to fill it with water, they might take the piss out of you.

    Just tell them what you told us.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • shieldsy94
    shieldsy94 Posts: 342
    Just tip it up every so often you slow on the bike quickly and anything should trickle out, grease the seatpost and headset tube
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Most tubesets for bikes will have a hole in them somewhere to let the gasses from welding escape.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    drill a drain hole in the bottom of the BB shell.

    and it might help to turn it upside down occasionally to drain it out of the seat tube.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Bikes aren't supposed to be watertight, sometimes water gets in. Like Nick says, just help it get back out.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Hole in the bottom of the BB shell will sort this out a right treat!
    My London Road
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    nicklouse wrote:
    drill a drain hole in the bottom of the BB shell.

    Will this invalidate most warranties? or are Bike shops/manufacturers OK with this?
  • masonsteven
    masonsteven Posts: 8
    warranty void if i drill a hole.. i've took the bike in, they're going to have a look and see if they can sort it.. i'll keep you posted
  • W00DENT0P
    W00DENT0P Posts: 211
    Has that came from the bike shop or the manufacturer ?
    When i was working in a bike shop I drilled loads of frames with 4 / 5mm holes in the bottom bracket shell to help water drain out, always spoke to supplier / manufacturer before hand and non of them said it would be a problem and would not void the warrenty, a lot of frames will have a hole in the BB shell anyway for where the cable guide is mounted.
    What bike is it anyway ?
  • masonsteven
    masonsteven Posts: 8
    Bike is a lappiere xc 310... Bike shop phoned the distributer and said if the frame was drilled the warranty would be void.. It was the first thing i suggested.. The shop hasn't been much help.. Thats the reason i came on here..
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Ah, Lappierre. I guess since they have quite a few problems as is, then they'll look to any excuse to not honour their warranty eh?
  • W00DENT0P
    W00DENT0P Posts: 211
    Can't see how it could cause any probs, if it cracks at the headtube then thats nothing to do with a hole thats been drilled in the BB shell, fair enough if it cracked thru the BB shell as a result of the hole that was drilled ... stupid !!
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,136
    Lappierres had a problem with cracking BB's. Probably why they don't want you drilling a hole in it :lol:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • bellys
    bellys Posts: 456
    quick easy fix get a old inner tube and cut it in half remove your seat post slide the inner tube over the frame until it covers the slot in the back of the seat tube now cut it level with the top of seat tube refit seat post and clamp. will help you stop getting water and crap in the slot (might not be were it getting) but worth doing.
  • ObscuraSky
    ObscuraSky Posts: 65
    Do not drill any holes in your bike! Apart from weakening it and invalidating your warrenty, it might just make things worse. It sounds as if you might have a bad weld, or maybe the BB cups aren't tight. Either way just take it back to the shop and let them sort it out.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    What are you talking about? Bikes aren't meant to be waterproof, "a bad weld"? :lol: Drilling a hole in the BB shell might invalidate the warranty but it won't weaken the bike at all, I guess the only time it might would be if you have a push-fit BB but thing about it, there are already holes in the shell.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • ObscuraSky
    ObscuraSky Posts: 65
    ok, well maybe it wouldn't weaken it - if it were small hole in the right place - but I'm definitely not convinced this is a good idea to drill holes in a new bike!

    And I know bikes aren't meant to be waterproof, but they shouldn't be taking on that much water either. One thing that occures to me is why is it getting in, but not getting out again? I wonder if it's comming in further up and running down the frame's lowest point. might be something to investigate.
  • masonsteven
    masonsteven Posts: 8
    evans has replaced the bottom bracket free of charge, however they say if it happens again i will have to pay as it wont be covered by warranty
  • lugsey2k5
    lugsey2k5 Posts: 960
    my zesty and my old kona sufford the same problem. i simply put a little inner tube over the seat slot as suggested then every time i wash it leave the bike up side down for an hour or over night seems to have work since
  • masonsteven
    masonsteven Posts: 8
    the inner tube will be getting cut up tomorrow, thanks for all the help.. cheers
  • qwerty1982
    qwerty1982 Posts: 232
    +1 for inner tube suggestion. Shame the shop didn't help out more and try and find out where the water was getting in really.
    Read My race reports from the Whyte Winter Series
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    Nothing to worry about IMO, Water getting into the frame probably wasn't the cause of your BB failing as they're sealed.
    Kinesis Maxlight XC

    Orange 5 AM Custom
  • 77ric
    77ric Posts: 601
    as has been pointed out there is usually a hole in the bb shell where the cable guide is attached.

    now bearing that in mind and the fact we live in a country that has weather that would depress noah, why on earth does no one make a hex key headed bolt that has a grove cut down one side or even both that would allow attachment of the cable guide and allow water to drain out of the bb shell?
    Fancy a brew?
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Dirtydog11 wrote:
    Nothing to worry about IMO, Water getting into the frame probably wasn't the cause of your BB failing as they're sealed.

    Not waterproof though. An oldschool square taper effectively is but if you immerse a HT2-style bearing, water gets in and fast.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    There's an O-ring sealed plastic pipe that stops the water from reaching the bearings from inside the frame though.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Yup, but still not truly waterproof. Not supposed to be of course... You need a lot of water in there for it to be a problem though.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    True enough.

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