Water ingress

fat_tail
fat_tail Posts: 786
edited June 2016 in Workshop
Hi

I have noticed a bit of water in my frame following a ride in the wet. The usual culprit seems to be the seat post. But I remove the post and up ended the bike and a few drops came out. Water was still sloshing around in the top tube. So took the fork off and tilted the frame forward and there was a deluge. Any ideas where it could be going in ? I am struggling to see how it could work its way up the frame !

bike is a scott cr1.

thanks
Ridley Fenix SL

Comments

  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Most likely getting in through the headset, internal cable inlets or if you have any riveted cable stops on the TT water can also get in there. Even though it's not an issue that you mentioned I always recommend drilling a weep hole in the bottom of the BB shell if one isn't there already. Moisture will almost always collect there and rusts out the BB and steel frames. Just a 3mm hole is all you need. I don't understand why mfrs. don't do this on all their bikes anymore.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    If you have water in the top tube I'd have thought the headset is the only possible point of entry. Certainly no riveted cable stops on my CR1-SL.

    Just how wet was the ride??? :shock:

    You might want to pop out the headset bearings for a spot of TLC too
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Jeez. Did you ford any rivers ?

    I know my deep rims had drain holes and on wet rides you'd have to make sure to leave the bike with the drainage right.

    Does make me think that deep rims may be more of a hindrance than a benefit on really wet rides. At least shallow rims can't fill up as much.
  • fat_tail
    fat_tail Posts: 786
    Thanks guys.

    Well it was exceedingly wet !

    I think it may be getting though the headset. Do you think the crown race needs replacement ?
    Ridley Fenix SL
  • noodleman
    noodleman Posts: 852
    One possibility is the hole through the BB shell that the rear mech cable normally routes through. Mine was filling with water from the back wheel. This is only a problem on Di2 i think. Because the cable no longer fills the hole as my bike is Di2, water was spraying onto the seatube and then running into the hole and gradually filling the chainstays with water. Every time the bike was transported in the car, all the water would run all around the inside of the frame and actually ran up the seatpost on two occasions causing the battery to short out. Worth a check.
    argon 18 e116 2013 Vision Metron 80
    Bianchi Oltre XR Sram Red E-tap, Fulcrum racing speed xlr
    De Rosa SK pininfarina disc
    S Works Tarmac e-tap 2017
    Rose pro sl disc
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    noodleman wrote:
    One possibility is the hole through the BB shell that the rear mech cable normally routes through. Mine was filling with water from the back wheel. This is only a problem on Di2 i think. Because the cable no longer fills the hole as my bike is Di2, water was spraying onto the seatube and then running into the hole and gradually filling the chainstays with water. Every time the bike was transported in the car, all the water would run all around the inside of the frame and actually ran up the seatpost on two occasions causing the battery to short out. Worth a check.

    I'm assuming you meant front mech? I've always thought that was a potential water entry point even though mine has a cable in it. On mine there's also another hole in the rear of the seat-tube, the purpose of which eludes me. Both would be liberally sprayed by the back wheel when riding in the wet, which is why I try to ride it only when it's dry. Being a press-fit BB it's not easy to whip it out to check for water.

    But the OP referred to water in the top tube, which would only come out via the head tube when he/d removed the fork...
  • noodleman
    noodleman Posts: 852
    Sorry. Front mech is what i meant. Very strange the water only comes out via the headtube. Mine is cured now iv'e covered the hole with some helicopter tape, so at least i know what was causing the problem. Pretty simple fix but also a pretty poor oversight by the manufacturers.
    argon 18 e116 2013 Vision Metron 80
    Bianchi Oltre XR Sram Red E-tap, Fulcrum racing speed xlr
    De Rosa SK pininfarina disc
    S Works Tarmac e-tap 2017
    Rose pro sl disc
  • fat_tail
    fat_tail Posts: 786
    I am fairly certain that the water is coming through the gap between the crown race and the head tube. So question is do I need some sort of rubber seal there ?
    Ridley Fenix SL
  • giropaul
    giropaul Posts: 414
    Mudguards are very good at stopping water getting into headsets, seat tubes etc :twisted:
  • johnmiosh
    johnmiosh Posts: 211
    I swapped my CR1 (FSA?) headset when the bearings got lumpy after the first really wet ride. Replaced with Cane creek with rubber seals top and bottom. Water still got in, so check now regularly. Just bought some marine grease, which seems better than standard lithium (which dries out) or shimano (which seems to disappear on contact with water).
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    johnmiosh wrote:
    I swapped my CR1 (FSA?) headset when the bearings got lumpy after the first really wet ride. Replaced with Cane creek with rubber seals top and bottom. Water still got in, so check now regularly. Just bought some marine grease, which seems better than standard lithium (which dries out) or shimano (which seems to disappear on contact with water).

    All of which makes me glad I keep my CR1 for predominantly dry rides, and take the Racelight Tk with full mudguards if it's likely to be properly wet. :)

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