Damp garage during winter - is a bike with external cables ok?

daniel_b
daniel_b Posts: 12,139

Greetings,


I've been using my ever so slightly too big 56cm Felt F70 on and off the turbo from about 2010, and pretty much solidly since 2016.


It's running period (2005) shimano 9 spd 105, but as you can likely imagine everything is a bit worn now, though having said all that about 11 years ago I did change out the crankset for a 5700 105 one, and of course the chain and cassette have been changed at least once.


Anyway, I digress.


The garage despite my best efforts, and using a dehumidifier in the winter months, is both cold and damp - somehow my turbo manages to deal with this with seemingly no issues, well aside from a little rust on external parts, but I've also noticed around the bottle cage bolts, presumably where the washers are steel, that the Felt is starting to show signs of rusting, plus the bolts and stuff on the previous front derailleur was a bit of a state, where in it completely seized and had to be replaced wholesale.


I've had to put a bit of a shorter stem on it to make it more like my normal road bike, but have just noticed a nearly new Cannondale Optimo 2 come up for sale, which has modern Tiagra 10spd.

It's up for just under £400, and the chap who is selling it buys 2nd hand bikes, does them up and sells them on - he has good reviews, and as I also want to get rid of my 2015 Synapse, it looks like he might take than as a PX on this one.

*This would also earn me brownie points with the missus, as I'd be seen to be reducing the bike count by 1, which would be useful, as I plan to order a Brompton G line through C2W in April, b ut my argument case is going to be that when folded it's not really a whole bike.


The main reason I am really interested in it, aside from the hopefully flawless and modern 10spd drive train, is that having checked the geometry, it very closely matches my Scott Addict and Foil.

I had already looked at an equivalent alu frame Scott Speedster, but unfortunately the geometry on these is significantly different, and much more endurance based.


I also have a new 52/36 Tiagra chainset I have literally just bought, which could go straight on the new bike, though admittedly I might need a new chain - possibly, but that's nothing major cost wise if I do.

As I am a bit of a Rouvy enthusiast as things stand, I'm looking for a bike that is comfy, and has a good reliable spread of gearing to help me enjoy the routes even more.


My only slight hesitation is the presence of external cables on this bike, I can see the rear brake cable is just under the top tube, but can't quite tell about the gear cables, just wondering if they are exposed in a damp environment whether they are more likely to go rusty and give crap shifting?


If I enjoy riding it, I would also look to occasionally use this as as a 'bung in the van and take away with me' when we go away for a weekend, or to visit someone, if I just want to take a bike with me and not worry too much about it getting a knock or two, but for it to still fit me well and be a capable machine.


If I do go for it, I'd probably offer the Felt up to members of my club for free - it's a lovely looking frame, carbon forks AND rear stays, that little time period when that was a thing, before it went full carbon.


This is a pic of t-internet of a 54cm version:

Oh and this is the Optimo, though I realise this decision has naff all to do with looks :-)



Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18

Comments

  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,947

    Stainless cables won't rust

    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
    Hmmm, should add a few more to this…
  • Webboo2
    Webboo2 Posts: 1,328
    edited January 31

    It’s more likely to go rusty from your sweat than the damp garage.

    I’ve used a turbo in a garage with no heating which led to the condensation from me and my breath settling on the roof beams and freezing. Then melting and dripping everywhere which didn’t result in any rust.

  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,251

    You're overthinking this... frames aren't air tight so if damp is coming from the air internal or external routing will make no difference. If anything you're better off with external routing as it will dry out faster when the humidity drops, you'll find it easier to spot issues, and it's quicker to change. But marginal either way.

    Best bet is to sort out your garage. I had a damp problem in my man cave outbuilding which I tried loads of things on. It's now OK after insulating the floor and roof, running a dehumidifier when I am not in there and having good airflow when I am.

  • molteni_man
    molteni_man Posts: 484

    Definitely agree with super davo re airflow. Unless it’s absolutely pouring it down I will always have the side door open on my garage when I am on my Wattbike. It’s amazing how much condensation builds up from sweat and breath when the door is closed and how long this hangs around for. And as Webboo says sweat is a major reason for things rusting so clean the bike off after each use.

    I had the flat roof replaced some time back which also made a big difference as there were some minor leaks. Try to ventilate the garage on decent days at the weekend whenever possible. And a dehumidifier is super cheap to run - great piece of kit.

    Good luck with it!

  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,139

    Thanks all, very much overthinking it 🤣

    I'm not viewing it now until Sunday next week, so will be interested to see what it is like.


    With regards to the garage, I've done a lot to it already, but the main problem, is it's a 1970's prefab one - on the plus side though it is 6x5m, so it's mahoosive.

    When we bought the house 18 years ago, it was REALLY damp and horrid in there, it had a asbestos/concrete corrugated roof on it, with a join in the middle - with it's whole 1% of pitch, it strangely leaked like a sieve.

    The owners had tried to pump a sh1t ton of expanding foam in, which surprisingly did less than nothing.

    in 2010 I, with the help of some family members and friends, removed the original roof, jacked it up at the front using joists, fitted new joists, and fitted 6m long sheets of polycarbonate, which now mean it is watertight at least.

    I also ripped out the horrid windows, replaced with polycarbonate, and applied pvc cladding around the sides at roof level if that makes sense.


    There's still a lot of airflow though, as it's not sealed up (intentionally) on any of the 4 sides at roof height.


    I don't tend to sweat that much, and pretty much always have 2 big ass fans on, and will do in 50 odd minutes when I ride Alpe d'Huez on rouvy, I also have a sweat guard thing on the bike, which covers the top tube, and the stem area etc etc.


    It has a concrete base, and my theory is that as there was a pond once upon a time before we bought it, the land underneath is likely a bit waterlogged - the entire area is houses built in the 30's on old farmland.


    I only tend to need the dehumidifier from November to March I would say.


    It would be nice to transform it, but I don't have the time, and the logistics of emptying the garage which contains a fridge freezer, a non running car, two turbo trainers, and a plethora of bicycles, plus spare parts, cupboards etc etc, is terrifying.

    Add to that, I would need to find somewhere to store all of that stuff, AND pay someone to do it, as I doubt I would have the time, and I think regrettably that idea is torpedoed - I expect I would need to divert those funds towards the mortgage, or improvements in the house.


    Good shout about wiping down the bike after use though, I never bothered with the current one as it was very old, but a newer one that I intend to use elsewhere would change that motivation, and if I prepped stuff beforehand would not add much time to proceedings.

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,885
    edited February 2

    "I don't tend to sweat that much, and pretty much always have 2 big ass fans on, and will do in 50 odd minutes when I ride Alpe d'Huez on rouvy, I also have a sweat guard thing on the bike, which covers the top tube, and the stem area etc etc."

    50 minutes for the Alps and not sweating much? Not sure whether that is ultra impressive or unbelievable. Chapeau!

    I am burst and have a pool of sweat on the floor for my 62 minute PB official Strava section length. I am still annoyed that I can't break the hour. 👏👏👏

    (Edit - For the benefit of any doubt, my amazement is not the time per se, it is the lack of sweat.)

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,251

    Based on your description I suspect similar to mine the floor is the main source of damp. In which case it was actually quite cheap and easy to fix, providing you can access it. I covered the whole lot with Sika waterproof covering (weird - you paint it on but it's like a concrete finish) then put the same underlay I use for laminate flooring over the top (the polystyrene squares with foil backing), then a rubber matting over the lot. Probably £150 for the whole thing. Other than the drying time for the waterproofing easily done in a day. I wasn't sure if the cause was water was creeping up or condensation forming on the cold floor so I covered both angles, and it'd certainly put a stop to it all.

    If that's too onerous, just make sure you slap loads of grease on the end of every metal part for the bike, bolts, ends of cable outers, mech springs etc. and it shouldn't turn to a bag of rust that fast!

  • molteni_man
    molteni_man Posts: 484

    Hey again Dan

    Your comment “ I don't tend to sweat that much” made me laugh, reminding me of Prince Andrew and his comment in that infamous Panorama interview with Emily Maitlis. 😎😂. You’re not related are you? 😎

    Sounds like you have some good plans moving forwards!

    PS - Weirdly, as I get older, 60 back in August, I seem to run hotter and hotter and sweat even more. It’s not long at all before I need to take off a layer, or two when exercising. Walked in very cold conditions on top of the fells in the Lake District in some pretty cold conditions with no more than a T-shirt and a lightweight Goretex when the rest of my family were very well wrapped up!

    Anyone else out there experiencing this?

  • Webboo2
    Webboo2 Posts: 1,328

    No I’ve always been a sweaty bastard getting older has made no difference.

    Dan why do you need two fans and a sweat guard if you don’t sweat much.

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,885

    Not quite. My sweat taps opened up at 57 but I put that down to overheating in the Alps. Remain open.

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,139

    oh bl00dy hell, of all the typos - that was meant to ready 1hr 50! In the end I completed it in 1hr 14 I think it was however, which was tough, but a better outcome than anticipated shall we say!

    I know people who have completed it in less than 50 minutes, they have an FTP in excess of 300 😲

    I can only dream of such wattage.


    Thanks @super_davo , yes does sound probably identical, my theory is it is coming up through the floor as well.

    I'm going to make a note of your method/solution, and will file it away in my e-mail, if I ever get the time, I will try and put it in, so thankyou.

    I guess I just like to keep cool, and to try and keep the hr down - I naturally have a high hr (I've had it checked out and all is fine in that respect) so like to do what I can to keep it down, but still put out some power.

    My technique for a little while now, if you can call it that, is a relatively low cadence, which I guess moves the load from cardio to the muscles - seems to work fairly well, but will mix it up of course.

    I have one of those vac master things with the 3 speeds pointed at my face and upper body, and a big ass 18 or 20" floor fan with 6 speeds for my legs.

    You make a valid point though, perhaps I don't sweat as much due to the fans 🤣

    Happily no relation to prince andrew - neither do I like Pizza hut, or pizza express or wherever he claims to have been.

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18