Bicycle Mechanics - Water in my frame

Last year I went on a ride and it rained on me hard for about an hour; I rode through it. Here's the thing though, my frame filled with water. I must have dumped out more than a cup of water the next day. I ride a Trek 5200.
Does anyone have any idea why it filled up or how to stop that from happening again?

It filled up because there is no drain for the water to get out. When ever you ride in the rain pull the seat and dump out all the water you can. Leave the seat out so the rest of the moisture can get out if possible. You may also find water in your rims.

It gets in through the bottom bracket, and tiny holes under the bottom bracket as well as tiny relief holes in the chainstays. It can also come in through the headset where the front wheel flicks up alot of water.
You can also get a ton of water in the rim too. If you pull the tire off and rim tape you will probably have water pour out of there too.
Is the 5200 carbon? If it is, maybe it doesnt have some of those tiny holes.

Nothing to do but drain it and forget it.

I have a 5200 also. The only place I can see water getting in through is the seat post collar and the cut out in the frame below it. A little silicon caulk there will probably solve your problem.
One thing though, you need to pull your BB out. If that much water got in there it will most likely need to be cleaned and re-lubed.

Yes it is carbon, I was really surprised to have so much water in the bugger.
Thanks for the tips; ug pull the BB out? Yuk I hate to actually do work ;)

Like you said at least a cup of water came out. That would have completely immersed the BB. If it was my bike I would at least pull and check it.

With a Shimano sealed cartridge BB unit, there is no way for water to ingress from the bottom bracket shell. The only openings are on the outside. You cant relube the units, only replace them. If it works, leave it in place.
If it is one of these fancy units with replaceable catridge bearings, then you may need to do some work.

It's impossible to keep the water out but what I've done is purchased a stainless steel 5 x 8 button socket cap screw that matches the screw at the bottom of the Trek frame. This screw attaches the chrome cable guide over the bottom bracket. I had this screw drilled out so that it is hollow. I replaced the existing screw with this one and the water seams to drain out without a problem. I don't have a long term experience with this so I don't know if it needs to be cleaned out once in a while.

The hole in the bottom bracket shell is to let water OUT, if you plug it, water will collect in there! And no, water does not enter though the little holes in the stays. The stay holes are there to vent the frame during assembly, they are too small to allow any significant amount of water in.

The main place water enters is around the seat post. It enters when riding in the rain or when washing the bike then collects in the bottom bracket. It wouldn't hurt to try to seal this area with sealer, but be careful, it you use too much it may glue the seat post in.

I wouldn't use any type of sealer unless your LBS has something approved for use on carbon. There might be a simplier solution; TwoFish makes a neoprene collar to wrap around headsets to prevent water from entering at those points, the seat post/tube area is little smaller but it could work since I believe the thing fastens by velcro thus adjustable. And of course place one around the headset since that is where I believe more water enters there then the seat post area.

There was anothor thread on this subject on this forum. Apparently Trek provides a hollow screw to allow the water to drain to those who ask for it. Anyway, do the search of this forum to find out more.

I have a 5200 and found the same thing......boy that water stunk when I emptied it out. The BB did not get water into the cartridge, so the seal must be good. Try a piece of an old tube around the collar and down the "slit" of the frame near the seat post. When it rains pretty hard I use a bag from the morning newspaper and slide it over my Brooks and let it dangle down beyond the collar of the seat post. Look like an idiot, but know that its saving a few problems.

Hopefully this thread will be a heads up to others! My Trek 2200's bottom bracket and Freewheel was ruined from regular commutes in the rain. That bike went in for regular service and nobody ever mentioned it. Oddly, the bike just kept getting heavier and slower.

Here is a link to the other BB Thread...Hope this helps you. Post #18 mentions that Free screw from TREK. I just bought a used 5200 from Ebay. NO idea where to get the part.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=58502&highlight=water+trek+screw
Trek 5200 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=55081&highlight=water+frame

Carbon doesnt rust or corrode so WTF cares?

Carbon doesnt rust or corrode so WTF cares?

Carbon doesn't but there are many parts to a carbon frame which will. Most carbon frames use metal inserts to reinforce certain portions or provide threading such as for the BB.

OK I've sealed the holes in various places and then stumbled across this book.
Any familiar with how to put in your own grease fittings?

I'm thinking of buying this book...what prevents me is that I don't want to take of that bottom bracket cuz the shifter cables are strung over it...Do you think a bike mechanic could fill the holes described in the book?

http://www.oasisdesign.net/transport/bikes/greasefittings.htm

All this work when you could simply just periodically yank the seatpost out and flip the bike upsides down...

I've got a steel frame and I just drilled a 3mm hole in the bottom of the bottom bracket shell. Seems to have been OK since although I wouldn't try it with carbon :D.

I've got a steel frame and I just drilled a 3mm hole in the bottom of the bottom bracket shell. Seems to have been OK since although I wouldn't try it with carbon :D.

Carbon fibre gains much of its strength in the reinforcement from the strands of fibre elements. These are aligned in a certain way to provide the proper load-bearing characteristics desired by the designer. When you go drilling and breaking these strands, you alter the structural properties of the material in ways that may lead to unpredictable consequences. Even if you're careful and don't create a stress riser or cause delamination of the layers, you will probably be modifying the way the load gets distributed. Drill and cut CF at your own peril. There are no lifeguards on duty.

When you are upending your bike to tip water out of your frame through your seat tube, be careful not to tip it into the headtube, where it can completely bugger up your headset from inside. Don't ask how I know.

Carbon doesn't but there are many parts to a carbon frame which will. Most carbon frames use metal inserts to reinforce certain portions or provide threading such as for the BB.
IIRC, there is some conjecture that carbon-fibre frames can accelerate the corrosion. Water seepage into the fibres also might be a longer-term issue, especially if the resin gets a ding and breaks the surface.

Just as a by-the-by, top-line dinghy racers renew their craft often. The water permeates the fibreglass or whatever material is used to lay up the hulls, and the boats get heavier and heavieras this incremental waterlogging continues. I think osmosis has a role in it. The most critical result is bubbling of the outer surface as the strands become saturated and displace the resin.

IIRC, there is some conjecture that carbon-fibre frames can accelerate the corrosion. Water seepage into the fibres also might be a longer-term issue, especially if the resin gets a ding and breaks the surface.

If CF is bonded straight to any metal, you will have corrosive reactions. Most people who know what they're doing will use an intermediate material at the metal/CF interface.

OK people here's your bike...now fill up them holes! [attachment: spongeBob]