Water in headset
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 742
Likes: 4
From: Creede CO in summer & Okeechobee, FL or TX Gulf Coast in winter
Bikes: Zenetto Stealth road bike & Sundeal M7 MTN bike
Water in headset
Gave bike a good spring cleaning (not washed) and chain on bike lube today. Much to my surprise when I turned it upside down in the stand some water dripped out! Not sure where it might have got in. It is a threadless headset and has not seen any water for almost three months. Anything I can do to keep it dry in the future?
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 4
From: Seattle
Bikes: Kuota Ksano. Litespeed T5 gravel - brilliant!
The bike, turned upside down had water run out the headset. So, if there was any water (tubeset condensation for example)collecting in the lowest point on the bike frame, the BB, it traversed up the tube, into the head tube, and out the races. Sounds like it could happen and be nothing to be concerned with. In the future, turn the bike upside a couple times a year to remove any collected water.
#3
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,327
Likes: 1,112
From: Roswell, GA
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Or better yet drill a weep hole at the lowest point of the BB shell to keep water from collecting there. A little nail polish or Rust-Oleum-type of paint will keep the raw metal from rusting.
#4
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 19,381
Likes: 5,527
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
There is no seal that mother water has yet to be stopped by. Slowed down for sure but completely blocked, no. So periodic removal of water is a good preventative maintenance. The easiest is to pull your seat post and tip the bike upside down. Pulling the fork and BB are also great ideas as water doesn't always leave the bike's interior where you give it the chance to. Andy.
#6
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 19,381
Likes: 5,527
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
But most steerers are not open to the headset and/or the frame. No, the water that came out of the headset likely came in between the post and seat tube then migrated up the down tube to the head tube. Since most frames have either completely open passages or vent holes in the back side of the head tube the water get between the head tube and the steerer and comes out through the headset bearings. Andy.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
worldtraveller
Training & Nutrition
2
07-13-12 09:21 PM





