My bike leaks..

[yenrod]

When I ride in rain upon placing the bike in el shed; water leaks out of a hole on the inside of the chainstay: obviously this helps it get out instead of staying in and doing some kind of damage what do you think I should do & do you think I should spray some oil/grease in their

I just can't work out how its getting in;

Possible areas for inlet:

BB - by cable guide?,

Down seatube ?,

Other...

Could it cause damage

It's an Alu'frame.

 

[dodgy]

The hole is there to let hot gases escape during welding/brazing (or whatever it's called, give me a break I'm not a frame builder ).

My bet is that it's coming in down the seatpost area, after all, there's a lot of spray thrown up there and it only has to find a slight gap to creep down - though generally seatposts are a good fit.

If you can be confident the frame is bone dry at some point (yeah right!), then you can seal those holes up - spray a bit of rust inhibitor in first if you like. But it's probably not a good idea to seal if water is getting in somewhere!

Dave.
Dave.

 

[domtyler]

Why spray rust inhibitor into an aluminium frame, rust is another name for iron oxide so should not appear on an aluminium frame unless something is seriously wrong.

 

[dodgy]

Why spray rust inhibitor into an aluminium frame, rust is another name for iron oxide so should not appear on an aluminium frame unless something is seriously wrong.

OK then, it was generic advice, replace rust inhibitor for 'corrosion inhibitor'. FWIW, I haven't bothered on any of my bikes (2 are alu and the other is carbon).

Dave.

 

[domtyler]

OK then, it was generic advice, replace rust inhibitor for 'corrosion inhibitor'. FWIW, I haven't bothered on any of my bikes (2 are alu and the other is carbon).

Dave.

Are you sure that Aluminium reacts with water? Can you actually buy corrosion inhibitor for Alu? In my understanding Alu forms a thin but hard oxide layer on contact with oxygen in the air which prevents further oxidation on its own.

 

[dodgy]

Dunno, I've seen that white powdery stuff form on previous alu bikes I've owned. No idea if it's water or not, see, I'm not a frame builder

 

[bonj2]

mine does that aswell.

 

[bonj2]

tip it up, and more comes out.

 

[fossyant]

It will be coming down the seat tube - grease it up to seal it. Alu if it corrodes just looks messy, it won't affect the strength, as the oxidisation protects it also. Just a pain when it happens under paint, as you'll not stop it.

 

[MessenJah]

The problem is, rain isn't just water is it? Nor is road spray.

 

[bonj2]

it's not a problem to the soundness of the bike, it's just a bit more weight you're carrying around.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Dunno, I've seen that white powdery stuff form on previous alu bikes I've owned. No idea if it's water or not, see, I'm not a frame builder

That powdery white oxidation is caused by road salt, you should rinse off your aluminium frame after riding wet salted roads to protect the frame.

 

[dodgy]

it's not a problem to the soundness of the bike, it's just a bit more weight you're carrying around.

It can be a problem if the water sits around the bottom bracket, some bikes have a hole leading into that area from the down tube and seat tube, too.

Dave.