Steel frame full of water after ride

[Big John]

You learn something new every day, eh? I went out yesterday for around three hours on the bike. It rained and rained but thankfully it was warm. Roads were flooded everywhere so the bike, and me, got a sever soaking. As a routine, and seeing as I'm retired and have the time to do it, I clean my bike after every ride. I do a 'dry' clean all year so no buckets of water involved. In the summer it's basically a wipe over and quick check, the rest of the year it's a lot more involved. So....today, when I turned the bike upside down to finish off by wiping the down tube, bottom bracket area and the chain stays I was a little alarmed when the bike 'wet itself'. A fountain of water shot out of two drain holes in the chain stays, left and right. I'd say about half a pint maybe in total.

For the life of me I couldn't think how that much water could find its way inside the frame. However, AI seems to suggest various ways it can happen and one of the ways to get water ingress is through these 'drain holes'. AI seems to suggest these 'holes' are to do with the actual frame manufacture and aren't put there specifically to drain the frame of water. Strange that the water only came out when the bike was upside down though. Seems to defy the laws of gravity.

So.....if you have these holes in your chain stays and you've been out for a swim on the bike you may want to remove any water before it begins to do any frame damage internally. I would imagine if left to its own devices it could stay there for quite a while doing god knows what to the metal (I ride steel bikes, obviously those with non corrosive materials can breathe a sigh of relief).

 

[Punkawallah]

Steel bikes do have vent holes in the tubing for gasses to escape during brazing. Colnago’s have an enormous great cut-out under the BB.
But yes, taking the bike swimming does necessitate a thorough drying. I’d take the seat post out to help matters. As you’ve found, with the only drains being two small holes it takes turning the frame upside down for the trapped air to force the water out.
Pick a windy day and peg it out on the line :-)

 

[Big John]

That explains the vent holes. Thank you. Every day is a school day 👍

 

[Dorset Boy]

Good job it wasn't a carbon frame, as we all know, they disolve in the rain!

 

[MichaelW2]

I squirt wd40 into the vent holes of stays.
All weather bikes need bottom bracket drain holes.

 

[annedonnelly]

I was told off by my LBS when they found the bottom bracket full of water. The bike had spent a lot of time standing out in the rain that spring.

 

[Punkawallah]

I was told off by my LBS when they found the bottom bracket full of water. The bike had spent a lot of time standing out in the rain that spring.

Did it not cry through the night?

 

[Vapin' Joe]

The water is unlikely to have got in through the vent holes in the stays, they are way too small. Prime suspect would be the top of the seat tube which does not have an engineered fit with the post, and the clamping slot on the tube. These are being bombarded with water from the back tyre every time you ride on a wet surface. Solution is a smear some silicon sealant round the seat post / tube junction and along the clamping slot. Almost certain this would solve any future water ingress.

 

[annedonnelly]

Did it not cry through the night?

There were a lot of tears when it was written off.

 

[fossyant]

Grease that seatpost. That's where water gets in.

 

[Webbo2]

I had Bianchi 928 carbon frame bike that if you rode it in the wet then shook it. You could hear water sloshing about in it. Given it was carbon it wouldn’t rust just melt.😏