[murbike]

Hey all.
I've ridden steel forever, and seem to have come up with a unique issue with my newest ride.

This spring/early summer has been pretty wet, and I seem to be able to open the clouds when I go for a ride. I've gotten caught in several downpours...

Anyway, I've found that when I hang my bike up after the ride, water comes pouring out of the chain and seat stays. It's not gallons, but it is kind of alarming, considering it's a steel bike. This is probably my 5th or 6th bike, and I can't remember this issue happening before.

I'm sure water has gotten in there on other bikes, I just don't remember it pouring out when I hang it.

I checked the stays, and the holes are on the inside, closest to the wheel.

Here's question one: Is there any issue with sealing these holes up? It's my understanding that they are there to allow hot gasses to escape when the frame is put together.

Question B: I'd like to spary some stuff in there (Weigels?). If I do it into the stays, do I have to take the bike apart? I'd rather not do that.

 

[Bob Ross]

A) no issue, go ahead & seal 'em up. Don't forget to seal the area around the seatpost collar too.
B) yes, you have to take the bike apart: strip it down to the frame. The last thing you want is to accidentally get FrameSaver in your bottom bracket.

 

[Creakyknees]

Take out the BB and the seat post and let it air out. You may be able to see and spray into the stays from there, depends on how the builder did it. If not, don't lose sleep over it. Lots of steel bikes have been in the rain and at least if it rusts it'll be gradual and won't be a sudden explosion like you-know-what.

 

[lousylegs]

Hey all.
I've ridden steel forever, and seem to have come up with a unique issue with my newest ride.

This spring/early summer has been pretty wet, and I seem to be able to open the clouds when I go for a ride. I've gotten caught in several downpours...

Anyway, I've found that when I hang my bike up after the ride, water comes pouring out of the chain and seat stays. It's not gallons, but it is kind of alarming, considering it's a steel bike. This is probably my 5th or 6th bike, and I can't remember this issue happening before.

I'm sure water has gotten in there on other bikes, I just don't remember it pouring out when I hang it.

I checked the stays, and the holes are on the inside, closest to the wheel.

Here's question one: Is there any issue with sealing these holes up? It's my understanding that they are there to allow hot gasses to escape when the frame is put together.

Question B: I'd like to spary some stuff in there (Weigels?). If I do it into the stays, do I have to take the bike apart? I'd rather not do that.

I would suggest not sealing them up. I tried that after getting caught in the rain a few years ago and thinking the same thing. I waited for several weeks to try and let the water that I thought might have gotten into the stays dry out. I then sealed them with silicon. Let's just say about a month later I pulled the silicon out cause I could hear water (or something sliding) in the stays.

I would suggest Weingles (yeah, I know I spend it wrong). I put some of that in this spring and now am not so worried about getting caught in the rain, snow, sleet, etc, as I have been a couple of times since then. Heck this morning I got caught in a big down pour on my ride.

As for taking apart the bike, I don't you need to do that, just spray the frame saver through the holes. It says not to do this on the spray can, cause of blowback, but I did it with no trouble at all, just be careful to make sure that you hold the can at an angle so air can escape out of the stays.

Good luck

 

[murbike]

Hey all.
I've ridden steel forever, and seem to have come up with a unique issue with my newest ride.

This spring/early summer has been pretty wet, and I seem to be able to open the clouds when I go for a ride. I've gotten caught in several downpours...

Anyway, I've found that when I hang my bike up after the ride, water comes pouring out of the chain and seat stays. It's not gallons, but it is kind of alarming, considering it's a steel bike. This is probably my 5th or 6th bike, and I can't remember this issue happening before.

I'm sure water has gotten in there on other bikes, I just don't remember it pouring out when I hang it.

I checked the stays, and the holes are on the inside, closest to the wheel.

Here's question one: Is there any issue with sealing these holes up? It's my understanding that they are there to allow hot gasses to escape when the frame is put together.

Question B: I'd like to spary some stuff in there (Weigels?). If I do it into the stays, do I have to take the bike apart? I'd rather not do that.

Hey all, thanks for the quick responses.

 

[raymonda]

Do not, and I repeat, seal up any venting holes on a steel bike. They are there for a purpose and that is to allow moisture to escape. Moisture can get into a frame two ways:

1) Through the vent holes
2) By condensation forming on the inside of the tubes

The later is the primary reason for the vent holes, which allows the moisture to escape. If you seal them up then a puddle of moisture will remain inside the tube and form internal corrosion. Most bikes actual rust from the inside out. When you see an external pinhead or bubble forming under your paint it has usually formed from the inside out and is often much worse than it looks.

Rust saver is usually only good when applied prior to the bike being exposed to the elements and if oxidation has begun it is not worth using.

If you have vent holes in your bottom bracket shell, ala "Cinelli Scoop" this is most likely where the water is getting in.

You say that when you hang it up the water escapes, that is what it suppose to do.

How much water is actually getting into the frame? The vented holes can't really let that much water in.

 

[jhamlin38]

I was just worried about the same thing after getting caught in severe downpour. most of the water that leaked out was from the tires.

 

[barry1021]

Do not, and I repeat, seal up any venting holes on a steel bike. They are there for a purpose and that is to allow moisture to escape. Moisture can get into a frame two ways:

1) Through the vent holes
2) By condensation forming on the inside of the tubes

The later is the primary reason for the vent holes, which allows the moisture to escape. If you seal them up then a puddle of moisture will remain inside the tube and form internal corrosion. Most bikes actual rust from the inside out. When you see an external pinhead or bubble forming under your paint it has usually formed from the inside out and is often much worse than it looks.

+1000. Even if you let them dry out, air (moisture) will be inside, and you should allow access to outside air. Don't seal them up.

 

[FatTireFred]

Do not, and I repeat, seal up any venting holes on a steel bike. They are there for a purpose and that is to allow moisture to escape. Moisture can get into a frame two ways:

1) Through the vent holes
2) By condensation forming on the inside of the tubes

The later is the primary reason for the vent holes, which allows the moisture to escape. If you seal them up then a puddle of moisture will remain inside the tube and form internal corrosion. Most bikes actual rust from the inside out. When you see an external pinhead or bubble forming under your paint it has usually formed from the inside out and is often much worse than it looks.

Rust saver is usually only good when applied prior to the bike being exposed to the elements and if oxidation has begun it is not worth using.

If you have vent holes in your bottom bracket shell, ala "Cinelli Scoop" this is most likely where the water is getting in.

You say that when you hang it up the water escapes, that is what it suppose to do.

How much water is actually getting into the frame? The vented holes can't really let that much water in.

IIRC the primary reason for the vent holes are for venting during construction (brazing, welding)... a bonus is that they allow water in/out. still, they should not be covered. and BB shell cutouts are decorative and/or innane weight savers, not vent holes

 

[jmoryl]

You could drill a hole in the lowest point of the BB to act as a drain. Will not harm the bike if done correctly.

 

[PeanutButterBreath]

Rust saver is usually only good when applied prior to the bike being exposed to the elements and if oxidation has begun it is not worth using.

Sure it is.