# Caught in rain on Trek 5200



## gcj (Dec 20, 2004)

Got caught in the terrific rain storm (flash flood) on my Trek 5200 for the first time. Is there anything I should do besides just cleaning the chain, deraileurs and cleaning the frame, like take out the headset, bottom bracket, etc. Thanks. Jim


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

Drill a small hole in the BB shell at the lowest point to let the water drain out of the frame. Check out www.cyclingnews.com and search for the Trek pro mechanic article.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2005/features/pro_bike_prep

I done it for you.....


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

*I have a 5500...*

and was thinking about doing the same thing. My concern is doing this would allow Trek to squirm out of any warranty coverage involving any frame issues. They could claim that modifying the frame by drilling a drain hole voids the warranty. 

Well, in all aspects of life there are risks.


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

One alternative option might be to replace the bolt holding the cable guide with an allen bolt and drill out the centre of the bolt; no frame damage and no comeback from Trek....


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## Bob1010 (Aug 17, 2003)

olr1 said:


> One alternative option might be to replace the bolt holding the cable guide with an allen bolt and drill out the centre of the bolt; no frame damage and no comeback from Trek....



Trek now has a screw with a drainage hole ...talk to your Trek rep.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

gcj said:


> Got caught in the terrific rain storm (flash flood) on my Trek 5200 for the first time. Is there anything I should do besides just cleaning the chain, deraileurs and cleaning the frame, like take out the headset, bottom bracket, etc. Thanks. Jim



I dont think it is anything to sweat!

just turn your bike upside down and remove the seat post if your that worried about 
some water!


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

Turning a frame upside down encourages water to go up the down tube; resulting in rusty headset. This is especially true in frames with metal insert bottom brackets like the OCLVs. The insert has...kind of flanges.... so the hole in the top is not the same diameter as the seatube. Best to leave it upright and drain the water out from the bottom. Incidentally, you can check if there is water in the frame by taking the bolt out as described above, removing the seat, and blowing down the seattube as if you were trying to inflate the frame; it blows the water out the bottom.

As for it not being a big issue.....I drained a coffee mug full of water out of my 5200. It was 3 years old, and had been raced, washed, ridden in the rain all that time. The water did no harm to the BB; it still runs fine, despite being submerged. The main problem is that the water creates a damp environment inside the frame, which resulted in a stuck seatpost. 

It took me 7 hours of careful cutting to get an alu post out of a carbon frame; you can't use heat, you can't be too brutal in a vice. In the end I was relying on sound to tell me when to stop cutting.


So......I think a small hole drilled in the BB shell is preferable.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

I was in a very tough rain tonight...

I drained out quit a bit by unscrewing the screw on my madone 5.2






olr1 said:


> Turning a frame upside down encourages water to go up the down tube; resulting in rusty headset. This is especially true in frames with metal insert bottom brackets like the OCLVs. The insert has...kind of flanges.... so the hole in the top is not the same diameter as the seatube. Best to leave it upright and drain the water out from the bottom. Incidentally, you can check if there is water in the frame by taking the bolt out as described above, removing the seat, and blowing down the seattube as if you were trying to inflate the frame; it blows the water out the bottom.
> 
> As for it not being a big issue.....I drained a coffee mug full of water out of my 5200. It was 3 years old, and had been raced, washed, ridden in the rain all that time. The water did no harm to the BB; it still runs fine, despite being submerged. The main problem is that the water creates a damp environment inside the frame, which resulted in a stuck seatpost.
> 
> ...


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