Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Underwater

Old 08-15-19, 10:27 AM
  #1  
Doge
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Doge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 10,474

Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3374 Post(s)
Liked 371 Times in 253 Posts
Underwater

How far do you intentionally put your bike (any kind) parts under water? When is the puddle or river too deep?

Me - total dry weather guy to this point. I have gone through a 3 puddle, but thinking I may get over it and do some MTB stuff and do some stream crossings.
Doge is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 10:29 AM
  #2  
Steve B.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: South shore, L.I., NY
Posts: 6,826

Bikes: Flyxii FR322, Cannondale Topstone, Miyata City Liner, Specialized Chisel, Specialized Epic Evo

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3185 Post(s)
Liked 2,020 Times in 1,158 Posts
I never want the axles or b-bracket underwater. The seals are designed for wet roads and rain.
Steve B. is online now  
Likes For Steve B.:
Old 08-15-19, 10:40 AM
  #3  
indyfabz
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,059
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 15,299 Times in 7,231 Posts
Many years ago I explored a road near my house that was closed due to flooding. At one point I submerged my bottom bracket. (Beater Trek 930 MTB.) Hastened the need for an overhaul. I would never do something like that again with any bike of mine. But if you want to lend me one of yours....

I mainly avoid puddles for safety reasons. I was forced into one during a tour last year. There was a giant pot hole lurking beneath the surface. I nearly wiped out (my ass came off the seat and my left hand came off the brake hood) and fell into the path of an overtaking car. I still don't know how I managed to right myself. Instinct I guess. The woman driving looked terrified as she passed me.
indyfabz is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 10:41 AM
  #4  
JonathanGennick 
Senior Member
 
JonathanGennick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Munising, Michigan, USA
Posts: 4,131

Bikes: Priority 600, Priority Continuum, Devinci Dexter

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 685 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 55 Times in 37 Posts
Originally Posted by Steve B.
I never want the axles or b-bracket underwater. The seals are designed for wet roads and rain.
^^^^ Same, though I tend to prefer not to be dipping my pedals either -- because I like to keep my feet dry.
JonathanGennick is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 10:43 AM
  #5  
ksryder
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2,549

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1281 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times in 329 Posts
I've gone past the hubs on my gravel bike. Not something I do regularly, but 130 miles into a 200 mile ride you kind of stop giving a crap and if it seems like riding across the low water crossing will be faster than walking then why not? Bottom brackets can be replaced.
ksryder is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 10:52 AM
  #6  
bikecrate
Senior Member
 
bikecrate's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: LF, APMAT
Posts: 2,752
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 623 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 397 Times in 226 Posts
This is the rainy season here. There are some areas on my routes that will have standing water on them until summer is over. Generally, I won't go through anything higher than the bottom bracket. My method is to get up a little speed and then coast through the water with pedals in a neutral position.
bikecrate is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 12:54 PM
  #7  
TimothyH
- Soli Deo Gloria -
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,782

Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix

Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times in 469 Posts
I also don't like submerging the bearings.


Originally Posted by Doge
When is the puddle or river too deep?
This guy yelled out, "Well, here goes another bottom bracket!" before he dove in. I carried my bike.




-Tim-
TimothyH is offline  
Likes For TimothyH:
Old 08-15-19, 01:18 PM
  #8  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,768
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,873 Times in 4,637 Posts
If it's deep enough to submerge pedals or a BB, my feet are gonna get soaked anyway...So I just shoulder the bike and hike through.
Koyote is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 01:32 PM
  #9  
GrainBrain
Senior Member
 
GrainBrain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Central Io-way
Posts: 2,655

Bikes: LeMond Zurich, Giant Talon 29er

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1218 Post(s)
Liked 609 Times in 458 Posts
I was being dumb and reckless on an early spring century this year and rode through a flooded section of paved trail with moving water. At the deepest it was WELL over the bottom bracket!! Probably halfway to my knee. I made it through, thought "That was stupid" and looked down there trail to see more flooded sections.

I turned around and waded back through the section I just came, which was harder because now I had all the surface area of my legs and bike, wow that water is strong!!

Got back to dry trail, sat down and wrung out my socks and boots. Lucky for me it had hit the high of 60° and sunny, as I still had 50 miles left.

Took it to the bike shop to pull the BB out the next day, casually mentioned what I did and we all had a chuckle. Then the mechanic popped out the BB and water dumped everywhere That's when the laughter really started!
GrainBrain is offline  
Likes For GrainBrain:
Old 08-15-19, 01:35 PM
  #10  
ksryder
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2,549

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1281 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by GrainBrain
I was being dumb and reckless on an early spring century this year and rode through a flooded section of paved trail with moving water. At the deepest it was WELL over the bottom bracket!! Probably halfway to my knee. I made it through, thought "That was stupid" and looked down there trail to see more flooded sections.

I turned around and waded back through the section I just came, which was harder because now I had all the surface area of my legs and bike, wow that water is strong!!

Got back to dry trail, sat down and wrung out my socks and boots. Lucky for me it had hit the high of 60° and sunny, as I still had 50 miles left.

Took it to the bike shop to pull the BB out the next day, casually mentioned what I did and we all had a chuckle. Then the mechanic popped out the BB and water dumped everywhere That's when the laughter really started!
If you don't get dumb and reckless on the bike every once in a while then you're doing it wrong.
ksryder is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 01:49 PM
  #11  
Milton Keynes
Senior Member
 
Milton Keynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947

Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times in 936 Posts
Originally Posted by Doge
When is the puddle or river too deep?
Never.

Milton Keynes is offline  
Likes For Milton Keynes:
Old 08-15-19, 02:27 PM
  #12  
trailangel
Senior Member
 
trailangel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 4,847

Bikes: Schwinn Varsity

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1931 Post(s)
Liked 741 Times in 421 Posts
I got my front Deore axel/hub submerged a couple of times in one day walking it across some rocks. It washed out the Phil Wood waterproof grease and started getting gritty.
trailangel is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 03:05 PM
  #13  
TrojanHorse
SuperGimp
 
TrojanHorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Whittier, CA
Posts: 13,346

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 147 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times in 47 Posts
I don't like puddles that are even an inch deep... they hide a multitude of problems and might be dramatically slipperier than the pavement around them. Of course, I live in SoCal and don't really have to worry about that at all.
TrojanHorse is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 03:19 PM
  #14  
Doge
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Doge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 10,474

Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3374 Post(s)
Liked 371 Times in 253 Posts
Originally Posted by TrojanHorse
I don't like puddles that are even an inch deep... they hide a multitude of problems and might be dramatically slipperier than the pavement around them. Of course, I live in SoCal and don't really have to worry about that at all.
I'm SoCal too. Fog is too deep for me.
Doge is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 06:02 PM
  #15  
GrainBrain
Senior Member
 
GrainBrain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Central Io-way
Posts: 2,655

Bikes: LeMond Zurich, Giant Talon 29er

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1218 Post(s)
Liked 609 Times in 458 Posts
Originally Posted by ksryder
If you don't get dumb and reckless on the bike every once in a while then you're doing it wrong.

The point where you know you've done something stupid but there's no terrible consequences like you deserved!
GrainBrain is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 08:50 PM
  #16  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
I cross some streams on the mtn & cross bikes that are at least to the BB. Actually never thought to worry about it.

On the road, winter flooded sections 6" deep or so- pedals for sure.

The impact has got to be less than a muddy CX race, where the chain is scoured to bare metal.

As a kid we rode bikes into a pond, but I guess that's different.
woodcraft is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 09:21 PM
  #17  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times in 2,510 Posts
I do my best to keep the BB out but pedals have often gone under completely. (Roadie, not a CX guy. I have no interest in wading through puddles but when riding fix gear, keeping the pedals out is not possible.) If you pack the bearings with marine grease (and use lots) submersion doesn't hurt much. (That stuff is designed to take being wheeled while freeway hot into salt water to launch your boat. Nothing we do with bicycles comes close.)

Ben
79pmooney is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 09:22 PM
  #18  
Dr.Lou
Senior Member
 
Dr.Lou's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 255
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 47 Post(s)
Liked 97 Times in 61 Posts
I am a fair weather rider. Unless I get caught in a thunderstorm, I prefer to remain dry and bike clean. I can always find other things to do on rainy days, like reloading ammo.
Dr.Lou is offline  
Old 08-15-19, 09:37 PM
  #19  
BirdsBikeBinocs
Senior Member
 
BirdsBikeBinocs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Mars Hotel
Posts: 472

Bikes: Giant Talon 29 - Specialized Diverge E5 Comp

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 283 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 33 Posts
My feet got wet going through this flooded bog this past spring in Maine. The bird watching was off the charts. Just awesome.
BirdsBikeBinocs is offline  
Likes For BirdsBikeBinocs:
Old 08-16-19, 05:05 AM
  #20  
AlmostTrick
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
 
AlmostTrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Looney Tunes, IL
Posts: 7,398

Bikes: Wabi Special FG, Raleigh Roper, Nashbar AL-1, Miyata One Hundred, '70 Schwinn Lemonator and More!!

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1549 Post(s)
Liked 941 Times in 504 Posts
I rode through a flooded section on my work commute several days in a row. Water was over the BB and wheel bearings. It took about 2 minutes to get through. I rode past cars that were stalled out with drivers still in them. At one point I actually saw a fish swimming past my front wheel!

Upon seeing it the first day, I stopped before entering and considered my options. Re-routing to avoid meant being late for work. So I removed my shoes and socks and strapped them to my rear rack. Once I was through, I shook the excess water off my feet and put them back on.

The bearings showed no problems for thousands of miles after that, although I did have to clean and lube the freewheel. Those have no seals.
AlmostTrick is offline  
Old 08-16-19, 08:43 AM
  #21  
cyclist2000
Senior Member
 
cyclist2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Up
Posts: 4,695

Bikes: Masi, Giant TCR, Eisentraut (retired), Jamis Aurora Elite, Zullo, Cannondale, 84 & 93 Stumpjumpers, Waterford, Tern D8, Bianchi, Gunner Roadie, Serotta, Serotta Duette, was gifted a Diamond Back

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 305 Post(s)
Liked 2,038 Times in 604 Posts
I don't like getting my pedals submerged, I do it but don't like it. I don't like riding 50 miles with soaked shoes and socks. I did it this summer on a tour.
cyclist2000 is offline  
Old 08-16-19, 08:48 AM
  #22  
MikeyMK
Cycleway town
 
MikeyMK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Milton Keynes, England
Posts: 1,402

Bikes: 2.6kw GT LTS e-tandem, 250w Voodoo, 250w solar recumbent trike, 3-speed shopper, Merlin ol/skl mtb, 80cc Ellswick

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 569 Post(s)
Liked 169 Times in 117 Posts
I avoid putting my rear axle under, as it's an e-hub and the cable enters the 16mm axle. That limits me to 1ft deep. I have waded quite quickly at over 1ft though.
MikeyMK is offline  
Old 08-16-19, 02:51 PM
  #23  
Unca_Sam
The dropped
 
Unca_Sam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,406

Bikes: Pake C'Mute Touring/Commuter Build, 1989 Kona Cinder Cone, 1995 Trek 5200, 1973 Raleigh Super Course FG, 1960/61 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne "thrift" 3 speed, by Hercules (sold) : 1966 Schwinn Deluxe Racer (sold)

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1739 Post(s)
Liked 1,014 Times in 696 Posts
Originally Posted by GrainBrain

The point where you know you've done something stupid but there's no terrible consequences like you deserved!
Yeah, this is a flowing body of water. It's questionable judgement to try to ford moving water where there usually isn't any. Standing water and vernal pools are risky, but you probably won't end up a corpse on your way to the Gulf of Mexico. I'm glad this worked out for you.
Unca_Sam is offline  
Old 08-16-19, 02:55 PM
  #24  
Fargo Wolf
Resident smartass.
 
Fargo Wolf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
Posts: 488
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
As long as the water doesn't reach the big chain ring, it's good.
Fargo Wolf is offline  
Old 08-16-19, 03:01 PM
  #25  
ksryder
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2,549

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1281 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by Fargo Wolf
As long as the water doesn't reach the big chain ring helmet, it's good.
fify
ksryder is offline  
Likes For ksryder:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.