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Dumb move? Rode through deep water

Old 08-19-19, 05:52 PM
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sd5782 
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Dumb move? Rode through deep water

Probably a dumb move I didn't think about until after I did it. I rode my 83 Trek 700 through water 6 inches deep very slowly for at least 50 yards. Couldn't pedal all the way through arc or wet feet. Did water get in my spoke nipples? Duh, what a dummy. Double wall wheels. Should I dismount my tires and take off spoke tape? I can envision water in the inner wall now waiting to corrode everything. Help.
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Old 08-19-19, 06:23 PM
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You probably got water into the wheels.

If you were riding slowly, the bearings are probably fine.

Anyway, if you're worried, why not pop off the tires and rim tape and look inside... and then let dry overnight.
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Old 08-19-19, 06:38 PM
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Rode very slowly

Originally Posted by CliffordK
You probably got water into the wheels.

If you were riding slowly, the bearings are probably fine.

Anyway, if you're worried, why not pop off the tires and rim tape and look inside... and then let dry overnight.
Yep, rode very slowly. Bearings will be fine. Did a search, so will take tires off tomorrow. Just put them on. Oh well, live and learn. As an aside the Pasela Gravel King 32s rode nicely. Smooth, compliant, and quiet at just under 80psi.
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Old 08-19-19, 06:48 PM
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There isn't a lot of unoccupied volume in any bike wheel, only the gap between the outer and inner wall on a double wall rim. If any water got in through the spoke holes or tire valve, it can get out the same way. Can't hurt to pull a tire off and see but I don't expect you will find much.
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Old 08-19-19, 08:43 PM
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I assume it was fresh water, not salt water? Nearby is a river trail that runs to the beach. It drops down and crosses under the coast highway and during high Spring tides the ocean water floods the river channel and floods the bike path. I’ve seen people ride through this. Salt water, brass nipples, stainless steel spokes and aluminum rims makes for a bad combination. Fresh water, no biggie.
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Old 08-20-19, 05:00 AM
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Yep, fresh water

Fresh water from a flooded creek overflowing across a paved bike path. Thanks all for the replies. Doesn’t sound too problematic. Just as a learning exercise I will dismount tires to see what is inside the rims.
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Old 08-20-19, 10:06 AM
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I would be more concerned with the bearings in the BB from the heavy spray from the front wheel.
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Old 08-20-19, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by jimincalif
I assume it was fresh water, not salt water? Nearby is a river trail that runs to the beach. It drops down and crosses under the coast highway and during high Spring tides the ocean water floods the river channel and floods the bike path. I’ve seen people ride through this. Salt water, brass nipples, stainless steel spokes and aluminum rims makes for a bad combination. Fresh water, no biggie.
I assume you're talking about where the SGRT passes under PCH? Yep, seen it many times.
Jon
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Old 08-20-19, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Jon T
I assume you're talking about where the SGRT passes under PCH? Yep, seen it many times.
Jon
Actually I'm referring to the SART at PCH, but yeah, SGRT would have the same issue, I've just not been there when it's flooded.
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Old 08-20-19, 10:59 AM
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Is your bike the Wicked Witch of the West? A little water and "I'm melting!" Your bike is going to be perfectly fine. I went into a pit of freshly poured concrete that was waist deep, the construction people got me out, hosed me and the bike down and the bike was none the worst for wear.

I did learn something, wet concrete is exactly the same color as dry concrete.
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Old 08-20-19, 12:11 PM
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Soo! What do you do when it rains!
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Old 08-20-19, 12:58 PM
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Some natural fresh water sources may contain high amounts of minerals, especially in areas with lots of limestone. Rinsing the rim and spokes in fresh water may be a good idea (although my old rural home's two water wells had more limestone content than the nearby lake, especially after fracking disturbed the entire area's limestone aquifer).

After removing the tires, tubes, rim strips, etc., dribble in a drop of Boeshield T9 or WD40 around the spoke nipples and holes. Either will displace water and resist corrosion. It'll also make it easier later to do spoke nipple adjustments for truing. Otherwise the entire spokes may twist along with the nipples.
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Old 08-20-19, 01:03 PM
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Make sure you keep your nipples oil!
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Old 08-20-19, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
Is your bike the Wicked Witch of the West? A little water and "I'm melting!" Your bike is going to be perfectly fine. I went into a pit of freshly poured concrete that was waist deep, the construction people got me out, hosed me and the bike down and the bike was none the worst for wear.

I did learn something, wet concrete is exactly the same color as dry concrete.
Pics or it didn't happen.

What country doesn't place barriers around potential hazards like wet concrete?
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Old 08-20-19, 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Unca_Sam
Pics or it didn't happen.

What country doesn't place barriers around potential hazards like wet concrete?
I was blatently going through a marked road construction site, the workers were waiving me away but of course I know better than everyone and thats how it happened. All my fault.
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Old 08-20-19, 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by San Rensho
I was blatently going through a marked road construction site, the workers were waiving me away but of course I know better than everyone and thats how it happened. All my fault.


I shouldn't cast stones though, I drove between orange barrels the other day at an intersection because they had finished the left side of the road and were getting ready to repave the right side. Thankfully it was only 50 ft or so to the parking lot I was trying to get to, and construction had not begun.
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Old 08-20-19, 11:20 PM
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I apologize, but I must be the old, crusty guy.
As kids on our Swingers, Mustangs, etc; those poor bikes saw a heck of a lot worse. We rode not only through water, but into water, we left them in the rain and other than some rust on the chrome, there were very few problems.
Today, with sealed bearings and water proof grease, people act like water is instant death for a bike (not just this thread).
The high pressure of the inner tubes will have blocked most water from entering.
All cables are pretty much stainless.
Periodic maintenance will take care of your bearings and such.
It's a bike, it's meant to be fun.
Have fun
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Old 08-21-19, 07:04 AM
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I did it too

Originally Posted by MarcusT
I apologize, but I must be the old, crusty guy.
As kids on our Swingers, Mustangs, etc; those poor bikes saw a heck of a lot worse. We rode not only through water, but into water, we left them in the rain and other than some rust on the chrome, there were very few problems.
Today, with sealed bearings and water proof grease, people act like water is instant death for a bike (not just this thread).
The high pressure of the inner tubes will have blocked most water from entering.
All cables are pretty much stainless.
Periodic maintenance will take care of your bearings and such.
It's a bike, it's meant to be fun.
Have fun
Yep, I did all the same stuff. My old SuperSport that I have had for over 40 years has been through it all too. Just now getting into some nicer bikes at this stage of my life, so just learning things on a different level. It did give me an opportunity to do some wheel maintenance besides the bearings that I did already. All was well inside with no water in rear and just about a half teaspoon in front. I took off the 35 year old glued on rim strips and cleaned it all up with WD-40 and used some 0000 steel wool on it all.

This old Trek is perhaps a blessing, as it is a bit less than perfect so I can learn some things and not be too afraid to change things more to my liking.
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Old 08-21-19, 09:35 AM
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Unless this was saltwater, your wheels should be fine. First, none of the materials (Al alloy, SS, brass, chrome plate, rubber) used in rims and wheels are water soluble. And none of them rust. Salt water and spray will corrode aluminum. But unless you finished your ride with the rims under water, you rode a bit AFTER you'd plowed through the puddle. The centrifugal force gets ride of water pretty well.

If you're concerned, rinse off the wheel rims with fresh water. Go for a ride on dry land. You'll be good.

Keep in mind, when safety bikes were first invented, there was a significant effort to make bikes for the military. They had to tolerate a few puddles! The basic design of bicycles is pretty much water-tolerant.

I used to live in Costa Mesa. Used to ride up the Santa Ana River Trail (that's the SART the guys were talking about). The Santa Ana River is pretty much a dry channel with dikes on both sides most of the time (IIRC) but it does get pretty full in the spring runoff from the mountains. Anyway, the tops of the dikes are paved and rideable, but they do go under a lot of roads (including the Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH). A bit up the coast you have the San Gabriel River Trail (SGRT).

When I lived in the area, Irvine was pretty much undeveloped. So there were bike paths all around the place. Visited last year - not any more!

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Old 08-24-19, 11:36 AM
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water

Rode up to a tunnel that goes under a major road in my city. Had been raining alot and the tunnel was completely flooded. More than a meter (3ft) of water at its deepest. I thought it would be fun to ride through it. So i put the bike in the lowest gear and simply rode through it.

There is a difference between having components completely submerged in water (like i had) and just having a lot of water being sprayed on them. Upon submersion there is a hydrostatic water pressure trying to force water in to any available cavity. I would thoughly check any component that was completely submerged. If parts of your bike was submerged (BB area) you probably have to drain those too.
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Old 08-24-19, 12:16 PM
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I honestly wonder how my touring bike has survived, with countless days of heavy rain, parked in the rain, ridden in the rain, crossing deep puddles, water covered sections of road, etc. Wow.
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Old 08-24-19, 05:24 PM
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When my Brompton is so mudded that I fear it staining the hotel room, I put it under the shower and give it a solid soak. Over time I learned to cover the lights with nylon bags. I would look for more serious problems in life.
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