Mark is one of a kind.

And I love hearing that a 1st generation 7 series was rolling fast @IMH. Congrats!

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Carl Matson

So this thread is huge and I am not sure if anyone else has had this problem; but here it goes.

SC 2014 7.5
Been in and out of the shop 6 times for the same issue:
Rear brake locking up.

Im a heavy sweater.
I mean I can lose pounds in a 5k.
Its crazy.

So when I hammer away in the pain cave; my nickname is puddles.

I know we can take countermeasures to make sure that our trusty steeds are not to get rusted to all hell.
Towels, CycleOps wraps, wiping down, fans and everything but not training.
And every time like clockwork. I lift my bike up and the under fin just pours out like a koolaid jug. Its a gross picture but its bad.

This leads to corrosion. This leads to the bottom bracket rusting out. The back brake seizing. This leads to me spending another 100$ a go at the local shop.

Is anyone else having these issues? I mean I cant be. I cannot be the sweatiest MF in the world that rides a TT. Am I?

Im debating selling the bike and switching to something else.
Its not because I dont enjoy the bike. Its because when I invested close to $5000 into a bike that I wouldn't be paying this much every few weeks / months.

Has anyone been able to find a fix for this?

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

It sounds like whatever race bike you are using you would be better off setting up a basic cheap bike for the trainer, and bigger/better fans.

So youre suggesting I get acclimated to a bike that I wont be using on race day?
Maybe go get a power meter for that bike too?

That sounds obscenely expensive and if that is Trek's response I will likely sell my bike without looking back.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

I've got nothing to do with trek so don't take it out on them, but here in the UK plenty of people have 'training' TT bikes and winter bikes so they don't trash their nice stuff. Set the contact points the same and you won't notice the difference on the turbo.

I have the same issues with my bike. I have started washing it once a week to see if this helps. The two screws that attach my Bento box just rusted out. I tried to remove them and ended pulling them both out. Now I've got two holes in my frame. I'm sure it won't be cheap to fix.

Oh I have a commuter and a crit bike as well.

The geometry is very different between my Crit bike (Specialized Allez Elite 2013)
And my commuter is a single speed. So that is just not happening.

I bought a bike I want to train and race on.

This is just me reaching out to the community for info.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

schafermnt wrote:

I have the same issues with my bike. I have started washing it once a week to see if this helps. The two screws that attach my Bento box just rusted out. I tried to remove them and ended pulling them both out. Now I've got two holes in my frame. I'm sure it won't be cheap to fix.

Yeah I am not doing anything hardware related right now.

Just for your viewing pleasure.

This is what my salt does to a bottom bracket:

http://puu.sh/kR5E6/b5494860c8.png


The back brake locking up really kills speed and makes my power look special.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

How often do you ride on the road - can you remove the brake for your turbo 'season'?

I thought about that too -

I just imagined that Trek would have heard about this by now and may have a fix.
Or someone else may have had one.

if that is the case - so be it. Ill do that but I mean - what a pain in the rump that will be.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

Bigger/better fans. Get a fan in front of you and behind you. If that doesn't help, try adding fans to both sides. I have a fan at the front that is 3 feet away my front tire. It helps reduce a lot of my sweating and I sweat a lot.

Honestly if that doesn't help, nothing will.

Please don't blame trek (not saying you are). They have created a great bike but like everything you buy, it isn't for everyone.

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blog

Alright - I wont blame Trek. I will blame my endocrine system???

They designed a very aero bike.
It happens to have an Achilles heel.

I love the bike aside this issue.
If they can resolve this issue for me - they have a happy customer.
If they cannot - I need to find another avenue...

What part of this sounds unreasonable?

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

I sweat like crazy as well, I ride in 90+ degree heat always looking like someone is dumping buckets of water on me. Yes same issue with the rear brake, took off the wing and was greeted with a salty nasty mess. Cleaned everything up and used some automotive grease in the roller hinge thingies and its been okay so far. I wash the bike after each use because its caked with Sweat and salt when I get back, I did just take apart the front end and was again greeted by salt in all places...mainly the top of the stem, bottom of the base bar and some other places.

So cleaning the bike was become a usual as like you I've dumped some nice cash into my ride (2014 9.5) and would like it to last....rust and corrosion are the last things I want to see.

PPPREEEEAAAACCHHHH!!!!

Brother I feel your pain.

Auto grease was my saving grace on the front. I got home from Barrelman and it looked like we hit the biggest juiciest gray bug in the word.
Front fork was coated with grease which is actually a positive. Because it means the grease wasnt in there.

Have you tried contacting Trek on this?
I'm hoping to not have to swap bikes and go to giant after the investments I have made.
Though it wouldn't be the absolute worst thing. My fiance needs an upgrade and she will fit on the frame.

Just not what I call positive return on an investment...

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

The Giants also have a BB mounted rear brake, what makes you think they will be any better?

I believe the issue is with the placement of the brake coupled with the design of the underbody fin.
The fin allows sweat to pool up in it.

I really just threw a name out there because they are a sponsor of our team as well but really.
The point here should be "another bike" if we cant fix this.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

And what exactly do you want trek to fix? How would you suggest they fix it?

You seem to want to fix around the symptoms where you should be trying to fix the source.

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blog

This guys brilliant. The answer was there the whole time.
I just don't ride it!

Ok so off season I wont ride it as much. But til then - Id like to see what others have tried.
As automotive grease and constant maintenance wont do.

The source is me - just an fyi.

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

Have you tried coating the brake roller bearing and any other parts in a marine grade grease? Any way to drill a small hole to drain the "wing"?

Otherwise as suggested...get a bigger fan? Multiple fans? To simulate 20mph, in reality you'd need like a 5HP blower... so a dinky 1/3 - 1/2HP floor fan is like a 10-15mph wind at best.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

Marine grade isnt a bad idea!

I might sit down with my shop this weekend and himm and haww with them a bit over what to do.
Hoping not to have myself investing another couple grand into a new whip...

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http://www.athlinks.com/athletes/208730390

Take the fin off when you are not racing.

Now you are just putting words in my mouth. I never said don't ride the bike. That obviously isn't an option and I wouldn't want to not ride it on the trainer like someone suggested. My point is that instead of looking at the rear brake mechanics, you should be looking at how to reduce the sweat that gets in there as that's the source. Any mechanical moving parts that get sweat or gunk in it, are going to seize up eventually. How many fans do you use and how big are they? Drilling a hole in the bottom of the speed fin for a drain is actually a pretty good idea.

You still didn't answer the question though. What are you expecting trek to do here? Nothing is faulty on the bike so really they have no obligation to fix anything.

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blog

I just noticed a creaking sound start up on my bike during a race in sept. I will take it in to the shop soon, but suspect that it is the bottom bracket. I hope it isnt isn't even close to your issue.

Carl,

Is there a list of known wheel compatibility issues with the SC (if there are any)? It seems that I frequently see rear wheels for sale in the classifieds because someone bought one and then discovered it wouldn't work with their particular frame. I have a 2011 SC 7 (which I love) and will be shopping for new, wide race wheels for it this winter. I would prefer to avoid the same fate. Are there any wheels you know won't work? On the flip side, what is the widest thing that you know will work (Flo disc? Jet 9+?)

Thanks,

Jason

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__________________________________________________
The plural of anecdote is not data. :-)
- Andrew Coggan

As far as rim width (at the brake track) goes, no known incompatibilities as long as you're following good practices for pad material (cork for carbon, etc) and adjusting the pad spacers as necessary.

For rear disks, Mavic, PRO and Lightweight all have interference issues. Wheelcovers generally work so long as you tape the nondrive cover to the spokes from the inside.

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Carl Matson