"Sealing" the ST-seatpost interface

[tbushnel]

Anyone ever use silicone sealant around the seatpost-ST interface to help prevent water from going down the ST? I use plenty of grease as well, but wondered if I could improve things more. My rain bike has imperfect fender coverage and I was looking for ways to reduce the risk of water pooling in the BB.
Oh yeah, it is a steal frame.
thanks,
ted.

[Fixed]

bro i ride in the rain a lot when i get home I take the seatpost out and hang the bike upside down over night
cheers

[IPH]

on Fixed's suggestion.

My mtn bike has a rubber gizmo (looks like a short section of inner tube) that covers the seatpost/seat tube interface. It came that way and seems to go a good job. As long as it's snug enough, I suspect a short piece of road tube would work similarly without the ugly gunk job you'll get with silicone. Probably depends on the configuration of your seat tube clamp as to whether you can apply this idea.

[CaptStash]

A new idea: I have been mulling the possible uses of heat shrink tubing since realizing it was a good way to avoid cable rubs. What about trying a suitably large section of heat shrink? It might look pretty sharp if done well.

CaptStash....

[Blue Jays]

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-03-25T12%3A41%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=7

[tbushnel]

thanks for the ideas. I am intrigued by the heat shrink idea. Maybe I'll just hang my bike with the seatpost out, though I guess I would worry about BB water going up the DT and Chain stays.
ted.

[keevon]

My gripe with removing the seatpost after every wet ride is reinserting it and getting the saddle perfectly straight. But I'm really picky about that.

A small bead of silicone sealant might just do the trick, and if you get a nice fillet it might be pretty unnoticeable. Make sure you seal the 'split' in the ST at the rear of the seatpost as well.

Although the easiest (and maybe most effective) thing to do is to drill a drainage hole in the BB shell, if you don't already have one.

[72gmc]

Back in the early 90's a fellow shop rat helped me cut some mtb inner tubes into 1/2-inch-wide donuts. One over the top of the seat tube, one over the top of the headset, one over the bottom. Not attractive, but it does make you feel like you're keeping the water and crud out.

Now I just use good grease on my seatpost, then use my fingertip to add a "bead" to the top edge of the seat lug and fill the split in the back.

[Peter P.]

Back in the early 90's a fellow shop rat helped me cut some mtb inner tubes into 1/2-inch-wide donuts. One over the top of the seat tube, one over the top of the headset, one over the bottom. Not attractive, but it does make you feel like you're keeping the water and crud out.

Now I just use good grease on my seatpost, then use my fingertip to add a "bead" to the top edge of the seat lug and fill the split in the back.

This is the cheapest, yet effective idea. Grease provides the seal, of course this also assumes you use it to lube the post/seat tube interface. My experience has been anti-seize compounds are NOT waterproof.

Another simple, cheap solution: A rubber O-ring placed flush against the collar. Doesn't work well with elegant seat lugs, which puts us back at 72gmc's suggestion.

[M.Sommers]

Water will always seek it's own level, you can't stop it. It will find it's way into your frame. Use some frame protectant, let it air out once in a while and ride atmo.

[pdxmech13]

cut a thin piece of inner tube that will be tight around diameter of seat pin.
install cut inner tube around seat collar
install seat pin
then pull inner tube around seat collar assembly.