[ClydeRider24]

I recently built up a new Tallboy 5 frame, and was excited to finally have some in frame storage.

However, I’m finding the Glovebox a bit frustrating in that it is not water resistant at all. I ride in the southeast, so hosing your bike off after every ride is just part of it. Sometimes (if the trailhead has a station), hosing it down mid ride is even necessary.

Even just spraying the frame off lightly soaks the bags inside the glovebox. If I pull them out, the inside of the frame still gets wet, so I have to wait for it to dry to put them back in. I even drove through a light rain shower with the bike on my Kuat the other day and found the bags all wet afterwards.

Add to it that the lid rattles when I have a full water bottle, and something (rough carbon?) inside the frame is already tearing the tool pouch up, and SC is getting like a 2/10 on glovebox execution IMO.
I emailed them about a week ago, but haven’t heard back.
ETA: SC replied and is sending a new door/trim. We’ll see if it is any better. Honestly I think they should update the design so that it is more water tight (and will retrofit).

So, has anyone found a nice clean way to remedy the leaks or rattles? I’ve looked into some gasket material, but can’t find any thin enough.

 

[LoamLapper]

Not certain, but I suspect they will get you sorted (maybe send a new lid— not sure about the inside of the frame issue, maybe try to stick a light in there and see whats happening). While it’s well known that they are not water tight, your case sounds a bit extreme. Still, I take the bags out before a wash and also after being in the rain to ensure they dry and my multi tool doesn’t rust—mines corroded already from forgetting to do so. Also, consider the bottle cage you’re using for the rattles as well, I’ve got a specialized v - cage on my HT with no issues.

 

[ClydeRider24]

Not certain, but I suspect they will get you sorted (maybe send a new lid— not sure about the inside of the frame issue, maybe try to stick a light in there and see whats happening). While it’s well known that they are not water tight, your case sounds a bit extreme. Still, I take the bags out before a wash and also after being in the rain to ensure they dry and my multi tool doesn’t rust—mines corroded already from forgetting to do so. Also, consider the bottle cage you’re using for the rattles as well, I’ve got a specialized v - cage on my HT with no issues.

It’s definitely the lid rattling. Just a little pressure on the cage with one finger opens up a big gap at the top of the lid.

 

[FrontRangeFriend]

Check the screws that hold the plastic gasket of the opening, that may help with rattling.
As for the lack of water sealing? Not much you can do other than keep your tools in a water proof pouch and take them out before washing and make sure to wait for the bike to dry before putting them back.

Santa Cruz area is very dry and their bike design definitely reflects that.

 

[lefthanded]

While it’s well known that they are not water tight

I guess this busts the myth of good engineering and thorough testing in the western bike industry 😂

Picture a car that you're driving through a wash and it get's wet inside...

Were are talking about Santa Cruz here? One of the perceived top brands in the industry? 😂

 

[LoamLapper]

I guess this busts the myth of good engineering and thorough testing in the western bike industry 😂

Picture a car that you're driving through wash and it get's wet inside...

Were are talking about Santa Cruz here? One of the perceived top brands in the industry? 😂

It’s my first bike with storage, so no idea how it stacks up to others, but you are correct, it seems they could have put in some extra time here as far as water goes. I’ve liked SC for a couple of bikes now because they are easy to wrench on at home and pretty bomb proof.

 

[lefthanded]

I’ve liked SC for a couple of bikes now because they are easy to wrench on at home and pretty bomb proof.

95% of the parts we wrench on are not made or designed by the bike brand.
Unless were talking about road bike cables and hoses, aren't bikes from all brands more or less equally "bomb proof" and "easy to wrench on"?

 

[dannoddd]

It definitely sounds like you have a problem with the door. I've got 2 bikes equipped with the glovebox and don't have any issues with them. Regular washing and some pretty adverse wet conditions has left everything dry and clean. In fact, a few days ago I dropped my wife's Bronson into a creek, fully submerged for a good minute before I got to it, and everything was dry inside. One of the reason you buy SC is for the excellent support, reach out to them and explain the issue. They've always been very prompt, responsive, and taken care of me.

 

[ClydeRider24]

It definitely sounds like you have a problem with the door. I've got 2 bikes equipped with the glovebox and don't have any issues with them. Regular washing and some pretty adverse wet conditions has left everything dry and clean. In fact, a few days ago I dropped my wife's Bronson into a creek, fully submerged for a good minute before I got to it, and everything was dry inside. One of the reason you buy SC is for the excellent support, reach out to them and explain the issue. They've always been very prompt, responsive, and taken care of me.

Really??
I think my particular example may be worse than some, but I don’t see how the door/trim design could be anywhere close to water tight?
The trim itself has no gasket of any kind, and fits the frame pretty loosely, and the top edge of the door (on my example) is just lightly touching the trim, again, with no real gasket in the design.

 

[ClydeRider24]

Check the screws that hold the plastic gasket of the opening, that may help with rattling.
As for the lack of water sealing? Not much you can do other than keep your tools in a water proof pouch and take them out before washing and make sure to wait for the bike to dry before putting them back.

Santa Cruz area is very dry and their bike design definitely reflects that.

The screws are tight, it’s definitely the door.
See my response/photo in a reply above.

The top half of the door just barely contacts the trim. You can create a sizable gap with just a little pressure on the bottle cage. With the weight of a full bottle, the door flexes and rattles against the trim.

 

[ClydeRider24]

It’s my first bike with storage, so no idea how it stacks up to others, but you are correct, it seems they could have put in some extra time here as far as water goes. I’ve liked SC for a couple of bikes now because they are easy to wrench on at home and pretty bomb proof.

My experience with the Spec Swat box, and Ibis box is that they are VERY water resistant. My main riding buddy can hose his Stump off and not a drop inside.

 

[matsf]

I have a v4 Bronson w/glove box. I haven't had any issues with water getting in despite riding when it's wet and raining. I rarely hose my bike off, though. Mine did rattle, I put some thin strips of mastic tape on the inside of the cover where it sits around the opening and that helped a lot with noise.

 

[LoamLapper]

95% of the parts we wrench on are not made or designed by the bike brand.
Unless were talking about road bike cables and hoses, aren't bikes from all brands more or less equally "bomb proof" and "easy to wrench on"?

I’ve enjoyed refreshing big ass bearings with a grease gun and the fact that the rear triangles are one piece, the headset bearings are easy to grease or replace as well. Cable routing has also worked well for me, and paint has held up better than others too. I may be drinking to much cool aid, but it’s been refreshing so far, though of course, not perfect.

To get back on this specific topic, sounds like the leaky glove box is not only annoying but worse than competitors, which sucks, and I’d say SC should work on a fix.

 

[FortOrdMTB]

The glovebox on my Stigmata wills with dirt, sand and some notable sized gravel. I know some people love them. Not me.

 

[LVLBTY]

I had the rattling, Santa Cruz sent me a new assembly. Upon taking the old one out, it was obvious what the issue was, simply loose bolts. The water intrusion is definitely an issue, the area isn't sealed. I just wash that area carefully and open it to dry out if it gets wet. It's not perfect, but does hold the tools required to get you out of the woods.

 

[ClydeRider24]

I had the rattling, Santa Cruz sent me a new assembly. Upon taking the old one out, it was obvious what the issue was, simply loose bolts. The water intrusion is definitely an issue, the area isn't sealed. I just wash that area carefully and open it to dry out if it gets wet. It's not perfect, but does hold the tools required to get you out of the woods.

SC replied to my email and they are sending a new assembly. My bolts are tight though.

So far the water intrusion isn’t something I’m going to be able to live with. I have to wash mud off my bike too often. The inconvenience of constantly having to pull tool bags prior to washing and waiting for the frame to dry, or dealing with soaked bags may seem trivial, but for my uses it negates the convince of the storage (which I really like).

If it was like a few drips of water that got through I wouldn’t give it a second thought. But after a light spray down the bottom pouch in my frame is just about soaked through. I could see it turning into a mildewed mess if you’re not careful.

 

[codahale]

I had the same issue with my TB4. SC support sent a new assembly and, like LVLBTY, it fixed the rattle but isn’t any more water resistant. I ended up just moving the tools and tube back into my hip pack and not using the frame storage.

 

[ClydeRider24]

I had the same issue with my TB4. SC support sent a new assembly and, like LVLBTY, it fixed the rattle but isn’t any more water resistant. I ended up just moving the tools and tube back into my hip pack and not using the frame storage.

That’s disappointing.
The glovebox was part of what swayed me into trying a SC frame. That, and the “fit and finish” praise (which in my case isn’t holding up 100% either).

 

[SilentMTB]

Picture a car that you're driving through a wash and it get's wet inside...

I had that once, not funny. 😐

As for the glovebox, I don't use it but rattling and water intrusion are unacceptable.

 

[Legoman03]

I had water getting into the glovebox mainly when washing the bike. I don't think it was a problem when riding in super wet and muddy conditions. I haven't ridden when it's heavy rain though. I've made a gasket from neoprene self adhesive backed foam I got of ebay. I haven't tested it yet but I think it will work. I used this foam before to fill in gaps between rock guards and frame so no sand and dirt collects in there. I've used a 2mm thickness foam which fills in the gaps well and still allows the door to be closed with a bit more pressure. You can also stretch the foam when sticking it down to make it a bit thinner if the door does not want to close. I stuck a 4mm width strip onto the black frame of the glove box. The foam is very flexible so you can use a single piece of strip to go around the whole frame or can make it out off smaller pieces.

Pardon our interruption...