Carbon Post stuck in a Colnago Dream

[cincicycles]

You read it right. A friend of mine just picked up a Colnago Dream Aluminum bike with the carbon B-Stays on it. There is a Campy Chorus post stuck in it. Any tips for removal? I've checked the Sheldon Brown page and will dive into some of those ideas this weekend to see if I can help him get it out. Looking for experience with this. We can destroy the post if needed, but don't want to damage the frame. :beer:

[cincicycles]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/10/road/stuck_seatpost_99640

I'm going to dive into these ideas too. He bought it for $50. I hope this works. If not, he's only out $50. I'd take that bet for a Colnago Dream.

[FastVegan]

I just removed a carbon post from a scandium Merckx, I ended up using a spade bit attached to a cordless drill to cut it out. Not fun but it worked and did not damage the frame. This was an extreme last resort.

[Sasha18]

I used a spade bit once and destroyed a frame. If it goes through one portion of the post and into the frame, you're cooked. Especially in aluminum. My frame was a 25 year old crappy mtb frame.

Take it to a shop. For a Dream, it's worth just about any price for removal. Alternatively, I'll give him $100. Doubled up on the money and doesn't have to deal with the hassle.

[bicycletricycle]

Spade bits use the center point of the bit to guide them straight,
A seat post has no center for that point to bite into.
I think that a spade bit is risky.

This is how i have removed many seat posts in the past.

1. Cut the seat post down so that there is about 1 inch sticking out.
2. Use a hacksaw blade to cut a vertical groove all the way down the back of the seat post.
3. Use a flashlight to check that you are not cutting through the frame.
4. When the post has a slot all the way up the back use some channel locks to crush the post slightly (which should break it free) then grip the top with some vice grips and pull it out.
5. Sometimes 2 grooves are needed.

this process sucks, but doing it by hand is slow which makes it safer.

[Hank Scorpio]

I would only try drilling and or sawing as the last last resort. What material is the seatpost? Remove the Bb and pour in some penetrating oil. Let it sit over night or for a few days. Keeping the frame upside down the whole time. Then clamp the seat post head in a bench vise and work it with the frame upside down. You can get a ton more leverage this way. If it is a metal seatpost you might try ammonia instead of penetrating oil but that might only work on steel frames. Both methods have worked for us in the past.

[jonjones13]

I put the seatpost in a vice and then twist the frame off the seatpost - you can get way more leverage doing it this way

[texbike]

There are several great ideas in this thread. I had the same thing happen on an aluminum frame about a year ago. I tried the WD40, liquid wrench, ammonia, soft hammering, putting the seatpost in a stand/twisting the frame, and pretty much anything that you could think of outside of cutting the post out (which I didn't want to do and risk damaging the frame).

This is what finally worked:

1. Buy a six-pack of Shiner Bock or St. Arnold's Brown Ale.
2. Have a friend come over.
3. Wrap a small towel around the seatcluster of the bike (make sure it is tight).
4. Boil a large pot of water.
5. Sip a cold Shiner Bock or St. Arnold's Brown while you wait
6. Pour the boiling water onto the towel around the seatcluster.
7. Give it a minute for the heat to soak in and have one person hold the bike while the other twists the ever-loving daylights out of the seatpost in an upward/outward motion.

It took a couple of pots of water (which gave us time to recover/relax with our beers) to get it done, but it finally let go.

A poster above mentioned clamping screwdrivers or something similar into the seatpost for better leverage instead of the saddle. That's a great idea and I'd suggest making that part of the process here as well.

Good luck!

Texbike

[velomateo]

I put the seatpost in a vice and then twist the frame off the seatpost - you can get way more leverage doing it this way


This works. One other thing to do is remove he bottom bracket, with the frame inverted, shoot some lube (WD-40) and let it soak in over night. Then twist away.

[markie]

Spade bits use the center point of the bit to guide them straight,
A seat post has no center for that point to bite into.
I think that a spade bit is risky.

This is how i have removed many seat posts in the past.

1. Cut the seat post down so that there is about 1 inch sticking out.
2. Use a hacksaw blade to cut a vertical groove all the way down the back of the seat post.
3. Use a flashlight to check that you are not cutting through the frame.
4. When the post has a slot all the way up the back use some channel locks to crush the post slightly (which should break it free) then grip the top with some vice grips and pull it out.
5. Sometimes 2 grooves are needed.

this process sucks, but doing it by hand is slow which makes it safer.

I have seen this work when the "hold the saddle in a vice and turn the frame" just resulted in breaking the seatpost...

[Spinz]

PB Blaster works great! I had a CF seatpost stuck in an aluminum frame and used PB Blaster and a heat gun. Gently warm the seat tube and apply the PBB. Several applications and an overnight soak, removed with no problems.
Good luck ------- Lp

[AngryScientist]

PB Blaster works great! I had a CF seatpost stuck in an aluminum frame and used PB Blaster and a heat gun. Gently warm the seat tube and apply the PBB. Several applications and an overnight soak, removed with no problems.
Good luck ------- Lp


this is what i would do. alu has a large coefficient of expansion when heated. soak the hell out of everything in penetrating oil and use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the seat tube, that should do it.

[cincicycles]

All great tips everyone, especially those that involve beer! Looks like I have some work to do. I'll keep you up to date on the progress. :beer:

[soupless]

did he really get the frame for $50?

[pavel]

colnago dream? more like nightmare!



(sorry... couldnt help it)

[cincicycles]

He absolutely got the frame for $50. My jaw hit the floor! It's older, with a 1" fork, but still... couldn't believe it.

[cincicycles]

Flipped the bike upside down in the work stand, penetrating oil down the seat tube for about 3 days. Put the head of the seat post in a bench vice, used the frame for leverage. Then, the loudest pop I've ever heard. Had to look at my arms to make sure I didn't cut myself or something. Scared the hell out of me. Twisted the frame back and forth until it came out! Thanks for the tips everyone! :banana: :beer: :banana:

[toaster]

I'll second the advice given by bicycletricycle. There is a plastic handle found in hardware stores that hold a hacksaw blade so you do the cutting inside of the post.