I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
"Weatherlawyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hi.
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
How about some kind of plumb line and covering the plumb with superglue.
Since you'll want to make sure you don't get glue between the post and the frame I'd suggest you cut off a short straight piece of garden hose that you can use as a sleeve to make sure the gluey plumb gets inside the post. Let the glue harden and then combine tapping on the bottom of the frame with steady tension on the line to see if you can pull it out.
"OG" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Weatherlawyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Hi.
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
How about some kind of plumb line and covering the plumb with superglue.
Since you'll want to make sure you don't get glue between the post and the frame I'd suggest you cut off a short straight piece of garden hose that you can use as a sleeve to make sure the gluey plumb gets inside the post. Let the glue harden and then combine tapping on the bottom of the frame with steady tension on the line to see if you can pull it out.
Don't even dream of using superglue it does not forgive errors....
if the seat post can drop down the seat tube the friction forces can not be that great. You can fashion hooks from coat hangers or piano wire bought from a craft shop.
Is leaving the seat post in situ an option? It would save a lot of faffing about if you used a second seatpost....
"Weatherlawyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]
Quoted message said:
Hi.
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
Take a fairly long tueb - say, a MacDonalds straw. Attatch deflated balloon to the end. Insert until inside stuck post. Slightly inflate balloon through tube. Pull upwards gently.
HTH
Tim
-- Sent from Birmingham, UK... Check out www.nervouscyclist.org 'I find sometimes it's easy to be myself, but sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else.' - Dave Matthews 'So Much To Say' My 'reply to' address is valid, mail to the posting address is dumped
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
Take a fairly long tueb - say, a MacDonalds straw. Attatch deflated balloon to the end. Insert until inside stuck post. Slightly inflate balloon through tube. Pull upwards gently.
Turn bike upside down. Shake vigorously. Hit with hammer - it probably won't help shift the seatpost, but it will make you feel better :-)
In article <[email hidden]>, Weatherlawyer [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Hi.
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
Get a bit of pipe that just fits through the hole in the top of the seatpost. Quarter the end a couple of inches down and remove two of the tabs: ____ .``. | | / \ | () | | | | | \ / __| |__ `..` | |
Put a large pop rivet or small nut and bolt through the remaining tabs so the heads are on the outside. Bend the tabs in a bit so the heads clear the end of the seatpost, and insert the pipe in the end of the seatpost. Now ram a bit of dowel down the pipe, forcing the tabs out. Yank on the pipe et voila :-)
Alternatively get another seatpost and leave the old one where it is.
Hi. I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
Take a fairly long tueb - say, a MacDonalds straw. Attatch deflated balloon to the end. Insert until inside stuck post. Slightly inflate balloon through tube. Pull upwards gently.
Turn bike upside down. Shake vigorously. Hit with hammer - it probably won't help shift the seatpost, but it will make you feel better :-)
James
This is played a lot at Anzac day celebrations down here in OZ
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
This is how I'd
Take a bit of metal 1cm wide by 4cm long. Drill a hole in one end and put some string through it. Bend the other end to a right angle about 1.5cm long. This dimension is critical. The object of the exercise is to allow the thingy-wotsit to slide into the *post* (ie it's not the frame tube you're trying to retrieve.) when it lies at an angle but will wedge against the lost post when a pull on the string tries to straighten it out.
This method might be used to 'hook' the bottom edge of the post but if you think about it that's probably butting up against the BB so there will be no lip to get a purchase on.
If the method almost works then glue some sandpaper to the elbow/ long arm of the thingy-wotsit.
-- Peter Fox Beer, dancing, cycling and lots more at www.eminent.demon.co.uk
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
How about...
Some stiff wire, like a wire coat-hanger, straighten out a length that'll reach down inside the seat tube plus about another 4 - 5 inches. With a pair of pliers bend-back about 1 inch to form a sort of v-shaped hook, to be a spring-fit inside the seat tube. Bend the other end round to form a handle. Push the hook end down the seat tube - the hook should spring open a bit, like a barb, when it gets past the bottom of the tube - then tug on the handle end. :-)
I have a mountain bike that the seat post is dropped down the frame and I can't get it out by tipping the bike up. Any ideas how to get the thing out?
I can't push it out from the crank obviously as the line of access is blocked. And I can't get anything down the tube that will hook onto the thing. It's hard to imagine anything past some sort of home made scissor design. But even if it could be made, I don't have the facility.
Some sort of hook on a longish bar I suppose but do I have to take the crank out? Yes I know I aught to do that anyway and probably would if it wasn't an old tatty thing and I was really keen on cycling.
How about...
Some stiff wire, like a wire coat-hanger, straighten out a length that'll reach down inside the seat tube plus about another 4 - 5 inches. With a pair of pliers bend-back about 1 inch to form a sort of v-shaped hook, to be a spring-fit inside the seat tube. Bend the other end round to form a handle. Push the hook end down the seat tube - the hook should spring open a bit, like a barb, when it gets past the bottom of the tube - then tug on the handle end. :-)
Just a random thought to add to the bunch....
How about a broomstick with some rag wrapped round the end With the frame on its side wedge that into the seat post - not too tightly - and see if it will pull out a bit It might get the post far enough up the tube before it pulls out so that one of the other hook methods has a chance to get past the post and hook onto the end of it
Or tell the Police that you got it on eBay from some kiddie in Afghanistan and there seems to be "something" stuck inside the frame - they'll be happy to help :-)
Or tell the Police that you got it on eBay from some kiddie in Afghanistan and there seems to be "something" stuck inside the frame - they'll be happy to help :-)
If you do that I think they'll give you the bike back in a zillion little sooty pieces!
