Not sure which forum is best for this but I wanted to share my experience of yesterday.
I picked up a nice Genesis Equilibrium Disc frame last week, Reynolds 725 and in good condition with forks, headset mech hanger etc. Only one problem...the dreaded aluminium seatpost in steel frame which was well and truly stuck. I have had reasonable success in unsticking these in the past so I thought I would take a punt on this one. But no luck, soaking for days in WD40, shocking with a hammer, post in a bench vice and using the frame as a lever. This thing would not budge. I have drilled out a couple of posts before from old 90s mountain bikes that I'd picked up for a few quid but did not want to chance ruining the frame on this one and I was scared to ruin the paintwork with sodium hydroxide. What to do?
I had heard of some wizard up north who had a jig to remove 99% of stuck posts but with the cost of postage etc it all added up to well in three figures. So I checked further and found a place in Ealing called the London Cycle Workshop that would do it for £80 and it just so happened that I had a delivery to do a few days later in Brentford.
I emailed them to let them know I was coming and to see whether they could do a same day service, they said they would try their best but no guarantees. I dropped the frame off at 10.30 Friday morning and went to meet a friend for a coffee in Ealing Broadway before going to do my delivery in Brentford.
After the coffee and a very nice piece of carrot cake, I was walking back to my car, it was about noon, I thought I might as well pop my head into the bike shop to see how things were going. They had actually just finished it, success! It had been well and truly stuck fast and the resounding bang when it released was impressive (they had helpfully video'd the process.)
I thought it worth sharing with you guys in case you need this service in the future and you happen to live nearer to London than Manchester.
John (no connection other than a very satisfied customer.)
I picked up a nice Genesis Equilibrium Disc frame last week, Reynolds 725 and in good condition with forks, headset mech hanger etc. Only one problem...the dreaded aluminium seatpost in steel frame which was well and truly stuck. I have had reasonable success in unsticking these in the past so I thought I would take a punt on this one. But no luck, soaking for days in WD40, shocking with a hammer, post in a bench vice and using the frame as a lever. This thing would not budge. I have drilled out a couple of posts before from old 90s mountain bikes that I'd picked up for a few quid but did not want to chance ruining the frame on this one and I was scared to ruin the paintwork with sodium hydroxide. What to do?
I had heard of some wizard up north who had a jig to remove 99% of stuck posts but with the cost of postage etc it all added up to well in three figures. So I checked further and found a place in Ealing called the London Cycle Workshop that would do it for £80 and it just so happened that I had a delivery to do a few days later in Brentford.
I emailed them to let them know I was coming and to see whether they could do a same day service, they said they would try their best but no guarantees. I dropped the frame off at 10.30 Friday morning and went to meet a friend for a coffee in Ealing Broadway before going to do my delivery in Brentford.
After the coffee and a very nice piece of carrot cake, I was walking back to my car, it was about noon, I thought I might as well pop my head into the bike shop to see how things were going. They had actually just finished it, success! It had been well and truly stuck fast and the resounding bang when it released was impressive (they had helpfully video'd the process.)
I thought it worth sharing with you guys in case you need this service in the future and you happen to live nearer to London than Manchester.
John (no connection other than a very satisfied customer.)
