The Worst Job I Ever Had ...

[Canuk]

The worst job I ever had (apart from the removing of lobsters from Jane Russell's unmentionables) was getting this seat post out of a very lovely Alex Singer. Normally I wouldn't touch a bike with a 'tige de selle coincer', but it was too nice a bike to let rot in the squalid cellar I found it in. Humidity was already having a proper go at every bare part of the bike. There are dozens of ways to remove a seat post (my old lbs had a handmade hydraulic extractor), but I went for the traditional method. Not a good idea.

After much baking soda, blowtorching, swearing, Belgian beer and hacksawing, 8 hours later it was eventually freed. Nowadays I take enough tools to every potential bike purchase to wiggle the saddle about a bit before I hand over readies.

Never again I say. Well, maybe never again...

 

[Canuk]

Sanding down a Milremo stem from 22.2mm to 22mm to fit in a French frame. Orrible job.

 

[vtwinvince]

Removing a frozen stem from a Benotto 3000 fork, finally had to soak it in acid for two days to dissolve it.

 

[Canuk]

Removing a frozen stem from a Benotto 3000 fork, finally had to soak it in acid for two days to dissolve it.

I once had to take one to a horizontal borer to drill it out. Not cheap.