Today I decided to put 110’s on my Coker, just for fun and to see what they were like. After swapping everything over, I ran outside and gave it a try. Nice and smooth, definitely noticeable loss of control and waaay faster on the cruise, if a bit terrifying coming down hills.
Anyhow, after I’d ridden for about a minute it became apparent I needed to raise my seat to accommodate the new pedals. Out comes the wrench, undo all the bolts on my seatpost clamp, wrestle with it a bit, and no dice. Off comes the computer, rear flasher, and still no dice. All the winter riding I’ve done (basically nonstop since the salt truck started making its rounds…) has rusted my post firmly into place.
Anyone know how I could get the post out? It’s firmly encrusted in grime, and I’m going to need to raise it soon whether I keep the 110s or no since there’s a much lower seat on the way. New frame isn’t an option since it’s a custom magura-mount enabled powdercoated coker frame. I’ve tried everything I can with a hammer to try and loosen it, as well as running it under warm and cold water… everything!
If anyone has any ideas, let me know. not riding sucks bigtime.
Is it a steel seatpost in a steel frame?
That would most likely be due to rust. Dripping penetrating oil, like WD-40, all around the top and bottom of the seatpost and frame should loosen it up.
Here’s Sheldon Brown’s tips on unsticking a stuck seatpost:
I guess you’ve done this already, but if the clamp can move up the seatpost, so it isn’t on the frame at all that often makes it all a little bit easier.
If it’s a normal 4 bolt seatpost, I’ve had them out by clamping the top in a vice/vise, and twisting the frame/wheel to loosen it. The sides of the coker wheel make for a jolly big lever. You need to take the seat off for this one (unless you have a super big vice maybe). If you don’t have a vice, turning the unicycle upside down, standing on the bottom of the seat (lean against a wall while you do this) and then twisting the unicycle, can get almost the same leverage, although at some risk to your seat.
Don’t do this if it’s something like a KH rail adapter post, where the top is a separate part glued in, as you can make the glue come undone.
Liquid wrench or wd40, put it in the sun. Next day, spray it again, and beat it cheerfully with a plastic hammer. Repeat day by day . The sun part and the beating help break down the corrosive sticksion bond. Patience. It can take a week for the oil to soak all the way in.
I would suggest graphite easing oil, it’s very thin for penetrating in to joints and highly lubricating. It’s my top tip for getting rusted bolts loose and other stuck stuff.
ehehe everyone stop fighting on your favourite oil… i think we can just go for oil will do fine…
but graphite easing oil is probs best. That stuff is amazing… i put some on a sash clamp of a mates in tech and the thing slid off… it was harsh but funny
