Alan frame with stuck seatpost

JasonT

Retro Newbie
I rescued an early 70's Alan from a skip a few years ago, but the seatpost was stuck solid. Eventually got around to looking at it, no amount of soaking with penetrating fluid was shifting it. It also seemed that the seat tube had become debonded from the the upper seat tube lug cluster so the post and seat tube move up and down independently of the frame. This may be due to the previous owners attempts to shift the post, probably with heat.

What are the options? Obvious one seems to be cutting the post off and then slotting the inside of the post to break it up into pieces. But with the debonded joint is it worth it? Can the tube be re-glued back into the cluster?
 
I rescued an early 70's Alan from a skip a few years ago, but the seatpost was stuck solid. Eventually got around to looking at it, no amount of soaking with penetrating fluid was shifting it. It also seemed that the seat tube had become debonded from the the upper seat tube lug cluster so the post and seat tube move up and down independently of the frame. This may be due to the previous owners attempts to shift the post, probably with heat.

What are the options? Obvious one seems to be cutting the post off and then slotting the inside of the post to break it up into pieces. But with the debonded joint is it worth it? Can the tube be re-glued back into the cluster?
Scrap in my opinion sorry :(
 
Do you have access to a saws all/ recirprocating saw?

I had a Rocky Mountain Blizzard, 853 Reynolds tubing. Previous owner looked like he had hammered in the seat post. Problem was that the seat tube of the frame reduced in diameter at the seat clamp to about the upper water bottle bolt hole.

Add electrolysis of 20 years and was stuck solid. I tried everything. Finally just threw a fine tooth, verrrry long metal blade in my saws all and went nice and easy and slow. Checked the depth of the cut often visually and ran a long metal pick along the cut groove to feel how much lip was remaining between the seat post and frame tube, down deep where I couldn't get a visual.

I cut that sucker in two halves. If the radius of the seat tube on your frame is the same diameter throughout, you may get lucky getting the seat post free with one complete cut, penetrating oil then some wiggling. Good luck!
 
Do you have access to a saws all/ recirprocating saw?

I had a Rocky Mountain Blizzard, 853 Reynolds tubing. Previous owner looked like he had hammered in the seat post. Problem was that the seat tube of the frame reduced in diameter at the seat clamp to about the upper water bottle bolt hole.

Add electrolysis of 20 years and was stuck solid. I tried everything. Finally just threw a fine tooth, verrrry long metal blade in my saws all and went nice and easy and slow. Checked the depth of the cut often visually and ran a long metal pick along the cut groove to feel how much lip was remaining between the seat post and frame tube, down deep where I couldn't get a visual.

I cut that sucker in two halves. If the radius of the seat tube on your frame is the same diameter throughout, you may get lucky getting the seat post free with one complete cut, penetrating oil then some wiggling. Good luck!
Getting it out isn't a problem, the frame has come unstuck. It's a bonded frame.
 
Yeah, seriously never try and rescue a bonded frame when it's debonded - it's never going to be worth the potential catastrophic failure and likely injuries. I think you've discoved why it was in a skip in the first place...
 
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