Freeing a stuck seat post with easing oil

[bonker]

I'm struggling to free my seat post which has become stuck. I'm really surprised as it's my everyday bike and I only lowered it a few months ago. It's steel on steel, so far I have pulled it about a bit, tapped it with a mallet and loosened the bolt and ridden it. No luck.
Now I have given it a couple of sprays with Halford's own brand easing oil and tapped it a bit but I've no idea how long the oil should take to work or how best to help it get in.

Any other tips on using the oil or otherwise? Nothing drastic please.

 

[derrick]

Lots of ways on Youtube

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLZ9Ojtr80

 

[RegG]

I had this problem with a bike I was restoring for my partners son. I ended up, having tried all sorts of lubricating oils etc, putting the seat post in a bench vice and twisting the frame to loosen it off and remove it. This method took just a couple of minutes but the seat post needed replacing!

 

[Cycleops]

RJ is pretty good and has several other videos on this.
You can put it in a vice and use a bit of force but you run the risk of destroying the frame if you use too much.
Nothing extra to add but don't overdo it!
Some use coca cola.

 

[Milkfloat]

I destroyed a frame a few months ago by being too brutal. I had tried, freezing, penetrating oil and cutting, like you the seat post had only been in a few months and had been greased. Good luck.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Pffft, can't be anywhere near as challenging as unplugging a bottle of Sarson's vinegar.

 

[Kempstonian]

RJ is pretty good and has several other videos on this.
You can put it in a vice and use a bit of force but you run the risk of destroying the frame if you use too much.
Nothing extra to add but don't overdo it!
Some use coca cola.

RJ tried the Coca Cola method and it didn't work.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiePnfdpIQA


This did work though:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ek2GeZzE0


MonkeyShred has some ideas:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy44e5J9xsw

I know that one was for a seized stem but the methods should work on a seatpost too.

 

[Globalti]

The OP writes that it's steel in steel so cola won't work even if it works on aluminium (which I doubt). No amount of penetrating oil will work because the unprotected steel inside the frame has rusted and iron oxide takes up more space than iron.

I'd go for twisting the frame with the post held in a bench vice. If you can add an upwards pull using a ceiling beam and a pully and big weight or a large ratchet strap that ought to help.

 

[raleighnut]

Steel post in a steel frame should come out with Oil/WD40 pretty easy, just use plenty of it and keep jiggling it, the best lever is the saddle itself.

Oh and BTW when refitting it don't use grease, you want Vaseline/Petroleum jelly which doesn't contain Soap.

 

[Globalti]

Or treat yourself to a carbon post. Can still get stuck in a steel frame though if the frame rusts inside.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Put the bike in a vice, gripped by the saddle. Use the bike as a lever.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Or treat yourself to a carbon post. Can still get stuck in a steel frame though if the frame rusts inside.

The thing with a carbon post is that if it does get totally jammed, it’s far easier to break it apart and pull it out in bits.

 

[Racing roadkill]

If you can get some liquid Nitogen. Pour that down the seat post, then shatter it with a mallet.

 

[Globalti]

Now you're being silly.

 

[Slick]

Couldn't really be bothered reading any other suggestion that wasn't plus gas. Worked a treat for me earlier in the year.