http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Reynolds 531 tubes - seatpost en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:45:43 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27609 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:26:04 +0000 kaputnik 27609@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Sorted!</strong></p> <p>Sawed down a 27.2, pryed open the clamp a bit with a flathead screwdriver and leaned on the saddle with my bodyweight as I spun it slowly and it went in smoothly.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaputniq/5554067868/"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5554067868_a77512cea9.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaputniq/5554067868/">Birth of a Bicycle</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27500 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:39:47 +0000 kaputnik 27500@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Um I dunno. It was a piece of steel rod with stepped chamfering on the way down that you dropped into the tube until it rested and read off a scale?</p> <p>It's a 1997 531 competition frame. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27499 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:36:08 +0000 chdot 27499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Well the seatpost gauge in TBW measured it as a 27.0"</p> <p>531 plain gauge(?)</p> <p>Or old?</p> <p><a href="http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&amp;t=44266&amp;start=0" rel="nofollow">http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&amp;t=44266&amp;start=0</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27498 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:29:05 +0000 kaputnik 27498@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well the seatpost gauge in TBW measured it as a 27.0! Managed to return my 26.2 at least... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27404 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:05:33 +0000 kaputnik 27404@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Just remember to grease it! </em></p> <p>Having just dissasembled the STI cable stops on the tourer, EBC could take note of this piece of advice. Still trying to get one of them to move thanks to alloy-on-steel corrosion siezing the barrel adjuster solid. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27369 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:18:59 +0000 chdot 27369@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"leave a palm's width of post in the frame i.e. 4 inches?"</p> <p>Good enough advice, </p> <p>'These day's very long seatposts are common because of MTBs with sloping top tubes so it's easier to use frames that are 'too small'. </p> <p>Of course we are now in the realms of aesthetics as well as practicalities like length of top tubes and stem sizes for the type if riding you like. </p> <p>Whatever suits/fits. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27366 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:11:26 +0000 kaputnik 27366@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for all the tips. I was going to saw down the end of the post anyway, but was told by a mechanic once to leave a palm's width of post in the frame i.e. 4 inches? </p> <p>I'm pretty sure the frame has been built up and then sat in a shop window for the last 15 years, judging by the condition of the bottom bracket and the dropouts at least (and having seen a photo of it on ebay). I did find the manufacturer's cardboard frame tag stuck in the bottom of the seat tube when I was inspecting it, which was rather cool. Half covered in paint spray that matches the frame. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27364 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:03:00 +0000 chdot 27364@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>With posts measured to .2 of a millimetre 'perfection' is necessary - but - it also depends on the wonders of Reynolds (usually pretty impressive). </p> <p>If your post is getting stuck then obviously there is a problem with the tube. <em>Could</em> be original manufacturing - more likely to be a small 'fall over' knock - or an imperfectly fitted bottle cage boss. </p> <p>Of course you shouldn't need 4" of seatpost in the frame - unless it's really too small and there is a lot out of the frame. </p> <p>If seatpost sticks that far in, might be worth reducing diameter towards tip by rubbing with sandpaper - alloy really quite soft. </p> <p>Of course it's quite easy to get alloy seatposts to stick in steel frames PERMANENTLY - not good - so use plenty of grease. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27361 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:56:32 +0000 kaputnik 27361@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always grease thoroughly before insertion. They taught us that in school. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27360 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:55:39 +0000 Smudge 27360@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Anth, Don't be ridiculous, that'd ruin the tea!</p> <p>;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27358 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:53:55 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 27358@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just remember to grease it! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27353 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:47:45 +0000 kaputnik 27353@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok well I've managed to test-fit the old 27.2mm post down it by spinning it in with the saddle as a lever (no mallets were used in the insertion of this seatpost). I'll see if I can swapsy the post tomorrow for another 27.2, as it was too small it's not scored or damaged in any way. I will then just be persistent with my insertion techniques. If I can't return it, I'll try the tin solution. That way I at least get a beer out of it :)</p> <p>P.S. I'm on my second giant mug of problem-solving tea on this one! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27350 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:40:20 +0000 chdot 27350@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Assuming it's butted 531, 27.2 is correct. </p> <p>Scratching is probably due to a slightly bent lug - perhaps because it's previously been used to hold an undersized seatpost...</p> <p>Smudge has the answer if you don't have the right size of sp. </p> <p>(Other beverage recepticals are suitable.)</p> <p>Tin snips maybe replaced by scissors. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27349 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:35:13 +0000 Smudge 27349@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sounds like a friends which seems to be a vintage "inbetweenie"(tech term) size.</p> <p>My only advice (and you may like the first bit...) is to open a can of beer, drink it, then rinse out the can and take the tin snips to it, you should be able to make a nice long thin alloy shim to take up the slop.</p> <p>and if it doesn't work at least you got a beer out of it! ;-)</p> <p>Edited to add, I'm not a fan of mallets unless there is no option. Far better to have a brew, think about it and try and come up with a non-violent option. After all, you're not against the clock like a pro mechanic, you can afford the luxury of looking for a more elegant solution :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2574#post-27348 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:31:03 +0000 kaputnik 27348@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So all I need to finish building my audax bike is a nice new seatpost in shiny plain metal. So I bought a 27.2mm one because I had test-inserted a crappy old one I have and that seemed to fit. Only the 27.2mm one I bought jammed about 4 inches in and scored badly on the way out, meaning it has been disposed of on eBay for a £9 discount. So today I picked up a 26.2mm one and it seems to be rattling about!? I've tightened the clamp and although it's "snug" now, it's easily spinable and I'm sure if I sat on it that it would sink straight into the seat tube...</p> <p>So was the first one just needing a bit of mallet action to get it to go home or should I tighten the clamp a lot more, on the new one (but that would cause the clamp to begin to bend - can you do this with steel?)</p> <p>At a bit of a loss...</p> <p>Edit - just checked Sheldon's database and it says "Dawes Audax 1997 27.2". So I just need to see if I can return my 26.2 for a 27.2 and whack it in with a mallet? </p>