A stripped seatpost bolt had me stuck in a park for an hour

I was doing a quick tune-up in the shop when a customer brought in a bike with a seized seatpost. The 4mm bolt head was completely rounded out. I ended up drilling it out carefully with a left-hand bit, which worked but was nerve-wracking. What's your go-to method for a stripped bolt when you can't just replace the whole part?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey_fox683mo ago

Been there, done that, got the stripped bolt to prove it. Left-hand bits are a lifesaver when they work, but man, the stress of possibly ruining the whole frame. Sometimes a torx bit hammered into the mess can get enough bite to turn it. If all else fails, a tiny easy-out extractor is my last resort before the drill.

murray.grace3mo ago

Ever try a screw extractor kit first? Drilling feels like going nuclear right away.

palmer.zara2mo ago

Drilling feels like going nuclear" haha, love that, but sometimes you gotta bring the big guns when a 4mm bolt decides it's done with life. @casey_fox68 totally nailed it with the torx bit trick, I've saved my bacon more times than I care to admit by just hammering one in and praying to the bike gods. Nothing beats the panic of thinking you're about to trash a frame over a stupid seatpost bolt lol.