The Persuader

I bought an old Specialized Stumperjumper frame with the aim of building a pub-bike, a lock-up-and-not-worry-about-it-getting-nicked bike. The patches of rust, let's call them patina, dissuading would be thieves. Another name for the bike could be the-bike-that-never-gets-built bike. I never do quite get round to building it.

The frame arrived with a seat post, seat clamp, headset, stem, and bottom bracket in place.  All, bar the bottom bracket, were removed with ease. The bottom bracket required a little more coercion, to say the least. Bottom bracket tool with a standard length spanner - no joy. A dose of penetrating oil - no joy. Soak in sodium hydroxide solution - to react away the aluminium bottom bracket and leave the steel frame untouched - no joy.

The non-drive side cup was eventually removed by clamping the bottom bracket tool in a vice and using the frame as a lever. The drive-side though still wouldn't budge using this method.  A new tool for the workshop was required - The Persuader (a.k.a a 5 foot length of scaffolding). How it came into my possession, we'll gloss over, but it may have been the case that some building work at my place of employment helped.

The Persuader

The frame was strapped to a lab bench and my colleague Craig held a bottom bracket tool with a handle in place. The Persuader was slipped over the end of the tool and with the easiest of pushes the bottom bracket came out. A perfect illustration of moments - I should have recorded the event for the Physics Department.

There was fair bit of corrosion in the shell but once chased out, the threads looked good as new and ready for a bike build that still hasn't happened.

Just need to build the bike now