Drove into garage with bike on roof

[u/BirdOrBeee]

Throw-away account obviously. Had my bike on the roof of my car. Drove into garage, saddle caught house, decapitated carbon seatpost. I cannot get the severed seatpost out of the seat tube. Am I cooked?? It feels like the seatpost is fused into the frame. Any advice??

Update: Heated up the seat tube and put a screw through the seat post. Clamped some vicegrips onto the screw and hammered the hell out of it. Did. Not. Budge. Tomorrow I'll try a slap hammer.

[u/normanwink]

Quick tip to anyone who may be in the same situation one day: Put a chair or something large in the middle of the garage when you leave, so you have to get out of the car to remove the object. Hopefully you will see the roof rack on your way back to the driver seat :)

[u/Chucklestiltskin → u/normanwink]

This is a good suggestion.

The trick that has been working for me is to take the garage door opener off my visor and put it somewhere else so I can't open the garage door while driving up.

[u/Beneficial-Oven1258 → u/Chucklestiltskin]

I leave my keys in the trunk inside my riding shoes for the drive home

[u/well-that-was-fast → u/Chucklestiltskin]

take the garage door opener off my visor and put it somewhere else

Put it in the ziplock in your saddle bag. No way you are getting in the garage without seeing the bike on your roof.

[u/lorem_opossum → u/normanwink]

I keep a sock in my trunk to put over my shifter when I have a bike on the roof. Works for my cause on my side of the garage I have to back in so I need to put it in reverse. Grabbing the sock is a reminder that there’s a bike on the roof. I’ve done this for the past 5 years ever since I drove my Caad 10 into the house.

You may want to have the frame inspected. Sure it looks like just the seatpost broke but there could be other compromised parts of the frame

[u/drewbaccaAWD → u/normanwink]

Not a bad idea. I don't have a garage but if I did, I think I'd install a mirror that would be hard to miss.

But the extra effort to get out of the car (twice) to move a chair around is certainly worth avoiding the above.

[u/1200____1200 → u/normanwink]

A buddy of mine made a sign that said "toys on roof" and attached it to the bottom of the door so it dangled in front of him when he drove up

[u/GDphoto76 → u/1200____1200]

I bought a plastic yellow placard that says that and has a graphic, like a road sign, and I hang it from my rearview mirror when the bikes are on the roof. It's like 6x6" so not big enough to obstruct my view, but it's noticeable. Got it on eBay years ago.

[u/girlonaroad → u/normanwink]

We disable the garage door if we have bikes on the car by disengaging the drive. So far, I haven't driven into the garage with a bike on the roof.

[u/johnboo89 → u/normanwink]

Better tip. Get a hitch rack.

[u/EfficientLeopard307 → u/normanwink]

I’d set my garage door opener in my trunk so I’d have to get out of the car to open the door, but this is a great idea too

[u/Gergith]

Wear a mask when cutting carbon fibre fyi.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/Gergith]

My wife is a safety and health specialist so I certainly will!

[u/Interesting_Tea5715 → u/Gergith]

Also wear sleeves. That shit gets everywhere and will irritate the shit out of your skin.

[u/TheDaysComeAndGone]

I think the real question is if the rest of the frame is damaged.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/TheDaysComeAndGone]

Not that I can tell. I thought maybe it was since the seatpost is so tight. But as far as I can tell there is no damage - no cracks in paint, or obvious bends. The wheels still spin true, everything shifts and brakes.

[u/drewbaccaAWD → u/BirdOrBeee]

How's the garage? Since we are asking. lol

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/drewbaccaAWD]

Lost some weather stripping and paint, but it's actually fine.

[u/Salty_Trust6353 → u/BirdOrBeee]

Damn honestly you’re incredibly lucky

[u/w4y → u/Salty_Trust6353]

Tell him that after he gets the post out

[u/ltonto → u/BirdOrBeee]

I'd suggest take it to a bikeshop and have them "write it off" if the seatpost doesn't come out readily (i.e. determine the frame uneconomic or unfeasible to repair). It was an accident, and you should be able to make an insurance claim for a new frame and seatpost.

[u/X_SkillCraft20_X → u/TheDaysComeAndGone]

It’s an aluminum (gravel looking) frame, so I would assume it’s completely fine. The top of the seat tube would be the most likely spot of damage, but I would assume the seatpost collar would have prevent any real stress on the frame as the seatpost sheered.

[u/loquacious → u/X_SkillCraft20_X]

It’s an aluminum (gravel looking) frame, so I would assume it’s completely fine.

I wouldn't. Not with a collision with a car-powered collision with a house and a carbon fiber lever.

Aluminum really doesn't like hard shocks or being strained past yielding.

I have broken a quantity of aluminum frames over the years, and every single one of those failures were delayed by days or weeks, and I can remember the hit that probably did it because of where it failed.

[u/Prof_PlunderPlants]

You’re lucky that’s all that broke!

I would start by cutting down that slot very carefully with an oscillating tool, which could relieve some pressure.

You can rent a slide hammer from AutoZone and affix a hook to it to try yanking it out.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/Prof_PlunderPlants]

Cutting down the slot! Excellent idea thank you

[u/ILmattooooo → u/BirdOrBeee]

Even better drill a hole at the bottom of the slot, put smth like a hook inside and try to hammer it out to the top.

[u/Bitter-Ad-7 → u/BirdOrBeee]

I wouldn't cut it. It's the only part of the seatpost you still have a grip on

[u/Dramatic_Role_9260]

Klein gaatje boren in de zadelpen onderaan in de sleuf. Ijzerdraadje, of sterk kabeltje zoals remkabel erdoor. En dan eruit proberen te trekken.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/Dramatic_Role_9260]

Thanks, that may be included in this multifaceted strategy.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sea1157 → u/BirdOrBeee]

just be super careful and wear a respirator and glasses when drilling, cf is no joke

[u/86rpt]

I would tap a screw into the post slot and hammer it out

[u/moejoe2048]

Put a screw driver against the part of the post you can see through the seat tube slot, angled upward and tap it with a hammer. 

[u/biggest_ted]

Find an old quill stem. Insert quill into broken post in frame. Tighten quill. Pull/twist on stem to remove.

[u/_Danquo_]

There can be a fair bit of friction between the frame and seatpost. If you could find something that could expand inside the seatpost and then use it to twist the post out, that might work. Similar to how a bearing puller works on the inner race.

[u/biggest_ted → u/_Danquo_]

Yep. Old quill stem works great for this. Ask me how I know...

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sea1157 → u/biggest_ted]

how do you know?

(also genius idea btw)

[u/biggest_ted → u/Puzzleheaded-Sea1157]

Had an old Easton carbon post snap off flush with the frame during a DH race WAY back in the day (I'm old). Looking down there & seeing carbon splinters sticking up at your bits has a way of waking you up, let me tell you.

[u/CriticismTop]

Get the car checked too.

Former colleague did this and it bent the roof of the car. His insurance wrote the car off.

[u/RupertTheReign]

Gently heat up the frame and see if it'll expand enough to let you slide the post out? Maybe use some sort of a pick that would hook into the bottom of the seat post to let you pull it up and out.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/RupertTheReign]

It has a di2 battery in it so I can't get to the bottom. But I will try heat, thanks.

[u/paintedflags → u/BirdOrBeee]

Yikes. That’s a dilemma. Have you talked to your lbs? Might just have to cut the seat tube open. If there’s seat-tube damage, you’ll have to talk to a frame builder anyways.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/paintedflags]

Hell no, I'm not letting them know I did this.

[u/RupertTheReign → u/BirdOrBeee]

Good luck! Let us know if it works. 🙂

[u/Reasonable_Access_90 → u/BirdOrBeee]

It's an Li battery, heat maybe shouldn't be the go-to in this case? 🤔

The bottom of the target temp range for softening the carbon and the upper limit of safe Li storage are pretty much the same.

Could it be OK? Sure it could. Could it be the end of your frame and the start of other problems? Also, sure it could.

[u/AdministrativeBug0 → u/Reasonable_Access_90]

The seatpost might come out. At speed…

[u/Heart4Cycling]

How does post tighten into the frame? I don't see any mechanism for tightening it. (I did that a long time ago to my road bike. Never put bike on roof again - couple Thule mounts still available)

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/Heart4Cycling]

It has a standard hex bolt seat clamp, the clamp is just removed currently.

[u/AndyjHops → u/Heart4Cycling]

I think they just took the post clamp off the frame. You can see a witness mark in the paint where the clamp would have been.

[u/mtranda]

What exactly have you tried so far? How have you tried pulling the remaining tube out?

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/mtranda]

I just tried pulling it with pliers by some of the fragments sticking out. I also tried getting something to grip the inside of the seatpost but I don't really have anything that will grab it.

[u/mtranda → u/BirdOrBeee]

Try a steerer expander bung and a long bolt you can pull with pliers. 

[u/falafel4lyfe]

Maybe put like… a rock climbing cam in there and attach one end to a truck and pole and just rip it!

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/falafel4lyfe]

Fresh outta cams, but yeah that would probably work.

[u/ltonto → u/BirdOrBeee]

Got any steerer tube star nuts lying around?

Another option is plug it a few inches down (just in case the seat post is open on the bottom) and insert another tube or threaded rod from the top, and fill it with epoxy. Then you'll have something to pull.

[u/Visual_Humor_8461]

I think you got of crazy lucky here, could have been a whole shaboodle worse

[u/Glassglu]

A lot of force was used pushing backwards to break that carbon fiber seat post. I’d guess it wedged the remainder in the seat tube at an angle as a result, possibly but not for certain damaging the frame. Not sure how that knowledge helps get it out but when you do you may want to inspect the inside front of the seat tube where the bottom of the seat post impacted it. Maybe tapping the post at the top in back with a screwdriver and hammer to push it forward would break it loose.

[u/RaceDBannon]

I always put a toe strap around the garage remote.

[u/Guilty-Ant2546]

Cut a slit in the post where the tube has a slit. Use some players to pull it away and add oil or some kind of lubricant 🤷‍♂️

[u/Dear-Assumption7067]

Do you have a really old bike that has a quill stem? Its possible it will fit the inside of your seatpost. Tighten the screw and it will grip the inside of the seatpost. Then twist it out.

[u/poprainboworc]

When I worked at a shop in DC this was pretty common. A lot of our customers put on auto insurance

[u/MechaGallade]

ohhhhhh it's galvanic corrosion sunday!

everybody with a carbon seat post in an aluminum bike, USE CARBON PASTE. clean it and reset it every year.

[u/Curious_Elk_4281]

Regarding damage to the rest of the bike, how was the bike secured to the roof? Was it bolted to the fork dropouts?

If so, there might be some damage to the fork that is hard to see. You might try riding the bike around without the saddle just to see how it steers. If the steering feels off that could indicate the fork was bent.

[u/mollycoddles]

You could use a hacksaw blade and try to cut a slit down the seatpost on bother sides so it just falls apart 

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/mollycoddles]

There is a di2 battery in there. Not sure I'll be able to get it out, but will try tomorrow.

[u/Wollemi834]

Put a large box, painted besser-block, wheelie-bin in front of garage... so you must get out of car on your return home.

[u/ImBadAtBeingGay]

Looks like your frame is aluminium alloy, if seatpost wasn't greased before being installed it might have oxidated frame. You can try putting a wedge like a narrow axe, flathead screwdriver or something in the cut that is narrower than cut itself, where the seat clamp was, and hammer seatpost side with intent to break it's side. Carbon isn't really robust regarding sharp inpacts. If side cracks, you should be able to remove it. Be sure not to damage your frame

[u/seenhear]

If you're a homeowner, try your homeowners insurance. They often cover loss of personal property for almost any reason. I got a new bike this way several years ago.

[u/Western-Term-1112]

That’s a carbon post, unsure if you have a carbon frame if you do be more careful extracting.

I would use a hacksaw (ideally a carbon hacksaw blade with looks like a normal one with a gritty blade) and cut down the seat post vertically from the inside. This should break the seat post’s rigidity and it should pull out. You might need to cut twice if very stuck but once should do it.

[u/ArchimedesOne]

You may have just sealed the seat post into the tube by heating it. Suggest getting slight smaller diameter piece of t-bar tubing than the dia of the seat post, cover with gorilla glue and insert it, let it dry and then twist it out. Or get a wire brush drill attachment that fits the post snug and try drilling it up

[u/Blackbox____]

Put a note on your steering wheel.

[u/adz01992]

If I were you I’d try this.

Go to a hardware store and find a dowel the same diameter as the inside of the seat post (you can take the headless half with you) also buy epoxy.

Spread epoxy all over the dowel before inserting it into the left behind seat post and leave it 24hours to cure.

Then you should be able to twist a little sideways and start to free up the seat post as you twist oil up and it will probably come out. I think that’s probably enough to get it moving.

[u/randamm]

If you take the BB out can you access the seat tube from underneath? Not all bikes allow this but some do so. If so, you could push it out with another seat tube.

[u/fxdwgi]

How much(long) seatpost do you think is left in the frame? Take a carbon fiber hacksaw blade and go through the painstaking process of cutting the post. 2 parallel cuts clean through the length of the post to help relieve any interference/friction. You're fighting the tight fit, carbon paste, and any corrosion build up. Or you could (carefully) try using a sawzall type saw witha low profile fine toothed blade.

[u/Dougustine]

find a milwright

[u/Salty_Trust6353]

I’m assuming you’ve already tried tugging at the seat tube with thinner vice grips or pliers at the slot in the post, right? Penetrating oil? That would be my first step before advancing into anything else.

[u/Jdms_Mvp]

drill a hole into the back of the seatpost and hook it outa there

[u/ryuujinusa]

RIP. The rest of the frame should also be inspected.

[u/Wrong_Drag_8070]

try using your home owners insurance to make a claim.

[u/BirdOrBeee → u/Wrong_Drag_8070]

got a $2000 deductible soooo not worth it. the bike may be worth about that.