Figured out a weird trick for stuck seatposts last month

River Walker · 2026-03-18T00:55:05.530975+00:00

Had a steel frame with an aluminum post that was totally seized, the usual heat and penetrating oil did nothing. On a whim, I put the whole frame in the freezer overnight, then hit the seat tube with a heat gun for 30 seconds the next morning. The post twisted out with way less force than I expected. Has anyone else tried this temperature shock method on something besides seatposts?

the_sean6mo ago

Wait, isn't a bottom bracket usually steel in a steel frame? How does the temperature trick work if both parts are the same metal?

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rileyl987mo ago

Nice! I've used the freezer trick on a stuck stem before. It worked like a charm when nothing else would budge. Temperature shock is a solid last resort for sure.

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benk267mo ago

My buddy did that on a seized bottom bracket.

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