the_betty•24d agoProlific Poster

A customer's old Raleigh three-speed taught me about vinegar

Had a guy bring in a 1970s Raleigh with a seized seatpost that wouldn't budge after three days of soaking in PB Blaster. As a last resort, I filled the seat tube with plain white vinegar and left it for 48 hours. The thing twisted out with almost no effort, and the frame was fine. Has anyone else had a stubborn part that only gave up to a household product?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma30324d ago

Yeah, vinegar is great for rust, but calling it a "household product" is a bit of a stretch for this use. It's a mild acid, and leaving it in a frame tube for two days is basically a chemical process. For something less involved, like a rusty chain, I've had good luck with a coke soak, which is also acidic but maybe a bit safer to mess with. You just don't want to get in the habit of using food stuff on bike parts without knowing what you're doing.

emery_craig24d ago

Vinegar is weirdly good for that stuff.

black.mark5d ago

Two days of vinegar in the frame tube? That's a serious gamble, man. I'd be terrified of eating through the metal and ruining a classic bike.