Cross threaded bolt in bottle cage mount

Lincoln Imp

When I was tightening a bolt on my bottle cage mount somehow I ended up cross threading the bolt. The result is that the mounting also came loose so it's now practically impossible to unsrew the bolt as it just goes round and round. A couple of bike shops in London have looked at it and can't get the bolt out. Is there any way of getting it out without damaging the frame?

My bike is a Specialized Allez Elite (2005).

I really can't live without a two bottle cages. Help!

graemetherunner

lots of different ways!

use a hack saw to cut the bolt as close to the frame as possible then screw bolt into frame - this will leave a bit of bolt in the frame until you take out B/B & remove it.

pull up on the cage while unscrewing (take care) may get the bolt on a ok bit of thread, but you might mess the frame up if not carefull.

if all fails & you mess the frame up you can drill out the broken boss & replace it with a pop rivet bottle boss (as used on many alloy frames a standard - are yours welded?)

Rob Sallnow

This is quite easy to sort out normally, though I don't know if the cross threading will complicate matters. a mount on my Ti Colnago came loose from the frame and the bolt would just go round and round without tightening or loosening You need pliers to hold the mount whilst you unscrew the bolt. When it comes to putting the cage back on you put a washer around the mount so that the mount sits below the level of the washer. The bottle cage rests on the washer and the bolt pulls the mount on to the inside of the frame and the bolt will tighten. I sholud point out that my mount broke in such a way that removing the bolt did not send the mount on a freefall down to the bottom bracket....as you losen your you will be able to tell if yours is the same by how far you can push the half removed boltt ion to the frame.

nicklouse

the mounts are call rivnuts and a lot of LBS's (and sheet metal workers) will havd a rivnut setter (looks like a pop riviter.

Lincoln Imp

I think the cross threading has complicated matters - at least according to the learned folk at Evans and Cycle Surgery. It's not covered by the Specialized warranty either.

I think a solution will involve force which may damage the relatively thin walls of the alu frame.

I think they are pot rivet bottle bosses - not sure if welded.

Rob Sallnow

Well I only said that because when it happened to be I thought I had crossthreaded and stripped mine and had visions of being stuck with one bottle as it was on my deep section down tube of a Colnago Ovaltitan....a 1970s style bottle cage clip was out of the question.

Is the bolt not at 90 degrees to the mount?

Lincoln Imp

Yep that's my fear. I'm pretty sure that it is cross threaded because it's wonky when it's turned. My is on the down tube too.