help with overly long water bottle cage bolts
03-25-09, 02:23 PM
#1
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help with overly long water bottle cage bolts
Hi!
I ordered two sets of bottle cage bolts from an eBay seller. After they arrived I tried to install them on my mtn bike and ran into a snag--they won't thread all the way in. I am wondering why.
I'd like to have bolts mounted to prevent water and junk from getting in my frame, but I don't want to mount cages. The bolts I ordered are about a third over longer than bolts I have on all my other bikes......are they bottoming out onto an unthreaded portion of the tube or is that even possible? The amount that they stick out is basically the same as the difference in length with my other bolts (and, too much space to securely mount any of the all-aluminum bottle cages I have). Did I buy something shady? Or are there longer bolts used on other bikes out there and I just happened to find them instead of ones that would work on mine?
I ordered two sets of bottle cage bolts from an eBay seller. After they arrived I tried to install them on my mtn bike and ran into a snag--they won't thread all the way in. I am wondering why.
I'd like to have bolts mounted to prevent water and junk from getting in my frame, but I don't want to mount cages. The bolts I ordered are about a third over longer than bolts I have on all my other bikes......are they bottoming out onto an unthreaded portion of the tube or is that even possible? The amount that they stick out is basically the same as the difference in length with my other bolts (and, too much space to securely mount any of the all-aluminum bottle cages I have). Did I buy something shady? Or are there longer bolts used on other bikes out there and I just happened to find them instead of ones that would work on mine?
03-25-09, 02:33 PM
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there are more than a few lengths of M5 screws.
add a washer, cut down the bolts, what's the big deal?
add a washer, cut down the bolts, what's the big deal?
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
03-25-09, 02:36 PM
#3
Licensed Bike Geek
Hi!
I ordered two sets of bottle cage bolts from an eBay seller. After they arrived I tried to install them on my mtn bike and ran into a snag--they won't thread all the way in. I am wondering why.
I'd like to have bolts mounted to prevent water and junk from getting in my frame, but I don't want to mount cages. The bolts I ordered are about a third over longer than bolts I have on all my other bikes......are they bottoming out onto an unthreaded portion of the tube or is that even possible? The amount that they stick out is basically the same as the difference in length with my other bolts (and, too much space to securely mount any of the all-aluminum bottle cages I have). Did I buy something shady? Or are there longer bolts used on other bikes out there and I just happened to find them instead of ones that would work on mine?
I ordered two sets of bottle cage bolts from an eBay seller. After they arrived I tried to install them on my mtn bike and ran into a snag--they won't thread all the way in. I am wondering why.
I'd like to have bolts mounted to prevent water and junk from getting in my frame, but I don't want to mount cages. The bolts I ordered are about a third over longer than bolts I have on all my other bikes......are they bottoming out onto an unthreaded portion of the tube or is that even possible? The amount that they stick out is basically the same as the difference in length with my other bolts (and, too much space to securely mount any of the all-aluminum bottle cages I have). Did I buy something shady? Or are there longer bolts used on other bikes out there and I just happened to find them instead of ones that would work on mine?
03-25-09, 02:38 PM
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There is nothing special about water bottle cage bolts that you'd need to order them from a bike parts seller. They are a metric M5 bolt, most often in a round head with hex drive (allen wrench). Go to nearly any hardware store and they should stock a few different variety of M5 bolts in various lengths. Just be sure to get stainless steel if you can.
03-25-09, 02:42 PM
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Wow. You seriously never thought about taking one off of another bike and going to a hardware store to get a matching bolt?
03-25-09, 02:56 PM
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don't be too harsh on the guy. but yeah, it's pretty strange to buy bottle-cage bolts on eBay, unless he was already buying other stuff from the same seller, which is certainly possible.
as to what-to-do-now, keep the bolts (they're a common threading) and buy some shorter ones with the same threading at a local hardware store or bike shop. very cheap.
as to what-to-do-now, keep the bolts (they're a common threading) and buy some shorter ones with the same threading at a local hardware store or bike shop. very cheap.
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"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
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03-25-09, 03:19 PM
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+1 Four people piled right up on our friend nate. Not nice.
I was curious about 'Ebay bolts', so I looked over there and, by golly, there are some breathtakingly beautiful cage bolts there!
I was curious about 'Ebay bolts', so I looked over there and, by golly, there are some breathtakingly beautiful cage bolts there!
03-25-09, 03:22 PM
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Why not take out the shorter bolts from another bike that you are using for a pump or bottle cage and trade them out?
03-25-09, 03:48 PM
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in my choice, I'd prefer stainless steel bolts if possible.
pick some, and keep a stash of em in a small parts organizer (bin)
along with some washer of various types, nylon, SS
you'll be using a bunch of them in your Bike Practice
heck-a-super common for fenders, racks, etc...
if at all the choice, pick stainless steel, cuz they don't rust, and you might use the same bolts over and over thru the years.
hilarious huh?
seriously tho. when i strip down a frame, send it out for paint, sell it, whatever... i almost always remove the bolts and toss them back into my bin-o-parts
pick some, and keep a stash of em in a small parts organizer (bin)
along with some washer of various types, nylon, SS
you'll be using a bunch of them in your Bike Practice
heck-a-super common for fenders, racks, etc...
if at all the choice, pick stainless steel, cuz they don't rust, and you might use the same bolts over and over thru the years.
hilarious huh?
seriously tho. when i strip down a frame, send it out for paint, sell it, whatever... i almost always remove the bolts and toss them back into my bin-o-parts
03-25-09, 04:10 PM
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a) Round out the hex head while trying to unscrew it. (Especially important on button-head bolts which have a smaller hex opening.)
b) Snap off a head.
03-25-09, 04:48 PM
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I gave a straight answer of possible solutions, I don't see why you think my post was harsh.
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
03-25-09, 04:54 PM
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Thanks you guys 
I should have been more specific----I got two sets of colorfully anodized water bottle cage bolts for a vintage (1993) mountain bike build. HomeDepot didn't have 3DViolet M5 bolts in stock
ugh, I will probably just cut them down or find an appropriate spacer.
I should have been more specific----I got two sets of colorfully anodized water bottle cage bolts for a vintage (1993) mountain bike build. HomeDepot didn't have 3DViolet M5 bolts in stock
ugh, I will probably just cut them down or find an appropriate spacer.
03-25-09, 04:55 PM
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03-25-09, 04:58 PM
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you should be able to pickup a metal cutting saw (fine teeth) from tokyu hands.
if it's anodized, it's probably aluminum and those are very easy to cut down.
just clamp it in a vice grip, but be sure to wrap a towel or something soft around the clamping point to reduce slip and scratching.
if it's anodized, it's probably aluminum and those are very easy to cut down.
just clamp it in a vice grip, but be sure to wrap a towel or something soft around the clamping point to reduce slip and scratching.
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
03-25-09, 05:00 PM
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>still not in Tokyo
But yes, Tokyu Hands is the go-to store for everything. heck, they are aluminum. I'll use my teeth.
also, as per the original question, I figured out why. pretty obvious I suppose--the bottle bosses have a box inside the tube. the bolts were long enough to bottom out before they were fully inserted.
But yes, Tokyu Hands is the go-to store for everything. heck, they are aluminum. I'll use my teeth.
also, as per the original question, I figured out why. pretty obvious I suppose--the bottle bosses have a box inside the tube. the bolts were long enough to bottom out before they were fully inserted.
03-25-09, 05:13 PM
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Be sure to use some type of anti-seize compound on the threads so they don't get stuck. Aluminum bolts are pretty cheesy.
I load up on a variety of sizes of stainless steel M5 allen head socket bolts for this service. I buy them at a bolt supply house, so they are cheap, much cheaper than Home Depot. But they don't come in colors.
I load up on a variety of sizes of stainless steel M5 allen head socket bolts for this service. I buy them at a bolt supply house, so they are cheap, much cheaper than Home Depot. But they don't come in colors.
03-25-09, 07:01 PM
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03-25-09, 07:18 PM
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put a nut on them before you cut them - removing the nut will help clean up the threads
03-25-09, 08:07 PM
#20
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Meh, put two nuts on it, clamp in vise, and use a Dremmel with cutoff wheel. Then file a chamfer on the cut end.
Last edited by f4rrest; 03-25-09 at 08:07 PM. Reason: typo
