Originally Posted by peripatetic
Kurt,
Interesting thread. I'm wondering, since you refer to it simply in passing, what your particular method was for un-sticking the &**!% seatpost?
Nice work on the soldering, and congrats on the score,
max
The method I used to unstick the seatpost might have been the cause of the stay failure (although I've done it before on 531-framed bikes with no problem):
Take the saddle and saddle clamp out, put the flats of the seatpost (in this case, an SR LaPrade, excellent for vise-work) in a vise.
Install a spare quick-release hub in the dropouts, and fill the seattube full of ammonia.
Begin twisting. The SR posts usually loosen up after the first 12 yanks or so, then it takes about 2 hours before it begins to pull out. Helps to put the seatpost sideways in the vise and have someone pull on the downtube at the same time you spin it.
I've never damaged a frame via this method until the Trek came along. I believe the crack in the brake bridge was always there though.
Take care,
-Kurt