Stuck cork in handlebar?
 

Ok, C&V gang, I figure you all are the folks to ask how to extract a cork from handlebar. Oh no. Ha you thought it was easy one where it was just wedged in and you simply pull it out. Oh no, this one has been pushed into the bar about 2 inches.

Any ideas or experience? Or is it just now a permanent feature of the bar? I was thinking maybe something like this as a hail mary but then I was wondering if there's some sort of plumber's tool or an awl-like thing with a hook.

Thanks for any help.

Get a Long drill bit and drill some holes in it.

Yep, corkscrew is the perfect tool. Imagine....

Leave it in there for vibration attunement, a la the old Bontrager Buzz-kill plugs.

When I worked in a shop, there were a few rabid devotees to those things.

Compressed air from the other end.

If the bike is built with Campagnolo, the cork must be removed with a Campagnolo wine cork


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If it's beyond reach of a corkscrew, use a long wood or sheet metal screw, drilling a pilot hole first if needed.

If you have access to an air compressor, you may be able to use air to blow it out from the other side. I have an old bar end plug with a hole in it that I'll use my blow gun to pressurize the handlebar to blow off grips off the other side. I would think the same technique would work for a cork, unless it is really jammed in there.

Sounds like a great idea.

https://www.bikeforums.net/21970072-post8.html

Needless to say, make sure the exit end is not aimed at anything important... :p

Can you get a long bendy stick like hazel in from the other end and push it out?

Cut off about 3 inches of the bars.

2” inside of the bar end! Just leave it there. Who’s going to know it’s there besides you? I’d think about putting one in the other side too!!

A variation on the air compressor idea could be to stick the nozzle of a water hose in the other end and let it rip.

Put A Cork In It
 

Fill a basin large enough to accommodate the handlebars with a strong solution of Lye, NaOH, Sodium Hydroxide.

Immerse bars, which should promptly dissolve.

Rinse off cork before using, but it should be fine!

With a long drill or awl, or a drill on as extension bar, cut or punch a bunch of holes in it. Then progressively tear it to pieces from the outside.

Worked for me on a cotter pin, using chain saw sharpening files! Should be way easier for a wine cork!

Could also attach a driver of some sort to a flexible tube like an old hand brake outer cable, and try to push from the inner side.

Corkscrew first. Hopefully the cork is wedged tightly enough to get the cork screw inserted.

I know someone who permanently disfigured his face by pressurizing something that was not designed to be a pressure vessel with an air compressor. If you must attempt the pressure thing, use water as Vintage_Cyclist suggested. Domestic water pressure is around 70psi. Inside of handlebar around 20mm. You could get 35lb of force on the end of the cork.

Another thing that might work since the cork is only 2" deep- find something about 1/2" diameter with a square cut end. Glue it to the end of cork (steady... ;)) and pull after glue has set.

That was my solution when one broke off slightly less than flush.

When you do get the cork out, make sure to stick it up inside the bottom of your fork where it belongs.

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Soak with lighter fluid, set on fire, clean out burnt bits.

Hey you could stuff the bar and indeed the whole frame full of corks and have an amphibious bicycle. That would be

a w e s u m

Is that not the old "force a tight-fitting dowel in the steerer to prevent sudden failure" trick?

Wow. Love all the creativity.

It's not hurting anything. It's just sorta annoying me mentally that something isn't quite right. Just mildly bugs me.

Don't think corkscrew will work. It's not wedged enough. I think I'd just push it in farther. In fact I tried it but with one of those 2 pronged ones, hoping to wedge and grip it a bit and it just pushed it farther in. But if I get desperate, I may give it a go with a real corkscrew.

I may try the destroy and chop in small bits. Don't have air compresssor but that's a great idea. Maybe I can borrow one or something.

I was also thinking of getting like a dental pick to see if I can "stick it" and then pull in back out.

KwikSpin+ 1/4 in. x 25 ft. Auger


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