Cracked seat tube, steel frame

[dontlookdown]

A mate of mine has bought an old steel framed road bike from a neighbour. Carlton of prob early 80s vintage.

It looks nice but he knows nothing about bikes and has come a bit of a cropper. I took a peek this am and the seat tube is cracked, just where one of the seat clamp lugs is brazed on. Crack extends to top of tube ca 10mm so the seat will not clamp up as the crack just opens.

Any options to make it rideable? The seat tube does not extend significantly above where the clamp is so putting an extra clamp or jubilee clip on doesn't seem like a goer, because here is nothing much o clamp it to.

[irc]

Tricky. Even a weld repair would be complicated by distorting the seat tube. Any welding might need to be followed by the seat tube getting reamed.

Any repair short of welding may not stand the dress of the seat clamp being tightened.

May be beyond economic repair.

Worth a post with pics on UK cycling forum. There are some knowledgeable people on there including at least one frame designer.

[OutInTheShed]

You might get it TIG welded or brazed.
You could find another frame and swap the bits across.
A true bodger would just drill through the seat post and seat tube and put a small bolt through?

[loskie]

jubilee clip?

[dontlookdown]

loskie said:

jubilee clip?

No room for one sadly. Top of seat tube pretty much flush with the top of the clamp.

[dontlookdown]

OutInTheShed said:

A true bodger would just drill through the seat post and seat tube and put a small bolt through?

As he will probably enlist my help in any fix, I like this idea! A right old bodge but it would work and only take about 10mins to do. He won't be doing any centuries on it.

Edited by dontlookdown on Sunday 12th March 16:16