FBinNY 

Is the pot calling the kettle black? While I don't believe I've harassed the OP by suggesting he determine the problem, I compare that to your post which seems more focused on attacking me than helping the OP.

Please explain how you, or anyone can help the OP straighten a frame without determining the location and nature of the bend. Actually, don't bother, it was rhetorical.

Back in earlier posts (11 & 15?) I offered specific suggestions to the OP in how to identify his problem (or convince himself that it was OK after all). FWIW I haven't seen any comparable "help" coming from your end.

As for defending myself against your accusations, I don't see the need to. I have 2 signature quotes that apply here, relating to the importance of accurate measurement and proper diagnostics. IMO these are the core of good mechanical practice, so I prefer not to try help "fix" anything until I have a good sense of the problem, and I'll never apologize for "harassing" anyone in an effort to get proper diagnostic information.

Kontact 

I am being critical of most of the posts on this thread, not just yours.

I have already suggested what the OP is seeing, and gave a recommendation for undoing it. The basic idea is that the bike is going to bend at its weak spots, and those same weak spots will yield in the opposite direction when similar forces are applied in the opposite direction.


What I am most confounded by you, in particular, is your statement that the seat tube could in no way be twisted along with a bend, no matter how slight. "Impossible". What an absurd and uninviting statement, precluding further investigation.

Kontact 

And if the OP wants to get some more detailed help measuring the frame, I hope they still feel like asking here. Otherwise mauin1x is welcome to PM me.

FBinNY 

To the OP.

Before you do any more damage (if you've already done any), you really need to make an effort to see where and how it's bent. Earlier I suggested you might use a bubble level to verify whether it's bent. If you need help with exactly that could be done, feel free to ask. Alternatively, here's how you can make a gauge to precisely measure and localize a possible bend.

You'll need a 3" length 2x4 or similar, 3 2" long wood screws, and helpfully, but not necessary, a drill.

Place the 2x4 along the seat tube running from the BB to end, best aligning with the part where the curve ends. Mark those locations, and you'll be putting the screws there as gauges. Drill pilot holes so the screws will go in straight, or just turn them in carefully. Either way, leave about one inch sticking out to clear then seat stays, and adjust to exactly the same length, using a glass table or edge of a door as a gauge. Now, this gauge placed along the tube would make precise 3 point contact on a straight tube, or not if it's bent sideways. (bends within the plane of the bike won't show, but they don't matter).

Once you've used a gauge to measure any bend, please come back for specific suggestions on how you might try to correct it.

Otherwise, feel free to take any advice here, with the understanding that you can't fix anything until you know if and how it's broken.

FBinNY 

I'm sorry, that you have an issue with the concept of "impossible", but I stand my the statement. Read the post (#11) where I explained why and feel free to argue that point, but I won't. In the world of metals and structures, some things are possible, and somethings simply are not. We may disagree on that, and readers are free to read posts and draw their own conclusions.



FWIW, I always assume folks are coming in good faith, and that they are reporting problems as they see them. However, I've seen countless threads where the OP seems distressed about something that 100% normal and OK. Also, while you seem to have issues with folks harassing OPs in efforts to get more or meaningful details, I consider that info fundamental to offering valid advice. Over the years, I've gone wrong more often by advising based on poor info, than by chasing more info.

In this particular case we still have no actionable info about the bend(?) so, IMO, offering help on straightening it, is either pointless or possible counterproductive. In any case, you might take your own advice and focus of helping folks who come here with questions, rather than attacking the posts of others trying to offer answers.

Kontact 

You have your head in a hole if you think I don't offer a considerable amount of direct help to a huge number of people with mechanical and fit problems. You are welcome to name someone who gets it right more often.

But maybe "that's impossible" or "junk the frame" are better quality responses.

FBinNY 

It's not a competition, nor will I argue with a straw man. However, we've crossed this bridge often enough in the past, so I won't argue the point farther. Followers of this thread are the ones who'll form opinions on who's helpful and who's not, and I'm happy to leave it to them.

Duragrouch

Yes, being able to measure, either quantify or just to visually see any bend and correction is critical. +1 for suggestions on that.

Regarding correction technique, my thinking, rather than applying human force at seatpost, would be to use a correct size seatpost you don't mind possibly damaging, insert into frame and clamp, then clamp seatpost in a stout bench vise, and place both hands on the seat tube below the bend and pull laterally to straighten. If bench is not stable enough for that, you might have to orient so to correct bend you are pushing down on the frame. If you have access to a hydraulic press with sufficient space to place the frame laterally, and use wood blocks to both support the frame and between the frame and hydraulic ram, that can work really well. My method for this is, bring the ram down to contact, do like half a pump, and back off; Probably no result due to springback. Same thing, now a full pump, back off. Keep increasing very slowly until the tube starts to yield, and that will be your guide to how far to press each time after initial contact to get a result. If not a kinked bend but a gentle one, I've successfully straightened a trailer axle, masts, stanchions, to perfection that way.

smd4

FBinNY.

Iride01 

I did.

You were the one that initiated the conversation with me.

mauin1x

Thanks for replying everyone! Yes its steel track frame and the curved seat tube makes it hard to see the bent but I think I saw a couple of you noticed it. The model is a Toto Tomcat Elegante. Yea any tips on any diy tools or something to twist it back would be great. It was fine until I removed a seat post that went too far down without a clamp and got stuck/seized in the seat tube

Duragrouch

Please see my post #33, not the part about using a hydraulic press, but above that, about clamping a seatpost (that you don't mind harming) in a vise and using your hands on the seat tube; The delicate part about straightening a tube, is avoiding point-pressure on the side of the tube and denting it, rather than straightening it; Using your hands on the seat tube makes denting nearly impossible. However, you might not have sufficient hand and arm strength to accomplish the straightening; If so, it may be possible to use a lever arm to do so, such as a long tubafor (2x4) edgewise for best stiffness and strength, with one part touching on the bottom bracket shell on the side in the direction of bend, and further up, it touch on the opposite side of the seat tube where the seatstays cross it, to apply a correcting moment to straighten the tube. This arrangement might not require clamping the seatpost in a vise, but instead, laying the frame flat on a concrete floor with the top of the seat post touching the floor, the long end of your 2x4 lever arm touching the floor, and using your foot to carefully apply weight on the 2x4 where it crosses the seat tube; Thus, your vertical foot force is converted to a bending moment. But I don't know if a straight 2x4 can contact both the side of the BB shell and the opposite side of the chainstay at the seat tube, probably not, so you may need to add a wood block to one or both ends of the long 2x4 for contact.

Or, take it to a someone very experienced in frame straightening.

Do not try to apply any heat to the frame to lower the yield strength of the tube to make straightening easier; If it is brazed together it could melt that, and may weaken the steel tubing if reaching annealing temp. A qualified frame builder or someone with a lot of frame straightening experience, will have better knowledge about this and whether heat could be used or not.

That's all I got.