Hey all,
I’m trying to remove the bolt from my bike’s bottle cage mount, but instead of coming loose, the whole rivnut/insert just spins in the frame. There’s no way for me to hold it still since it’s recessed in the frame.
I’ve tried pushing in while turning to see if it would catch, but no luck so far. I’m worried I’ll have to drill it out.
Has anyone dealt with this before? Best way to:
1. Actually get the bolt out.
2. Repair or replace the rivnut so I can still mount a bottle cage afterwards.
Would appreciate any tips or DIY tricks before I go to a shop.
Thanks!
Bottle cage bolt just spins with the rivnut – how do I get it out?
byu/freiren inbikewrench
by freiren
22 Comments
Hold the rivet nut with a screwdriver or make an indentation with a Dremel or chisel into the rivet nut to hold it.
Needle nose piers to hold rivet nut.
Super glue or epoxy to hold the rivet nut.
Bike shop can drill it out, remove bb, remove metal from dilling, and reinsert new rivet nut.
I could lift and glue my rivet nut when it happened to me.
Good luck!
You cant dril that out it wil just spin rather fast with the drill. Grab on to the rivnut with pliers or a vice grip if you have one and then just take it out like normal with an allen key.
Needle nose pliers to hold the rivnut while using the hex key to remove the bolt
As others have said you’ll need to hold the rivnut somehow. – Pliers, screwdriver under it, etc.
You can try superglue but it doesn’t always work and if you get it on the bottle cage bolt, you may just make it impossible to remove.
My favorite trick is to make a loop out of copper wire, wrap it between the bolt and rivet, and spin the copper loop opposing the bolt as you try to loosen with the hex key.
I took mine into the shop as it’s essentially a warranty issue. They have a special tool to fix it. I wouldn’t mess around and risk further damage personally.
Vampliers
Put some masking tape around the rivet to protect the frame and use pliers to hold the base while you unscrew the nut.
My opinion is that this is a warranty item on a carbon if the bike is still under warranty. The rivnuts are usually placed in during the layup process, and its hard to tell what caused it to loosen up. Its not dangerous or unrepairable, but its a defect none the less. I’ve warrantied a frame for this exact thing.
If its not under warranty, definitely take it to a shop to get it fixed. You need the rivnut tool to do it right.
OP do what others in this thread are suggesting.
Then put some washers between a bottle cage and the bolt and reinsert the bolt. Overtighten the bolt by a just a little bit to reset the rivnut.
Take it to the shop you bought it from, attempting to fix it yourself will likely void warranty
Bike is now compromised ,, Riding it can be inherently dangerous and is not recommended!!! Due to the trickle down affect other parts may also unknowingly be affected and not fit for use…. Manufacturers recommendations are to completely replace with all new..
I can tell you how not to do it. Bend the hell out of the rivet, let it drop into the frame, then you have to remove the bottom bracket, buy new rivnuts and a rivnut tool, reinstall new rivnut! I should have just taken it to the bike shop!
I had the same issue with my new specialized- took a few days at the shop to fix, which isn’t cool when youre keen to ride that brand new bike and a bad bolt puts you back a week but its an easy repair
Get a bolt and nut… thread bolt into riv-nut and secure with wrench. Thread nut down to riv-nut flange and start to tighten. That will pull up the crumple zone on the riv-nut and pinch the tube to tighten.
My Roscoe came with this problem. I warrantied it.
have the shop fix it. There’s a tool.
here is a [youtube short ](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GJnYEnnnjxA)explaining how to fix it
I would try a single drop of cyanoacrylite glue placed very carefully on the edge of the rivnut.
Let that dry for a minute. Back out the cage screw.
Then glue that in there better with more cyanoacrylite.
Remove the bolt as others have described, then to fix the nut if you don’t have the special tool you can use a spare hub and skewer and screw the skewer in through the hub, then flip the QR lever to re-cinch up the nut.
Top threads are stripped or too far down head to engage. Get something under the head and pry up as you unscrew. Use plastic to not ruin the paint or other barrier
Get some chippy dust and sprinkle it around the rivnut and the rivnut will thank you for it’s lil snack