Forks top cap screw is rounded off

First of all Happy new year guys, hope you had a good xmas. As you can see from the title I have rounded off my top cap by accident whilst trying to fit on my forks. But my forks haven't been fitted properly cos I'm a noob and now I can't unscrew the top cap. I'm wondering if anyone local to New Cross/Deptford has the right tools or skills to help me take this off?

Thanks, Jackie.

Ask Vaidas cycles on Honor Oak Park (not open Mondays) or try the workshop at Brockley cross (in the trading centre on Drakefell Road by the bridges). There are a few shops in Peckham who could help, Paul's custom cycles has fans here (I've not been). Also, Union Cycle Works in deptford on Saturdays, not a regular shop but have tools and skillz.

Hey Jackie...despite me saying I didn't have the necessary tool (dremel), I'd be happy to have a go at getting it out if you brought the frame round. I've got a full set of metric and imperial allen keys in half sizes...sometimes you can get something to bite even when it looks rounded.

Union are open on Wednesday mornings too if I remember correctly but I don't support them any more because Dom the mechanic called me a spazmo yesterday night. Jokes aside, they're decent chaps..always happy to help.

Buy a drill. You'll use it for other things too.

Thanks for the advice guys. And Dan, I've just texted you.

How are you going to tackle this? Will the top cap survive?

How are you going to tackle this? Will the top cap survive?

I'm gonna be bringing my bike over to Stonehedge's to see if he can do something if not then I'll take last resort from a friend who works at Vaidas Bicycles and he said to just drill right through the screw. I have top caps spare so it's a minor.

for any bolts thats lost it's drive (rounded hex etc. ) put an allen key in and spot weld (a strong glue might work)

oi go down the local ind. est . there's always someone welding something in a unit - if you're polite they normally help you for free.

for any bolts thats lost it's drive (rounded hex etc. ) put an allen key in and spot weld (a strong glue might work)

oi go down the local ind. est . there's always someone welding something in a unit - if you're polite they normally help you for free.

Thanks for the heads up number6, I work on a industrial estate so maybe my work place has a welding or if not some sort of strong glue. I'm at work on friday, I will get back to you on friday evening to let you know how it's gone. Thanks again for the tip.

if its a top cap then i'm guessing that bolt is in a star fangled nut.

a long bar up the crown and through the steerer might work - you can bang them backwards often most of the trick is in finding something strong and long and thin enough to do that. drill is unlikely to work unless bolt is allu. steel bolt will be very hard

Steel bolts are easy to drill, especially as you have the hole ready there to centre the bit. Just use a sharp drill bit. All you need to do is take the head off anyway.

or use a screw extractor: