Best way to fix bottle mount holes

[GW's Motorized]

I know this topic has been discussed many times before, but I wanted to revisit it since I didn't find a thread specifically for this topic.

I am looking at a beautiful frame for a decent price on my local Craigslist, but the bike has bottle mounts. I know that you can weld them up, fill the frame with expanding foam, or possibly sleeve the frame, but I was wondering what the absolute best option is to fix these holes.

 

[GW's Motorized]

Electra Townie - bicycles - by owner - bike sale

Large townie that rolls great but shows signs of wear. Needs a full tune. Large frame

boise.craigslist.org

This is the bike I was considering

 

[redneckracing674]

helicoil
helicoil
helicoil

 

[redneckracing674]

welds are hard as a brick. not worth the time. or...
make new spuds, cut old ones out, tig new ones in

 

[DAMIEN1307]

helicoil
helicoil
helicoil

welds are hard as a brick. not worth the time. or...
make new spuds, cut old ones out, tig new ones in

He doesn't want the holes there at all, why helicoil them when he has no intention of using them, he didn't even say they were stripped...lol.

He knows, what I found out the hard way years ago, that the bike frames crack BECAUSE of those holes being there and weakening the frame due to motor and road vibrations and higher speeds we achieve on these bikes...He wants them permanently blocked up, sealed up, etc, to avoid the cracked frame problem...On my Huffy years ago the crack started in both holes and cracked the entire circumference of the tubing where they were at and killed the frame where my rear motor mount was located...The same applies if the holes are where the front motor mount attaches to the frame as well.

 

[ImpulseRocket]

If they aren't in the way I just loctite some bolts in the holes. If they are in the way, file them down and you can try to fill the holes with epoxy, then sand back and paint.

 

[GW's Motorized]

He doesn't want the holes there at all, why helicoil them when he has no intention of using them, he didn't even say they were stripped...lol.

He knows, what I found out the hard way years ago that the bike frames crack BECAUSE of those holes being there and weakening the frame due to motor and road vibrations and higher speeds we achieve on these bikes...He wants them permanently blocked up, sealed up, etc, to avoid the cracked frame problem...On my Huffy years ago the crack started in both holes and cracked the entire circumference of the tubing where they were at and killed the frame where my rear motor mount was located...The same applies if the holes are where the front motor mount attaches to the frame as well.

I think they're right where the front mount would be on that bike.

 

[GW's Motorized]

So I was given a huffy frame from a friend. The bike has a bottle mount. Should I just weld up the holes then ?