My nose broke!

[JohnR]

I just called Brooks to confirm my order for the new part. No-one there just a recorded message saying the company were on their annual holiday for 2 weeks. No dates given so it could be 2 weeks from today or a week from today.
Web site doesn't mention holidays or being shut.

Poor service?

A bit late now that you've placed your order but Spa Cycles also sell the bolt https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p4550/BROOKS-64mm-Tension-Bolt.

[Matt2matt2002]

Thanks JohnR
Just a minute ago I received an email from customer service ( despite being closed for 2 weeks) saying my order has been declined.
When completing my order address I had added Ireland to the final line.
Apparently Brooks can't ship outside the EU. They said I'd receive a full refund.

I'll certainly look at the link to SPa that you gave me.
Much appreciated

Cheers Matt
From the ferry from Orkney to Aberdeen.

[Andre Jute]

TRIVIA:
I know a fellow who welded extra length into the hammock tension bolt for his Brooks saddle. So a broken bolt can possibly be repaired good as new, depending on where it broke, if one could find a highly skilled welder. The fellow who did it was Boeing tool designer and maker, by definition highly skilled. Not suggesting it, though; too risky, especially considering how little it costs to get a new bolt.

[PH]

A bit late now that you've placed your order but Spa Cycles also sell the bolt https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p4550/BROOKS-64mm-Tension-Bolt.

£7.50 for a bolt!!!
I may be showing my age but i think that was about the price of my first Brooks and I considered that an investment.

[Matt2matt2002]

A bit late now that you've placed your order but Spa Cycles also sell the bolt https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p4550/BROOKS-64mm-Tension-Bolt.

£7.50 for a bolt!!!
I may be showing my age but i think that was about the price of my first Brooks and I considered that an investment.

Best not look at the prices for new Brooks saddles now.
Many £140+
Frightening.

( inc postage it's £12.50 )

[UKTony]

I just called Brooks to confirm my order for the new part. No-one there just a recorded message saying the company were on their annual holiday for 2 weeks. No dates given so it could be 2 weeks from today or a week from today.
Web site doesn't mention holidays or being shut.

Poor service?

A bit late now that you've placed your order but Spa Cycles also sell the bolt https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p4550/BROOKS-64mm-Tension-Bolt.

Postage £5?!!
SJSC also sell the bolt for a bit more but their basic  postage is normally £3.50 so you might save especially if you’ve got other stuff you want from Thorn 🙂

[Matt2matt2002]

I just called Brooks to confirm my order for the new part. No-one there just a recorded message saying the company were on their annual holiday for 2 weeks. No dates given so it could be 2 weeks from today or a week from today.
Web site doesn't mention holidays or being shut.

Poor service?

A bit late now that you've placed your order but Spa Cycles also sell the bolt https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p4550/BROOKS-64mm-Tension-Bolt.

Postage £5?!!
SJSC also sell the bolt for a bit more but their basic  postage is normally £3.50 so you might save especially if you’ve got other stuff you want from Thorn 🙂

Argh! Just placed the order with Spa.
Good info though, so thanks.

Matt

[Andyb1]

It is not a bolt, it is a specially made part.  ‘Mass produced’ probably in a batch of hundreds, not millions.
It would not post as a letter as it would be too thick, so it would be sent as a small parcel, hence the postage cost.  Which would include someone spending the time to wrap it up and take it to the post office.
Personally I like spare parts to be available - which means someone has to make a profit in supplying them - not much profit in this part but thankfully it was available.

[PH]

Best not look at the prices for new Brooks saddles now.
Many £140+
Frightening.

( inc postage it's £12.50 )

Yes prices jumped when they were bought by Sella, they used to just be a good saddle, not a fashion accessory.  That isn't really a criticism, it's unlikely they would have survived without the takeover and change of image.  When my bolt broke, I rang customer services in Birmingham and they sent me two.   
I'm now on the Cambium C17's, the early models of these failed quite rapidly, though Brooks were good for replacements and quickly improved them.   They're not for everyone, two of my four were bought lightly used secondhand from riders who didn't get on with them.

[Matt2matt2002]

Many thanks folks.
New tension pin arrived from Spa yesterday and fitted today with aid from a You-tube video.
The pin fitted in easily since the leather was so loose.

Pictures to follow.

BTW, I had been using my old spare Brooks ( B17 - £145 new ! ) and hardly noticed the difference. At one point I thought I'd keep it on.....

I'm tempted to order and carry a spare pin. That way I know I'll never need it !!!!

Matt

[in4]

Glad that’s sorted for you pre-Thailand Matt.
I was wondering if tension and or proofide had played a part at all?

[Matt2matt2002]

Glad that’s sorted for you pre-Thailand Matt.
I was wondering if tension and or proofide had played a part at all?

Not sure of the cause. I was pleasantly bubbling along on Westray an island of Orkney mainland and suddenly things definitely didn't feel right saddle wise.
As I dismounted the tension bolt clip fell out onto the sand. The bolt was nowhere to be seen. Very strange.
I spent half an hour trying to work out what happened when. And searching the ground.
I had a ferry to catch back to Kirkwall so didn't spend as long as I would have liked looking around.
With no tension, I was sitting on the rails; not pleasant.it was a Friday, so popped into the LBS on Saturday. They said they could bodge it to get me through my short tour and that's what they did.
Excellent service.

Back to your question; I do proof the saddle on a regular basis and the tension looked ok before I set off.
So maybe it was old age. I must have used it for 9+ years on all my tours. Not sure of their ' life'.
Maybe I had over tensioned it?

Matt