Saddles Thread?

[jimmer]

Dear Andre,

Just because I owe you for the banana / marmite tip.

A personal question, but I'm just in from the shed with my B17 in one hand and chainsaw in the other. How big is your butt? For that money I'm prepared to sculpt it to fit your posterior's finest contour.



Yours, James

[Andre Jute]

A personal question, but I'm just in from the shed with my B17 in one hand and chainsaw in the other. How big is your butt? For that money I'm prepared to sculpt it to fit your posterior's finest contour.

My butt is elegantly narrow, but I sit nearer upright than very likely anyone else here, so my saddle must be wider. And I do sit, whereas the B17 class of saddle isn't intended to lounge on but to be hovered over lightly.

Actually, what you want isn't the chainsaw but a drill to sculpt tidy holes along the flank of the B17 to lace it, which brings the hammock back up to level and makes it into a new saddle. Particularly good for saddles which have run out of adjustment.

With tears of gratitude in my eyes, for I know what it costs a man to offer his B17 to another...

[Danneaux]

...the B17 class of saddle isn't intended to lounge on but to be hovered over lightly.

...Ideally matched to the hummingbird cadence and forward lean of the touring roadie.

With tears of gratitude in my eyes, for I know what it costs a man to offer his B17 to another...

...An act of generosity so rare, I have never before seen it in an online forum.

Best to all,

Dan. (...who is reminded once again of the selfless nature of our membership)

 

[il padrone]

My butt is elegantly narrow, but I sit nearer upright than very likely anyone else here, so my saddle must be wider. And I do sit, whereas the B17 class of saddle isn't intended to lounge on but to be hovered over lightly.

Sounds like what you need is a B67. Wider saddle with springs to take the jolting out of an upright position. I use a similar B66 (double-rail saddle) on my upright roadster and it works very nicely on the railway crossings.

B67

[Andre Jute]

Sounds like what you need is a B67. Wider saddle with springs to take the jolting out of an upright position. I use a similar B66 (double-rail saddle) on my upright roadster and it works very nicely on the railway crossings.

B67

Spot-on. The Brooks saddle I currently use, and that I'm not giving up, is a B73, which is essentially a B67 leather hammock on a twin rail frame with a helical spring at the front as well as at each rear corner. Check the sizes at http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue-and-shop/saddles/city+%26+heavy+duty/B73/

[JWestland]

Mucho spring. That's what Le Manfriend wants for his cargo bike (or similar) where a few grams here or there...

He has a Brooks on his other bike too. I must try one sometime, and see do I have a "Brooks ass".

PS Banana and Marmite? I've both in the house but well far from each other...

[jags]

what kinda seatpost would you need for that thing.

[julk]

Jags,
An old fashioned one with a plain top.
The saddle clip goes round the plain top and grips as the bolt through the middle of the clip is tightened.
The main drawbacks are the weight of the saddle and clip, and the rudimentary stepped adjustment of saddle angle.

I have just moved my wife from a B66s to a B67s because we could not get a saddle angle she was happy with.
The B67s now has a Brompton Pentaclip and the saddle angle is perfect.

Anyone want a good condition used B66s cheap, complete with saddle clip? Just needs an old fashioned plain top seatpost in your bike.
Julian.

[Danneaux]

Hi Julian!

Is there any chance a Breezer double-rail saddle clamp adapter might allow the B66s to fit a (now) standard alu seatpost with integrated clamp? They're still available inexpensively via Amazon and other sources, or can be made: http://www.amazon.com/Breezer-Double-Rail-Adaptor-One-Bolt-Seatposts/dp/B001GSSFEI Available in two types to fit most seatposts.

Grabbing a couple adapters might increase your chances for a ready sale.

All the best,

Dan.

[julk]

Dan,
Thanks for the suggestion.
I used to have one, must be in a box somewhere in the garage, but I found the single bolt seatpin it fits to have the same problem of discrete jumps in angle which is ok if one of the angles suits, but otherwise not so ok. Maybe I had a cheap seatpin, I don't remember now.

I am spoiled on my own bike by a lovely lugged Nitto S84 double bolt job. Infinite angle adjustment for me, sadly they are too short to put one on my wife's bike
The Brompton pentaclip is a work of art though. It fits single rail saddles, old plain top seatpins and gives infinite angle adjustment with just an allen key. You can set the pentaclip backwards or forwards as suits you with the saddle position, there is also an upper and a lower position for the saddle rails.

I will be selling this old B66s saddle off cheap, so no real incentive for me to buy extra kit.
If it doesn't sell then it just goes in a box in the garage - I must have the making of another bike in there in old bits.
I run a cycle club at my local church and any unsold bits will get reused there eventually.
Julian.

[Andre Jute]

I have shocking news for you, Jawine. The B73 is the lightest of Brooks' seriously sprung saddles... I do recommend it though. It has the reputation of being the most comfortable Brooks saddle straight out of the box, and that has been my experience too, in the sense that the break-in was not traumatic at all.

You should try a Marmite and banana sandwich. You may thank me yet. Or not, as the case may be.

The old-fashioned double- and triple-rail Brooks saddles come with a custom clip, Jags. The clip fits the rails and squeezes shut on a plain-top seat post pillar without any of the microadjust gubbins. It's crude but it works, most of the time, though the clumsy and the impatient (me) would rather have something more modern... The pillar looks like this, from SJS's selection:



Julian, what do you reckon will happen if I were to fit a Brompton Pentaclip to a Brooks saddle with twin rails each side, like my B73 pictured above? Anyone else have an opinion? For those who don't know what it is, the Pentaclip can be seen here: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brompton-penta-clip-for-rail-frame-saddles-prod13716/

[julk]

Andre,
I reckon it could be done with the bottom rail in the upper position of the pentaclip.

BUT the saddle is only held by the bottom rail which on my twin rail saddles measure 5.75/5.82 mm chromed/painted and my single rail saddles all measure 7mm. So a lower strength when using just the lower rail.
I did not fancy my wife being on the 'bleeding edge' of technology, certainly not in such a crucial area, if the saddle rail failed.

Sadly the pentaclip guys have missed an opportunity to offer a 'brooks twin rail' pentaclip with the alloy side pieces cast to have the right spacing and size for the twin rail saddles. It looks eminently feasible.

I will be interested to hear how you get on if you try it.
Julian.

[JWestland]

That Brooks with all it's sofa springiness is over a KG!  Still, that or saddle sores/sore butt?

Let me ask Le Manfriend if he's interested in the B66. The Cargobike isn't on the road yet, the BB needs re-threaded (help? proper technical term?) as they powdercoated over the threads.

Now do I want to waste a banana I've only one left...

[il padrone]

Breeze Seat Sandwich ?? Like they said in the 1970s women's garment ads "It lifts and separates"  

[JWestland]

Just got a 1993 Regal Girardi with Titanium rails from fleabay for Ciocc.

*excited*

I have to say the old "it's saddle + tires + position, stupid" may ring true, the Regal is great on the tubular more forward vintage bike, on the XTC where you sit more upright + clinchers it may be too hard possibly. Looks hot though.