Broken Rail on a Brooks

[scott]

Hey Gang,
My bike has felt extra bouncy lately. Filled up the tires today
and they were low. Still bouncy. Looked at my brooks saddle rails and
one of them is broken. Looks like it has been that way for a little
while, too. So, good news is that the other rail is strong, bad news
is its broken. This saddle has 10,000 plus miles easy. Lots of touring
time. So, I don't want to replace it because the top is so perfectly
broken in, and there is a ton of nose bolt left. I know I can get a
replacement frame from Wallingford ($31), or I can have my roommate
weld it for me and see how that holds up. The saddle is not under
warranty (about 5 years old or so). So my question is if any of yall
have welded a busted rail or replaced a frame? Tips? Hints? Make me
feel better cuz I'm a bit bummed (pun?) about this.

Thanks
Scott in Chicago

[John Speare]

I've replaced the the frame on a brooks. It just takes perserverance
and brute force. But that wsa nearly 3 years ago and the saddle is
still going strong.

Just curious, was your broken rail one of the copper plated ones?

Here's a not-so-good explanation of replacing the rails:
http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-weak-contribution-to-people-who-want.html

--
John Speare
Spokane, WA USA
http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/

[scott]

Thanks John. No, its a black cromo railed b17 standard. I'll hit the
weights before I attempt a frame swap. Good to know it CAN be done.

On Dec 2, 2:51 pm, John Speare <johnspe...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Here's a not-so-good explanation of replacing the rails:http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-weak-contribution-to-pe...

[Ginz]

There is a photo essay on frame replacement here:

http://nplus1bikes.blogspot.com/2010/09/brooks-professional-saddle-frame.html

I remember reading another such tale that expressed the difficultly of
stretching the top over the new frame... I cannot remember whose blog
that was off the top of my head. Maybe someone else will remember...

[andrew hill]

John, your method sounds traumatic :)

i've replaced a of drum heads, and i wonder if some of the tricks there would apply. it's a different sort of leather - uncured goat (thin) or uncured african cow (thick) - but whenever i work with skin that has to be under tension, i soak it in room temp water and that makes it pliable. you can control how pliable too - a bass drum skin will move like cloth after it's been soaked for 30 min, but has a fixed shell shape after it dries. not the same thing as a broken in saddle of tanned leather, but..

so Scott, i guess if i had a saddle that was perfectly entooshified, and then threw a rail, here is what i'd do:

- grab a block of potters' clay and mold it around saddle surface
- i'd probably tape the leather up a bit first with a few layers of paper/plastic to anticipate clay shrinkage, and add some drainage holes in the reverse-mold.
- let it air-harden and make sure the saddle still fits, sand here and there as needed to get it right.
- soak the leather in water for 20-30 min, pulling it out when it's pretty bendy but still has most of the original shape
- stretch over the new frame, adjusted to shortest length
- press into clay template, allow to dry/set for a day to ensure the leather breaks the right way. assuming my mold has the underside of the saddle "up", i might fill with gravel and bake in a 200 degree oven for an hour or two to set it.
- let dry fully, out of the mold. prob 2 days or so, or 1 really long day in the hot sun.
- voila!

if you actually try this, let me know! :D

andrew

[Thomas Nezovich]

This happened to me on a solo tour some years ago. I moved the saddle on the seat post so that the break was between the ends of the clamping part of the post and finished the tour without another thought except to get it welded upon getting home. Pal Charlie welded it and I continued to ride it with the repaired part within the clamped area. It did not last long and the other side broke in short order too.
I obtained a replacement rail and new rivets from Wallingford and have tried several times to attach leather to frame but have not been successful. Perhaps the links others have provided will help but I am convinced soaking and stretching the leather saddle is a must.

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[Montclair BobbyB]

With 10,000 miles on that saddle, this B17 really owes you nothing.
Replacing the frame sounds like it's not an easy challenge for your
average weekend mechanic (like me). For my $ I'd pay my friend a
sixpack to weld it, then if that doesn't hold I'd figure a way to
incorporate this saddle onto my favorite work stool in my garage, then
buy a brand new B17, a can o' Proofide and a tin o' Skoal.

Good luck

BB

> > For more options, visit this group athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Bruce]

While steel is quite weldable, welds are strong in the tension direction. They not strong in the transverse direction in general, and being harder and more brittle than the base metal, they are more prone to cracking under the repetitive bending that the saddle frame flex delivers than the base metal alone is.  Having said that, there are specialty welding alloys with increased ductility, but more expertise is required to use them than you are likely to find in a typical "buzz box" garage weld operation. I'd recommend asking Brooks if you can send the saddle back and have THEM put your leather top on a new frame.  Best, Bruce --- On Thu, 12/2/10, scott <clankbo...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Philip Williamson]

Hi Scott,
I repaired my wife's Brooks springs with sleeves made from aluminum
tubes. The first one I tried JB Weld and Gorilla Glue on, the second,
I just banged the broken ends into the tube and let it go. The glued
side cracked loose, and is now holding with friction.
So far it's worked fine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipwilliamson/4913902190

Philip
www.biketinker.com

[NickBull]

Bilenky Cycle Works is the official North American repair depot for
Brooks. I'd contact them and see what it costs to put in a new
frame. I'm guessing that you have to "pay yourself" a pretty low wage
to make it worthwhile to spend the time to do it yourself (you could
spend hours futzing with something like this, given that you don't
have the right tools -- just one more try, no, that didn't work, but
now I have a new idea, so now a different one-more-try ... meanwhile,
fingers may get squished between frame & leather & tools etc etc
etc). And you don't want that weld to fail out in the middle of
nowhere.

[Montclair BobbyB]

Phil, that's my way of thinkin... good ol' JB Weld !!! Hey, why
NOT?? And the sleeve idea should work... in fact, why not use a steel
sleeve, crimp the heck out of it, then weld the ends?

I'd completely trust Bilenky to do a stellar job, but I can't imagine
it would cost less than a brand new B17, after you factor in the
frame, shipping and labor.

BB


On Dec 2, 8:01 pm, Philip Williamson <philip.william...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> >       Scott in Chicago- Hide quoted text -

[William]

You guys are thinking too far inside the box.

Let's get rich off this!

http://www.masksoftheworld.com/Halloween/Art%20mask%20bike%20skull.htm

[William]

the Picasso original

http://media.photobucket.com/image/picasso%20sculpture%20of%20bicycle%20seat%20and%20handlebar%20%20bull%20head/pixel-panther/Picassosculptureofbicycleseatandhandlebarsbullhead.jpg?o=1

I don't know if that really long link will work, but if you cut-n-
paste it should.

[Montclair BobbyB]

I like!... But now an interesting question: Would you prefer
bullmoose or drops for the horns? :)

> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[William]

.....that's a difficult question.....

On Dec 3, 12:12 pm, Montclair BobbyB <montclairbob...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[scott]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I'm still thinking about what
to do. I have until spring before touring starts, so time is on my
side.
S.