Brooks saddles: rebuilding and adjusting

[[email protected]]

I had a spectacular crash awhile back which resulted in the
frame of my Brooks B66 getting bent irreparably out of
shape. The leather is still in good shape, and wallbike
sells the frames separately as a spare part, so I'm going to
rebuild it.

My question is how to set the tension. Everything I read
says it's best to never, ever touch the tensioner, but as
that ship has already sailed, I need a guideline for how to
find the best initial setting for the tension when I
reassemble the saddle. Anyone have a suggestion? I'd also
appreciate any tips as to the best procedure for
reassembling everything.

Mike

 

[- Bob -]

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:43:15 +0000 (UTC),
[email protected] wrote:

>
>My question is how to set the tension. Everything I read
>says it's best to never, ever touch the tensioner, but as
>that ship has already sailed, I need a guideline for how to
>find the best initial setting for the tension when I
>reassemble the saddle. Anyone have a suggestion? I'd also
>appreciate any tips as to the best procedure for
>reassembling everything.

I rebuilt my B17N around 1975 because I wanted hand hammered copper
rivets like my buddy's Pro had. I set the tension to "slightly tight
but with some play because I didn't want a hard ride". It still
survives today and I still ride it. I did another one a few years
later and it's still in use too. Amazing, eh? I've never understood
why people fear the adjuster so much.

I use pliers and/or a drill to carefully remove the flared part of the
rivet. When there's no flare left, just push it back and out of the
saddle.

Installing for me is probably different that for you: I use large head
copper rivets so I just put them flat on an anvil on the back of my
vise and use a fat punch and hammer to flare the bottom. Once they are
all secure I start carefully hammering and filing to get the top
looking correct. I do the nose first, then the rear.

If you are going for the stock look on the B66, you will have to be
careful not to damage the top side of the rivet by keeping it flat to
the anvil when you punch/split the bottom of the rivet.

 

[[email protected]]

In <[email protected]> - Bob - <[email protected]> writes:

>I rebuilt my B17N around 1975 because I wanted hand hammered copper
>rivets like my buddy's Pro had. I set the tension to "slightly tight
>but with some play because I didn't want a hard ride". It still
>survives today and I still ride it. I did another one a few years
>later and it's still in use too. Amazing, eh? I've never understood
>why people fear the adjuster so much.

Thanks for the advice. Was that an SI slightly or an
American slightly? What was your technique for
installation. Did you put the nose adjuster through the
nose first or last?

>If you are going for the stock look on the B66, you will have to be
>careful not to damage the top side of the rivet by keeping it flat to
>the anvil when you punch/split the bottom of the rivet.

Fortunately, all the rivets, including the nose, were
intact, and the part of the frame riveted to the leather
wasn't bent. I just have to replace the part of the frame
that bolts on.

Mike

 

[Michael Press]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> I had a spectacular crash awhile back which resulted in the
> frame of my Brooks B66 getting bent irreparably out of
> shape. The leather is still in good shape, and wallbike
> sells the frames separately as a spare part, so I'm going to
> rebuild it.
>
> My question is how to set the tension. Everything I read
> says it's best to never, ever touch the tensioner, but as
> that ship has already sailed, I need a guideline for how to
> find the best initial setting for the tension when I
> reassemble the saddle. Anyone have a suggestion? I'd also
> appreciate any tips as to the best procedure for
> reassembling everything.

Set it to taut, and no more. Ride and if it sags, then
put another fraction of turn on the tension nut. When it
rides a bit taut with you in the saddle it is tight
enough. Cheers.
--
Michael Press

 

[Michael Wileman]

In <[email protected]> Michael Press <[email protected]> writes:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:

>> I had a spectacular crash awhile back which resulted in the
>> frame of my Brooks B66 getting bent irreparably out of
>> shape. The leather is still in good shape, and wallbike
>> sells the frames separately as a spare part, so I'm going to
>> rebuild it.
>>
>> My question is how to set the tension. Everything I read
>> says it's best to never, ever touch the tensioner, but as
>> that ship has already sailed, I need a guideline for how to
>> find the best initial setting for the tension when I
>> reassemble the saddle. Anyone have a suggestion? I'd also
>> appreciate any tips as to the best procedure for
>> reassembling everything.

>Set it to taut, and no more. Ride and if it sags, then
>put another fraction of turn on the tension nut. When it
>rides a bit taut with you in the saddle it is tight
>enough. Cheers.

Thanks.
Mike

 

[[email protected]]

In <[email protected]> Michael Press <[email protected]> writes:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:

>> My question is how to set the tension. Everything I read
>> says it's best to never, ever touch the tensioner, but as
>> that ship has already sailed, I need a guideline for how to
>> find the best initial setting for the tension when I
>> reassemble the saddle. Anyone have a suggestion? I'd also
>> appreciate any tips as to the best procedure for
>> reassembling everything.

>Set it to taut, and no more. Ride and if it sags, then
>put another fraction of turn on the tension nut. When it
>rides a bit taut with you in the saddle it is tight
>enough. Cheers.

Thanks.
Mike