Saddle post advice please

[Peter Scandrett]

Hi

I've just replaced my saddle to one of these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=4000000604b

.... a Specialised BG Comfort Plus mens saddle.

It seems to have fitted OK and is comfy enough for the 200m(etres) I
rode the bike round the road outside(!) but I have a question...

Whereas my old saddle covered the seat post (the pole to which the
saddle is clamped), this one has a cutout. This means I reckon that the
top of the seat post is potentially open to the elements and it's far,
far easier for water to get inside the seat post and presumably into the
frame itself. I'm no expert on this but I guess this makes it more
likely to rust inside. (Previously the same post was open at the top,
but it was covered quite effectively by the old saddle, a more
traditional shape, acting as an umbrella...)

Is this a problem? Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post
top? Should I worry about it? Should I just improvise a plug of some
sort? Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?

Many thanks for any advice...

Peter


--
http://www.scandrett.net/lx/
http://www.scandrett.net/bike/

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Peter Scandrett
[email protected] says...
> Hi
>
> I've just replaced my saddle to one of these:
>
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=4000000604b
>
> ... a Specialised BG Comfort Plus mens saddle.
>
> It seems to have fitted OK and is comfy enough for the 200m(etres) I
> rode the bike round the road outside(!) but I have a question...
>
> Whereas my old saddle covered the seat post (the pole to which the
> saddle is clamped), this one has a cutout. This means I reckon that the
> top of the seat post is potentially open to the elements and it's far,
> far easier for water to get inside the seat post and presumably into the
> frame itself. I'm no expert on this but I guess this makes it more
> likely to rust inside. (Previously the same post was open at the top,
> but it was covered quite effectively by the old saddle, a more
> traditional shape, acting as an umbrella...)
>
> Is this a problem?

Possibly. Air will move in and out of the frame anyway as it expands
and contracts with varying temperature, and that will carry some
moisture inside. But you really want to avoid the situation where
there's a few inches of rainwater in there that can't get out.

> Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post top?

A handlebar end plug would probably work pretty well if you can find (or
trim) one to fit.

> Should I worry about it?

Not to the extent of losing sleep.

> Should I just improvise a plug of some sort?

Go on then.

> Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?
>
None whatsoever - none of my bikes has a hole in the top of the seat
post.

 

[Garry from Cork]

The cork from a winebottle or similar should do the trick.

 

[Andreas =?iso-8859-1?Q?Schulze-B=E4ing?=]

Am Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:58:13 +0100 schrieb Peter Scandrett:

> Hi
>
> I've just replaced my saddle to one of these:
>
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=4000000604b
>
> ... a Specialised BG Comfort Plus mens saddle.
>
> It seems to have fitted OK and is comfy enough for the 200m(etres) I
> rode the bike round the road outside(!) but I have a question...
>
> Whereas my old saddle covered the seat post (the pole to which the
> saddle is clamped), this one has a cutout. This means I reckon that the
> top of the seat post is potentially open to the elements and it's far,
> far easier for water to get inside the seat post and presumably into the
> frame itself. I'm no expert on this but I guess this makes it more
> likely to rust inside. (Previously the same post was open at the top,
> but it was covered quite effectively by the old saddle, a more
> traditional shape, acting as an umbrella...)
>
> Is this a problem? Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post
> top? Should I worry about it? Should I just improvise a plug of some
> sort? Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?

First of all rust is a problem for steel frames. Although also aluminium
can be "attacked" by some elements in our environment such as the salt put
on streets in the winter. But that's less of a problem for you, I guess.
If your bike has a steel frame there are a number of techncial measures to
prevent the water accumulating and rust developing. Most frames should have
a little hole at the lowest point of the frame, which allows water or
moisture in general to leave the frame. Some good quality steel frames also
have a protective layer inside the frame, often based on wax. As for your
seatpost. I usually spray a little fluid wax into my frame before putting
in the seatpost. Thaat provides a protective layer against the water and
also prevents the water from getting into the frame - to a certain extent.
This wax is ususally used for cars to make them shiny.

Andreas

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Peter Scandrett
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Hi
>
> I've just replaced my saddle to one of these:
>
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=4000000604b
>
> ... a Specialised BG Comfort Plus mens saddle.
>
> It seems to have fitted OK and is comfy enough for the 200m(etres) I
> rode the bike round the road outside(!) but I have a question...
>
> Whereas my old saddle covered the seat post (the pole to which the
> saddle is clamped), this one has a cutout. This means I reckon that the
> top of the seat post is potentially open to the elements and it's far,
> far easier for water to get inside the seat post and presumably into the
> frame itself. I'm no expert on this but I guess this makes it more
> likely to rust inside. (Previously the same post was open at the top,
> but it was covered quite effectively by the old saddle, a more
> traditional shape, acting as an umbrella...)

Very few good modern frames are made of steel (although there are still
some - very - good steel frames in production). There is an issue with
water getting down to the bottom bracket, especially if you have an old
cup-and-cone type bottom bracket. However, when the bike is out in the
rain you are presumably sitting on the saddle, so your fundament acts as
an umbrella.

> Is this a problem?

I doubt it's much of a problem anyway, but it's certainly not a problem if
your bike has an aluminium or carbon frame, cartridge bottom bracket, and
is not routinely left out in the rain.

> Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post
> top? Should I worry about it?

No.

> Should I just improvise a plug of some
> sort? Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?

No.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

 

[Tony Raven]

Peter Scandrett wrote on 07/06/2007 20:58 +0100:

>
> Is this a problem? Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post
> top? Should I worry about it? Should I just improvise a plug of some
> sort? Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?
>

I would avoid blocking it up and trapping moisture inside to condense
out every time it gets cooler. Far better to let the seat tube breathe.
If you are worried about downpours when it is parked, how about a bit
of tape across the underside of the saddle of a bit of plastic to
deflect the water away. I feel a Blue Peter moment coming on ;-)


--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Simon
Brooke
[email protected] says...

> Very few good modern frames are made of steel

Very few good modern frames are fitted with a plain tube for a seatpost.

 

[Peter Scandrett]

Hi all (again)

Simon Brooke wrote on 08/06/2007 09:37:
> in message <[email protected]>, Peter Scandrett
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>> I've just replaced my saddle to one of these:
>>
>> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=4000000604b
>>
>> ... a Specialised BG Comfort Plus mens saddle.
>>
>> Whereas my old saddle covered the seat post (the pole to which the
>> saddle is clamped), this one has a cutout. This means I reckon that the
>> top of the seat post is potentially open to the elements and it's far,
>> far easier for water to get inside the seat post and presumably into the
>> frame itself. I'm no expert on this but I guess this makes it more
>> likely to rust inside. (Previously the same post was open at the top,
>> but it was covered quite effectively by the old saddle, a more
>> traditional shape, acting as an umbrella...)

> Very few good modern frames are made of steel (although there are still
> some - very - good steel frames in production).

Mine's definitely a steel frame. It's a Raleigh mountain(ish) bike,
about 12 years old and is one of the "Made in Nottingham" ones.

> There is an issue with
> water getting down to the bottom bracket, especially if you have an old
> cup-and-cone type bottom bracket.

The bottom bracket was new in January and is now a new, sealed unit
(apparently, according to the bike shop that fitted it for me!).

> However, when the bike is out in the
> rain you are presumably sitting on the saddle, so your fundament acts as
> an umbrella.

Fair point, and I don't go out in the rain much (although I might park
it in the damp etc...)

>> Is this a problem?
>
> I doubt it's much of a problem anyway, but it's certainly not a problem if
> your bike has an aluminium or carbon frame, cartridge bottom bracket, and
> is not routinely left out in the rain.

Righto, thanks. The bike is normally kept under cover in teh hallway so
it's doing OK with the rust, or lack thereof, in general.

Ta

Peter


--
http://www.scandrett.net/lx/
http://www.scandrett.net/bike/

 

[Peter Scandrett]

Tony Raven wrote on 08/06/2007 10:31:
> Peter Scandrett wrote on 07/06/2007 20:58 +0100:
>
>> Is this a problem? Is there an effective way of plugging the seat post
>> top? Should I worry about it? Should I just improvise a plug of some
>> sort? Is there any disadvantage to permanently plugging the seat post?
>>
>
> I would avoid blocking it up and trapping moisture inside to condense
> out every time it gets cooler. Far better to let the seat tube breathe.
> If you are worried about downpours when it is parked, how about a bit
> of tape across the underside of the saddle of a bit of plastic to
> deflect the water away. I feel a Blue Peter moment coming on ;-)

Not so much worried as spotting issues before they occur!

Given the weather at the moment I don't think I'll need to worry about
it for a while, anyway...

Thanks

Peter


--
http://www.scandrett.net/lx/
http://www.scandrett.net/bike/