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Ooh, bugger!


hawkeye's picture

By hawkeye - Posted on 09 November 2012

Was riding home last night via Spit West, and after passing really wide around a bunch of dog-walkers that were scattered all over the marina park shared path, I sat down a bit awkwardly and my seat shifted, tilting backwards.

Bugger. The bolt's come loose. Sad

I ride to the end of the park and lean the bike against a park bench. Out comes the multitool and I loosen the bolt so I can level the seat.

I give the base of the saddle a light thump with the heel of my hand to move it forward. The multitool falls out of my other hand to the ground, the 8mm adapter rolls off into the grass, and the saddle tumbles the other way. I successfully retrieve all the scattered bits.

Then I look down at the seatpost. Ooh. Bugger! Shocked

[Mod. moved to MTB gear]

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GiantNut's picture

> Insert Lefty Gag here> And your fork is half gone too (boom tish) Black Flash did half the Fling last year with just a seat post - so you should try and break that record. You would have major cred points at the start line - either mad ass, bad ass or sore...

hawkeye's picture

I ended up riding up from Spit Bridge through to Manly Vale with the seatpost in my jersey pocket. The non-stop out-of-saddle pedalling wasn't nearly as hard as I thought, but my 6yo almost-dead, on-their-last-legs Vittoria shoes aren't stiff enough in the sole by a long shot. It was starting to feel like pedalling barefoot on golf balls, so I ended up calling the missus to come get me.

Wussy, I know. Sticking out tongue,

What struck me is how dependent you are on the saddle for bike stability. Sipping the drink bottle or using the farmer's hanky was ... interesting.

By the way, the other half of the fork is now on my son's bike. Sticking out tongue

Black Flash's picture

Yes, after 20ks of no seat, a few new muscles come into play... Then out they go too...
But I did get interviewed at the finish line.... "I see you have an intimate relationship with your seat post..." Was the start of that conversation. Still, I'm going to miss this years race.. Hopefully next year.

shano's picture

Seems to be made from old cannondale frames! Eye-wink

hawkeye's picture

At least the manufacturers don't BS you about a supposed "lifetime" warranty

I wonder if this seatpost qualifies for a place in bustedcarbon.com? Eye-wink

Scottboy's picture

that is another reason why I don't like the single bolts on the seatpost bracket , have you got a spare Hawkeye or is that a silly question to be asking you..... lol , you have spares like me ??

hawkeye's picture

Funny thing was its replacement arrived the morning of the failure Smiling

I wanted to replace the setback seatpost with a zero offset one as I think the geometry might have been contributing to my ongoing lower back "challenges". So I got a cheapo FSA carbon jobbie off CRC.

Looking at the design of the head on the broken post, with the serrations cut into the load bearing area, that failure was pretty much inevitable.

If you look at the close-up, the shiny surfaces indicate where it had been cracked for awhile. They were 2/3rds of the way through on one side, halfway on the other. I had assumed the creaking was just the usual thing with the ends of the Ti rails in the saddle sockets.

StanTheMan's picture

just glad to see your jewels are still intact. not that i care about them that much. just woulnt wish that upon my worts enemy....thats all. LOL Laughing out loud

Oldernslower's picture

Too many beans for breakfast! On a serious note, from the pic it looks like the alloy had been 'cracked' for some time at one place - different fatique patterns on the break?

hawkeye's picture

O&Ser, you're right. I was wondering if anyone would spot that. Shiny sections above and below on both sides.

I reckon I had someone looking after me - that post head could have failed lots of other places that could have ended up much worse.

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