Changing a saddle

[Sunny Portrush]

Hi all

I want to change the saddle on my good bike. It's an Argon 18 and I want to use my old battered Cannondale saddle as it is much more comfortable.

Two things tho - I haven`t a scooby as to how to do it (I mean properly!) and am pretty useless at fixing things

Secondly, the seat post for the Argon is wider than the seat post for the Cannondale (otherwise I would just swap seatposts with the saddles attached).

Does that extra width on the seat posts cause any problems?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Do you mean the rails are further apart (Unlikely) or that the seatpost has a larger diameter? If the latter then you'll have to swap the saddle over as shown here -

View: https://youtu.be/BfnM0eyjB5Q

 

[MichaelW2]

You can take a saddle off the post and switch them..

Show pics of the two saddles from below for further instructions.

 

[vickster]

Can be fiddly and annoying but not difficult (easier than changing an inner tube which you can presumably do ok).
I do with seat post in situ as I struggle with positioning and visualisation otherwise (have been known to put saddle on back to front ).
You’ll need the right size Allen key for the bolt, ideally a spirit level or good eye depending on if/how you angle the saddle, and an Allen key to adjust seatpost height potentially if saddle is different shape. And take the Allen keys when you first ride outside unless you can set up on turbo.
I’d take photos of position and positioning of clamp on rails if you spent a lot of time on set up

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Yeah, I meant that the seatpost was wider in diameter - I hope these pics are OK. I can change tubes but hate doing "fiddly" things - I have all the tools, just not the knowledge!

 

[vickster]

You just need to loosen the clamp bolts and wiggle or take the saddles out. Maybe snap a shot of the underneath just in case

 

[Sunny Portrush]

You just need to loosen the clamp bolts and wiggle or take the saddles out. Maybe snap a shot of the underneath just in case

Aye, it does look easy enough, I`m just worried about setting the saddle up again correctly after, it is a rather important part of the cycling experience!

 

[vickster]

Aye, it does look easy enough, I`m just worried about setting the saddle up again correctly after, it is a rather important part of the cycling experience!

Did you mark the seatposts before removing?
That’s why I do with saddle in situ!
It’s not that hard to get a saddle the right height, just takes patience (and some prep before removing bits!), you must’ve done it before

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Yeah, seatposts are marked.

I`m the type of bloke that when he takes things apart and then puts them back together again, I have extra screws/bolts etc left over lol

 

[Cycleops]

It's not clear from your photos but looks like you have a seatpost which has a Allen key fixing from underneath. Loosen everything and when fixing the new saddle keep it all loose do you can position it correctly before tightening it all up. Use a spirit level to get it straight and then loosen it all again if you want to have it at a slight angle.
You shouldn't have to remove anything.

 

[vickster]

Yeah, seatposts are marked.

I`m the type of bloke that when he takes things apart and then puts them back together again, I have extra screws/bolts etc left over lol

You’ll be ok, many seatposts only have one screw, two at most
You may have to adjust saddle height with a different saddle and fore/aft

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Here`s the underneath of both saddles - I want to put the white saddle onto the seat-post with the black saddle. Is it just a case of loosening the one bolt that you can see. I may have been over-thinking this lol - The other contraption at the back of the white saddle is the connector for my saddle bag.

The second pic is the bottom of the white saddle and the third is the bottom of the black one - those bolts are up towards the nose of the saddle. I may have fun trying to shift them on the white saddle as I have never touched them and it`s seven years old, at least

 

[vickster]

Give the rusty bolt a gt85 spray and use some copper grease when putting back together

 

[Sunny Portrush]

OK, I`ll give it a go - I can always take it down to my very good bike shop if I stuff it up!

 

[Cycleops]

Looks like you a single Allen bolt fixing. Loosen it all the way on the black saddle, you may have to remove the bolt, it clamps to the top fixing. Remove the black saddle.
Do the same with the white saddle, put it I to its new lower housing and position the top cradle, hold it and screw the Allen bolt in from below.