My Raleigh Bike. The Start.

[Boon 51]

smaller Y fronts or higher heels?

Yay.... now ya talkin.

 

[Boon 51]

I was thinking of a Brooks Cambuim saddle, would look good on are older bikes do you think?

 

[carpenter]

Have a look at Rivet Diablo? (about to use one on my Parkes ).

http://rivetcycleworks.com

good advice on fitting here:

https://www.carradice.co.uk/products/rivet-saddles

 

[Boon 51]

Have a look at Rivet Diablo? (about to use one on my Parkes ).

http://rivetcycleworks.com

good advice on fitting here:

https://www.carradice.co.uk/products/rivet-saddles

Would you run the same size as a Brooks ?

 

[carpenter]

Just looked up the Cambium c17 (they seem to do a few different models) it has a width of 164mm:

https://www.brooksengland.com/en_uk/saddles/cambium/cambium-c17-all-weather-brown.html

The Diablo has a width of 150mm.


But width, or looks are not the be all and end all. My experiences:
Brooks B17 has a width of 176mm - I have on of these on my Carpenter, which I tend to ride in a more upright position, this saddle is very comfortable now but it took a lot of adjusting the angle, height and distance from the bars to hit a "sweet spot" for me.
I really like the Charge Spoon for my other bikes - width 145mm (Hell of a difference!) It hasn't needed as much adjustment as the B17, or maybe I am getting better at setting up?
The Diablo I bought on a whim (also half price on eBay for a barely used one). I have not had much experience of using it yet (it's now on my Parkes and I plan to have a ride on it tomorrow) but hope it will be as comfortable as the Spoons as the size is very close.

Not sure if the ramble above helps - trouble with saddles is that comfort has to be the final decider, but there are very limited (if any) opportunities to try for a few miles before you buy.

edit: just remembered, Spa cycles do some leather saddles (which I think could look good on your bike) at about half the price of Brooks/Rivet.

 

[mikeymustard]

edit: just remembered, Spa cycles do some leather saddles (which I think could look good on your bike) at about half the price of Brooks/Rivet.

I occasionally ride a friend's bike with a cambium. They're pretty comfy but quite abrasive (and cos they're quite rough they're difficult to move around on, if this a thing you do.
Spa saddles are very well thought of and cro mo railed ones are only £42 currently - I've paid that for a used Brooks!

 

[mikeymustard]

Or how about a bit of Texan subtlety?

 

[wonderdog]

Or how about a bit of Texan subtlety? View attachment 453876

Hey y'all. This ain't Texan! Where are the goddamn tassels ... and the holster for the sidearm???? Sheeeesh!

 

[Boon 51]

Just looked up the Cambium c17 (they seem to do a few different models) it has a width of 164mm:

https://www.brooksengland.com/en_uk/saddles/cambium/cambium-c17-all-weather-brown.html

The Diablo has a width of 150mm.


But width, or looks are not the be all and end all. My experiences:
Brooks B17 has a width of 176mm - I have on of these on my Carpenter, which I tend to ride in a more upright position, this saddle is very comfortable now but it took a lot of adjusting the angle, height and distance from the bars to hit a "sweet spot" for me.
I really like the Charge Spoon for my other bikes - width 145mm (Hell of a difference!) It hasn't needed as much adjustment as the B17, or maybe I am getting better at setting up?
The Diablo I bought on a whim (also half price on eBay for a barely used one). I have not had much experience of using it yet (it's now on my Parkes and I plan to have a ride on it tomorrow) but hope it will be as comfortable as the Spoons as the size is very close.

Not sure if the ramble above helps - trouble with saddles is that comfort has to be the final decider, but there are very limited (if any) opportunities to try for a few miles before you buy.

edit: just remembered, Spa cycles do some leather saddles (which I think could look good on your bike) at about half the price of Brooks/Rivet.

This is very interesting to me as for the guy that's just starting out it must be a nightmare. I did read somewhere that you increase the size on the Brook saddle by 20 to 30 mm so a 140 could be a 160mm or one 170mm and that has worked for me as my Brook Pro is 160mm and my normal bike saddle is a 140mm I was just thinking do you increase the same on a Cambium?
I will have a look on ebay for a Diablo and see whats about.

 

[Illaveago]

http://www.croydoncyclist.co.uk/taking-a-picture-of-your-bicycle/

I liked pictures 3 and 4 .

 

[mikeymustard]

Hey y'all. This ain't Texan! Where are the goddamn tassels ... and the holster for the sidearm???? Sheeeesh!

Well in a quite literal sense it definitely is Texan!
But I'm sure there's something tastelessy texan enough on the site to persuade you

 

[12boy]

If you get into this a bit more I have found cable housing by the foot is a better deal. I always replace cable and housing unless they are obviously new. Jagwire has some brake cabling that combines spiral wrapping ( as with brakes) with staight wires (as with derailleurs) which might work for both. This type really made a diiference for my Brompton`rear brake which takes a convoluted path and which I could not get to return properly even after stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the brake. BTW, Tressostar makes nice brown cloth tape which when shellacked will last for years at a fraction of the cost of leather. If you like a little cushion you can apply it over cheap pseudo cork tape.

 

[Boon 51]

Well at long last I was able to take the refurbished Raleigh out for its first ride I did a short 25 klm just to see how things went. The result was amazing its as smooth as my newer bikes and all you can hear is a bit of tyre noise. Brilliant just brilliant.

 

[Illaveago]

Just taken the bike out for about 30 mins and did a couple of 10% hills on the 52 and 42 front rings and all seems perfect and I did stop a few times just to see how the cross bar was and that seems just about ok the bike has an 800mm cross bar but that's my limit.
So a good result on the bike really.

There are various ways of overcoming the stand over height. Lean the bike over slightly when you get on or off and bring your foot which you use to set off with up. It has the effect of shifting your important bits off centre avoiding the crossbar.

 

[Boon 51]

There are various ways of overcoming the stand over height. Lean the bike over slightly when you get on or off and bring your foot which you use to set off with up. It has the effect of shifting your important bits off centre avoiding the crossbar.

Leaning the bike over is what I have been trying out with good results, its just thinking about it first but it will come as second nature after a while?