Saddle slipping

[summerdays]

I've had problems tightening my saddle for quite some time, and it seems to be getting worse.

I'm now beginning to wonder if it's to do with the top of the seat post being worn. Basically I try to set my saddle level, it slips and changes angle ... to very uncomfortable. It always seems to be that the screw seems to be loose afterwards (certainly than I would have tightened it to.)

Is the answer a new seat post or new saddle clamp? If it is the seat post then can you get ones which are less rounded on top or is that standard. I can't imagine ever wanting to have it pointed upwards (I'm female).

Seat post and clamp as sold on bike about 8 years ago.

 

[summerdays]

Earlier today (and I had already tightened it once today).

Tilted up AGAIN!!!

Possible wear on the seat post

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Single bolt seat posts are problematic in that way but don't give up on it yet. Find yourself a tiny, tiny container like a lid from a lip balm stick or such and keep it with you. As you drive around or ride or whatever, stop at a garage and charm the mechanic into giving you a teensy weensy blob of grinding paste. If he asks whether you want course or fine, say course. This is a very abrasive paste, sort of gritty grease. Put that on the interface where the slipping and sliding happens and tighten the bolt up again. It may (90% sure) stop the slipping.

Not all mechanic shops will have grinding paste since valve grinding nowadays is outsourced to machine shops. But don't give up after one or two negatives at a garage, you'll find an old-timer that knows what you're talking about.

You'll need very little and he'll give it to you for free if you're friendly. But do go prepared with a little container. You don't want to drive home 30 miles with this stuff on your fingertip. You may just suddenly have the urge to scratch your ear and forget about the paste.

Resist the urge to tighten the bolt beyond specified torque. A saddle bolt is highly stressed and if it is over-torqued, it will fail during a ride, not whilst sitting in the shed. You get my drift.

 

[Nibor]

Single bolt seat posts are problematic in that way but don't give up on it yet. Find yourself a tiny, tiny container like a lid from a lip balm stick or such and keep it with you. As you drive around or ride or whatever, stop at a garage and charm the mechanic into giving you a teensy weensy blob of grinding paste. If he asks whether you want course or fine, say course. This is a very abrasive paste, sort of gritty grease. Put that on the interface where the slipping and sliding happens and tighten the bolt up again. It may (90% sure) stop the slipping.

Not all mechanic shops will have grinding paste since valve grinding nowadays is outsourced to machine shops. But don't give up after one or two negatives at a garage, you'll find an old-timer that knows what you're talking about.

You'll need very little and he'll give it to you for free if you're friendly. But do go prepared with a little container. You don't want to drive home 30 miles with this stuff on your fingertip. You may just suddenly have the urge to scratch your ear and forget about the paste.

Resist the urge to tighten the bolt beyond specified torque. A saddle bolt is highly stressed and if it is over-torqued, it will fail during a ride, not whilst sitting in the shed. You get my drift.

Or borrow some carbon grip from a fellow cyclist if you know one who has any

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Or borrow some carbon grip from a fellow cyclist if you know one who has any

Carbon grip uses small glass beads which don't provide enough grip for this application. Grinding paste uses tungsten carbide chips which really bite.

 

[I like Skol]

I'm not sure but I think there is a chance your seatpost clamp is assembled wrong. It looks like the serrated washer thing under the bolt head might actually be from between the seatpost and clamp. Maybe there is a smooth one there that has been put there by mistake? I would start by taking it apart and making sure there isn't a more logical way to assemble the parts because I can't think of a good reason for the visible part to be serrated.

 

[Nibor]

Carbon grip uses small glass beads which don't provide enough grip for this application. Grinding paste uses tungsten carbide chips which really bite.

You live and learn cheers.

 

[fossyant]

N+1 get a carbon seatpost. Upgrades and all that.

You know you want to.

 

[summerdays]

Single bolt seat posts are problematic in that way but don't give up on it yet. Find yourself a tiny, tiny container like a lid from a lip balm stick or such and keep it with you. As you drive around or ride or whatever, stop at a garage and charm the mechanic into giving you a teensy weensy blob of grinding paste. If he asks whether you want course or fine, say course. This is a very abrasive paste, sort of gritty grease. Put that on the interface where the slipping and sliding happens and tighten the bolt up again. It may (90% sure) stop the slipping.

Not all mechanic shops will have grinding paste since valve grinding nowadays is outsourced to machine shops. But don't give up after one or two negatives at a garage, you'll find an old-timer that knows what you're talking about.

You'll need very little and he'll give it to you for free if you're friendly. But do go prepared with a little container. You don't want to drive home 30 miles with this stuff on your fingertip. You may just suddenly have the urge to scratch your ear and forget about the paste.

Resist the urge to tighten the bolt beyond specified torque. A saddle bolt is highly stressed and if it is over-torqued, it will fail during a ride, not whilst sitting in the shed. You get my drift.

Thank you. When you say mechanic.... Do you mean like a car mechanic?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Thank you. When you say mechanic.... Do you mean like a car mechanic?

Yes.

 

[summerdays]

Yes.

Thanks, My son is friends with my mechanic's son, but maybe it's best not taken into school!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Thanks, My son is friends with my mechanic's son, but maybe it's best not taken into school!

No worries, it is not a harmful or offensive substance and it is so thick and greasy, that it certainly cannot be snorted without a great deal of effort. Use the school route.

 

[ColinJ]

Resist the urge to tighten the bolt beyond specified torque. A saddle bolt is highly stressed and if it is over-torqued, it will fail during a ride, not whilst sitting in the shed.

I can vouch for that!

 

[bonsaibilly]

I'm not sure but I think there is a chance your seatpost clamp is assembled wrong. It looks like the serrated washer thing under the bolt head might actually be from between the seatpost and clamp. Maybe there is a smooth one there that has been put there by mistake? I would start by taking it apart and making sure there isn't a more logical way to assemble the parts because I can't think of a good reason for the visible part to be serrated.

That serrated part is so proportioned that if you fitted it between seat post and clamp the whole thing would wobble around on the top of the post.

It's there I think because the place where the bolt enters the clamp from below, is in a concave surrounding so there needs to be a convex washer to give the bolt head the right shape. Don't know why it needs to be serrated. BB

 

[summerdays]

Mr Summerdays has found a pot of polishing paste.... (Came with a dremel) Would that do for now?