Crabon Rails
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,610
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 399 Post(s)
Liked 274 Times
in
136 Posts
Crabon Rails
Hi all...
7x9mm carbon rail saddle
When I first got it I asked around and was mostly advised to absolutely not put this saddle on a seatpost meant for good old fashioned 7mm rails so I've been using it on a Thomson with their special clamp for "oversized" rails.
Now I'd like to use this saddle on a one-bolt titanium Campag Chorus seatpost but have not been able find any special clamp or adapter meant to help it play nice with crabon rails.
Is there such a thing? Or...do we think I could get away without one this time?
TIA
7x9mm carbon rail saddle
When I first got it I asked around and was mostly advised to absolutely not put this saddle on a seatpost meant for good old fashioned 7mm rails so I've been using it on a Thomson with their special clamp for "oversized" rails.
Now I'd like to use this saddle on a one-bolt titanium Campag Chorus seatpost but have not been able find any special clamp or adapter meant to help it play nice with crabon rails.
Is there such a thing? Or...do we think I could get away without one this time?
TIA
#2
Full Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 469
Bikes: Two Peter Mooney customs, a 1980 Trek 510 townie, a Marin Stelvio set up for TTs.
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 228 Post(s)
Liked 294 Times
in
161 Posts
Somehow, I've always been very very leery of having a clamped-upon surface made from CF. Back in 2000, I got a bike from Peter Mooney, and it was set up with Campagnolo Record 10 of the period with the exception of the seat post. They had moved that to CF, and so I specifically asked to stay with the (now Chorus) titanium post. If I were you, I'd genuinely look at a different seat. I really don't want to be looking at a railing failure when I'm many miles from repairs.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,395
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1562 Post(s)
Liked 1,734 Times
in
974 Posts
Only the rotary style of seat clamps that clamps onto the sides of the seat rails, have a problem with oval carbon seat rails:
The seat posts that clamp onto the tops and bottoms of the seat rails, typically have no problem with oval carbon rails as long as the clamping bolts are long enough to cover the additional height of the oval rails. No adapters needed.
The seat posts that clamp onto the tops and bottoms of the seat rails, typically have no problem with oval carbon rails as long as the clamping bolts are long enough to cover the additional height of the oval rails. No adapters needed.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,880
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 664 Times
in
506 Posts
I don't know if the Campy clamps are made for carbon 7 x 9 rails or not. I have a few carbon railed saddles, two leather and one fully carbon fiber. Both are Selle AnAtomica, with the Series 2 aluminum saddle frame. I'm not using the full carbon saddle. The original SA frames have straight rail lengths about 8 cm. For the Ti rails on the standard Series 2 saddles that length has been reduced to about 6 cm, too short for me on road bikes without a lot of seat tube layback. I replaced the Ti rails with the SA carbon rails, which are back up to the old 8 cm length. On these bikes I'm using the Nitto S84 saddle, which has a two-bolt micro-adjusting clamp, identical to that on the S83. It just has more setback than the S83, by about 20 mm.
When I install the saddle I try very hard not to expose the saddle rails to any sharp edges, nor to force it if I need to raise the nose, rotate the seatpost, or slide the saddle forward or back ward. So far no apparent wear and no sign of saddle rail scratching. I also never crush the 7 x 9 rails by over tightening the saddle rail clamps. I only crank down the bolts hard enough to keep me in place.
So far, pretty good; no problems!
When I install the saddle I try very hard not to expose the saddle rails to any sharp edges, nor to force it if I need to raise the nose, rotate the seatpost, or slide the saddle forward or back ward. So far no apparent wear and no sign of saddle rail scratching. I also never crush the 7 x 9 rails by over tightening the saddle rail clamps. I only crank down the bolts hard enough to keep me in place.
So far, pretty good; no problems!
Last edited by Road Fan; 07-30-23 at 06:25 PM.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,831 Times
in
1,997 Posts
Only the rotary style of seat clamps that clamps onto the sides of the seat rails, have a problem with oval carbon seat rails:
The seat posts that clamp onto the tops and bottoms of the seat rails, typically have no problem with oval carbon rails as long as the clamping bolts are long enough to cover the additional height of the oval rails. No adapters needed.
The seat posts that clamp onto the tops and bottoms of the seat rails, typically have no problem with oval carbon rails as long as the clamping bolts are long enough to cover the additional height of the oval rails. No adapters needed.
#6
Senior Member
I have carbon rails on my infinity seat. First one broke just behind the clamp, and I assumed it was because I was sitting up a lot on the trainer last winter. Bought a new set, and followed the instructions to the T. (Don't remember ever seeing instructions the first time though). Second one lasted about a month of rides. I had to take a screen shot of the video, but this one broke both sides just in front of the clamp. Lucky for me it happened about only 6 local, in town miles from home, so I could ride gently home. New to this modern stuff, and I thought I needed carbon rails since the bike came with them. But this clamp cradles the rails from top and bottom, so either will work. Sticking with steel rails.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 16,880
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 664 Times
in
506 Posts
#8
Full Member
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 218
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 139 Post(s)
Liked 1,432 Times
in
175 Posts
Carbon saddle rail seatpost clamp
Carbon rail saddle rail questions are not exactly a Classic & Vintage topic. This is a photo of my Tarmac S Works SL7 saddle and post. The post clamp hardware is made to work with a saddle that has carbon rails. Use a carbon rail saddle on vintage seatpost at your own risk. Jim Merz
#9
Senior Member
This is a very poor place to apply graphite fiber technology. Handlebars is another. It can be made to work but...