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Saddle Rail Creak

Old 09-26-20, 01:40 PM
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mattcalifornia
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Saddle Rail Creak

Hi - I just installed a new saddle (Fizik Antares Versus Evo R1 Adaptive), and there is an annoying creaking noise coming from the rails -- mostly when I'm grinding up hills. This saddle has carbon rails with a 7x10 oval cross section. My previous saddle was a Fizik Arione with alloy rails with a round cross section. The old saddle made no noise, so I'm pretty sure it's not the seatpost/frame connection.

My seatpost is a Ritchey WCS carbon, but the clamp that holds the rails is alloy. I bought a new clamp adapter from Ritchey that's specifically made for these oval rails. I used Park Supergrip carbon and alloy assembly compound paste and torqued to the recommended setting on the seat clamp (12nm) using a torque wrench. This is a weird 1-bolt system. The same bolt that tightens the clamp to the rails also tightens the clamp to the seat post itself. Fizik says its carbon rails can handle 18nm, but if I go higher than the Ritchey guidelines, I might damage the connection between the clamp and the post, and Fizik says to use the clamp recommendation if it is lower than 18nm. Any suggestions?
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Old 09-26-20, 01:44 PM
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It might actually be creaking where the rails enter the base of the saddle. I've had a couple of saddles do that in the past. Conversely, I've never had a sound come from the interface between the rails and the clamp.
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Old 09-26-20, 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
It might actually be creaking where the rails enter the base of the saddle. I've had a couple of saddles do that in the past. Conversely, I've never had a sound come from the interface between the rails and the clamp.
Good point! If so, is there any way to deal with it?
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Old 09-26-20, 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by mattcalifornia
Good point! If so, is there any way to deal with it?
A squirt of oil might do the trick, or some Lock-Ease® graphite fluid, or moly disulphide powder.
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Old 09-27-20, 12:38 PM
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I used to drip some Muc-Off chain lube into the "sockets" where the rails entered the saddle base. It would cut the squeaking for a while.

I would trade back for that creak any day, as now that bike has a soft and intermittent sort of groan sound that comes from I-don't-know-where, and I've been trying to get rid of it for at least a year.
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Old 10-01-20, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by dsbrantjr
A squirt of oil might do the trick, or some Lock-Ease® graphite fluid, or moly disulphide powder.
I’ve also had good results with a spot of glue from a glue gun at each rail/saddle interface. Usual disclaimers but if you’re careful it can work well.
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Old 10-01-20, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
I used to drip some Muc-Off chain lube into the "sockets" where the rails entered the saddle base. It would cut the squeaking for a while.

I would trade back for that creak any day, as now that bike has a soft and intermittent sort of groan sound that comes from I-don't-know-where, and I've been trying to get rid of it for at least a year.
Hm, groaning usually indicates a motor problem. IME, it's a problem with fuel delivery, but YMMV.
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