Any other thoughts/angles on this? The rails are oval but loads of people run side bolt and oval carbon rails, you're only talking 5nm or whatever. The 0.5mm difference in the ears though is nagging at me - although gut feeling is that I could probably just about get away with it.
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Any other thoughts/angles on this? The rails are oval but loads of people run side bolt and oval carbon rails, you're only talking 5nm or whatever. The 0.5mm difference in the ears though is nagging at me - although gut feeling is that I could probably just about get away with it.
3rd? I know the first you wore out, where the second your CX wheels? How have they fared?
Could just be conditioning, how long was the ride and how often do you ride for around that period of time? As you mention bruising rather than saddle sores I'd look at some shorts with more padding rather than initially changing saddle. I've had far less sores switching from a flat saddle (Arione) to one with a cutout (Phenom). Although I did pick up an Arione R3 Open last week to try at some point. Changing shorts had less of an impact for me (as I'm moving around and sitting quite heavily to cause sores).
I suffer with sores on shorts with lighter (Castelli KISS or Sportful Giro) or thinner (Castelli Progetto) pads. Shorts with heavier padding (Sportful Gruppetto) or thicker and wider padding (Rapha Core) suit me better and I can ride for far longer. Did 7 hours last sunday in Rapha Core, some sit bone pain (don't frequently ride over 3-4 hours) and 1 small sore afterwards. I've had the same 'damage' after 2-3 hours in Castelli KISS/Progetto.
Great to see the Rose again! Had half forgotten just how damn cool it looked with tanwalls...!They look fine to me. UK seller too seems like a bonus as you can avoid customs fees and import tax.
This is the set I'm currently running... https://tinyurl.com/ycvjt29d
Can't you swap the ears on the order to 9.0? Or order the 9 and then return/reject the 9.5?
As @Trox pointed out the 9/9.5mm is the height of the rails, not the diameter as I thought... So your rails are 0.5mm 'short' of what the clamp is expecting, you could always wrap them in some tape or something to protect them and add some thickness? Depending which way the oval rail sits, one plane of it is going to be clamped (while the other is likely to be 'loose'). If the height is clamped then probably ok, if it's the sides (as a side clamp hints towards) then you'll find the rails flexing along their length with your weight on. They're designed to withstand it, but you may find grit/dirt gets in there easily and they fatigue sooner than the manufacturer would expect so you'd have problems with warranty (they could tell you'd clamped it 'wrongly').
If it was me, I'd just fit it and see, being fully prepared to return the clamp for the right size if it didn't seem a good fit, maybe trying a wrap of electrical tape around it. If it seemed ok I'd just ride it and check it after any noises/a few weeks, again being prepared to get the right size clamp (while doing more googling about it). If it's moving around in the clamp I'd expect it to show signs of wear quite quickly (on the tape) and that may help show how much of it is flexing (and gauge how worried to be).
Thanks Roady,
I can't actually get the ears in a 7x9 - the ears are just 7x7 or 7x9.5. Looking on some other forums it appears that people are just using some strong gorilla type tape to get the rail height up an extra .5mm - I'm happy to do that I think, if needed. Ultimately I really don't want to have to part with this saddle as it suits me perfectly (and it looks great
) so if that means running a bit of gorilla tape then that's a price I'm willing to pay.
/edit. It's a bit difficult to explain but from what I can see the clamping system might also exert some downward force onto the rails (as well as the obvious side clamping force) if so then I'm in business as this will take up the 0.5mm slack.
I can't actually get the ears in a 7x9 - the ears are just 7x7 or 7x9.5. Looking on some other forums it appears that people are just using some strong gorilla type tape to get the rail height up an extra .5mm - I'm happy to do that I think, if needed. Ultimately I really don't want to have to part with this saddle as it suits me perfectly (and it looks great
) so if that means running a bit of gorilla tape then that's a price I'm willing to pay./edit. It's a bit difficult to explain but from what I can see the clamping system might also exert some downward force onto the rails (as well as the obvious side clamping force) if so then I'm in business as this will take up the 0.5mm slack.
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Soldato
I just use the standard Giant 7x7 clamp for mine and it's torque up to the specified torque rating for the clamp (14nm iirc).Thanks Roady,
I can't actually get the ears in a 7x9 - the ears are just 7x7 or 7x9.5. Looking on some other forums it appears that people are just using some strong gorilla type tape to get the rail height up an extra .5mm - I'm happy to do that I think, if needed. Ultimately I really don't want to have to part with this saddle as it suits me perfectly (and it looks great
/edit. It's a bit difficult to explain but from what I can see the clamping system might also exert some downward force onto the rails (as well as the obvious side clamping force) if so then I'm in business as this will take up the 0.5mm slack.
Not a great photo but you can view what it looks like here...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2u9upVSpjNzereoV8
If you need a better photo I'll take one tonight.
I'm desperately trying to avoid upgrade-itis and follow suit with some of these (well, the disc version he sells, for my Planet X London Road).I ride a planet X lol... No snobbery here
How do these look?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/323257391522
What's the advantage though? They seem fairly heavy - 1700gms.
Soldato
Zip 404s are hardly much lighter at 1615g and cost nearly £1600!
Also, a few 100g is neither here nor there once you have 2 full water bottles and you're sat on the saddle (not calling you fat btw).
Thanks Trox but you've got top and bottom clamp there - my new bike is running a side clamp single bolt system - so that's why it's complicated.
The carbon railed saddle I have (that I desperately want to keep) does sit perfectly in a top and bottom clamp - as you've evidenced there. Side clamp = complications!
Soldato
Ah I see, sorry mate I thought you had a solution but didn't know what direction to go 7x7 or 7x9.5.
My mistake
My mistake
I suspect the light deep section is probably the AX lightness ultra 55t http://ax-lightness.de/en/cycling/bike-components/laufraeder-rennrad-ultra/ultra-55t/ at well over £2000 and 1125 grams. That's a lot of something else for your 575 grams
Tubular though ain’t they which is a 200g saving over a clincher, the 1600g will be clincher rims surely?
so say 1300g is the lightest you can get a clincher with that kind of section. 275g isn't even a decent amount of water
Not worn any out, sold the first set with a bike, 2nd set are still on my CX bike, 3rd set on my road bike. 1st set are still going as far as I'm aware.
Surfing around google image search most of the photos I can see of it the clamp looks nothing special so you could swap it (ie not actually use the Scott/Syncros clamp). So you could use something like this Specialized clamp which is listed as designed for 7x9mm carbon rails?Thanks Roady,
I can't actually get the ears in a 7x9 - the ears are just 7x7 or 7x9.5. Looking on some other forums it appears that people are just using some strong gorilla type tape to get the rail height up an extra .5mm - I'm happy to do that I think, if needed. Ultimately I really don't want to have to part with this saddle as it suits me perfectly (and it looks great
/edit. It's a bit difficult to explain but from what I can see the clamping system might also exert some downward force onto the rails (as well as the obvious side clamping force) if so then I'm in business as this will take up the 0.5mm slack.
What/which saddle is it?
There's always the joke at the start of a hilly group ride - 'didn't fit my lightweight carbon climbing wheels today, hold my glasses while I go for a poo instead.'Also, a few 100g is neither here nor there once you have 2 full water bottles and you're sat on the saddle (not calling you fat btw).
And if you're that worried about it, while equally happy to buy £2000 lightweight wheels then go the whole hog.
Ahhh ok, I'm sure I always ask that!
To be fair the only 'worn out' carbon rims I've seen where always cheaper brand wheels which had failed on big descents after quite hard lives...
Ditto.
People end up in turmoil over this not really realising that tyre choice, position on the bike and even the spares you're carrying or water bottles chosen are more likely to have significant impact than 1-200g.
Unless you're competing in Hill Climbs, factor it it but don't let it be the deciding factor.
I'm pretty convinced the clamp will take up .5mm slack - the ears are tapered so as you tighten them it looks like there's definitely top down clamping force. Worst case scenario I have to run some gorrila tape strips.
The saddle I can't bear to be parted from is a Bontrager Montrose Pro. The most comfortable saddle I've ever had by a country mile. Unlike the garbage Fizik Arione on my new bike:
https://ibb.co/gQoxBy
Where all else is equal lighter is better. But it's one of the very last factors on the list
And I'm a reformed weight weenie who owned a 19lb titanium xc bike...
Unless you ride competitive hill climbs then a lighter bike is not better (quicker) over an aero bike. Especially as you get fitter and ride quicker.
Soldato
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 5,302
Can you imagine spending £5k on a pair of wheels?!
Good god you better do them some justice out on the roads
Good god you better do them some justice out on the roads
I would ride slower so I could avoid all of the potholesCan you imagine spending £5k on a pair of wheels?!
Good god you better do them some justice out on the roads