darkemeralds: Naked woman on a bike, caption "I don't care, I'm still free" (Bike Freedom)
[personal profile] darkemeralds posting in [community profile] bicycles
I hardly ever ride Clyde, my Globe Specialized Carmel hybrid, anymore. It's a fun ride, but inconvenient for commuting (lights need batteries, rear fender doesn't prevent road spatter, rack doesn't hold much, greasy chain has no guard...). I prefer Eleanor O, my Dutch Workcycles Omafiets, for everyday use.

But I was very glad of Clyde when, a couple of weekends ago, I managed to break one tiny little part on Eleanor.

The part was the tensioning bolt in the Brooks saddle. It's a small part with a big job: to lengthen the saddle frame just a hair at a time as the saddle leather begins to stretch, and, incidentally, to fix the saddle onto its undersprings--i.e., to keep it on the bike. I...might have overdone the tensioning just a bit, and snap went the bolt.

A black and white Dutch bike with its saddle removed

I had to order a replacement from SJS Cycles in Bridgwater, Somerset, UK (about 6000 miles from home for me) because nobody in the US seems to carry it. It cost a whopping five bucks, I think, and three times for shipping it.

The imported part

Cheaper than a new Brooks saddle, but I've really missed riding my sturdy, reliable, no-fuss Oma.

The part came today, so I hope to be back in the saddle tomorrow, and good old Clyde can return to collecting spiderwebs on the front porch.

Date: 2011-11-27 06:21 pm (UTC)
sporky_rat: The handlebars and headset of a pale yellow Trek Pure Lowstep. (buttercup)
From: [personal profile] sporky_rat
I'm starting to think I need to see about a tune up for my Buttercup because she's starting to act a little funny.

It's so interesting to learn the intricacies of how our bikes act, isn't it?

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