Classic & Vintage - 26.3 seatpost on '78 Dawes Super Galaxy?!

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
pravrao
12-13-06, 08:17 PM
Hello all!

I have just bought a classic Dawes off gumtree here in London. I have a 34inch inseam and REALLY need more than a fistful of seatpost... but where can I get a 26.3 seatpost?

The post it came with is alloy, marked 'BIRMALUX Made in England 26.3mm DIA'. I am assuming it is original fitment because of the Brooks B17 saddle date stamp 'A 78' - Jan 1978 (and the massive dangerous-looking grooves from the saddle clamp).

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/227/dsc00496eu3.th.jpg (http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00496eu3.jpg)http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9638/dsc00495ma8.th.jpg (http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00495ma8.jpg)http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1479/dsc00499nt2.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00499nt2.jpg)

So what do I do for a useable seatpost? Any cheap sources in Europe? How many layer of aluminium can do I need to shim a modern one?

I'll be requesting Sheldon B to add this to his database as soon as someone tells me I am not crazy.

Thanks for all the expertise on here - I am now the proud owner of 2 unrideable old bikes, 1 classic, and a beater.

Cheers, Prav.

cyclotoine
12-13-06, 08:32 PM
wow I have never seen one. you can use a 26.2mm post without a shim. 0.1mm is not a big deal. I often find bikes with 26.8mm posts from the early 80s where there should be a 27.2mm I think there was a shortage during the transition period when most high end bike became 27.2 and there were all kind of leftover 26.8s or something.
nlerner
12-13-06, 08:37 PM
In the other direction, 26.4mm LaPrade-style seatposts are common as well. They were stock on late 70s Raleigh lightweights, and I've seen those SR/Raleigh post come up on eBay quite often for reasonable price. You can sand that down slightly or lube it and hope for the best.

Neal

pravrao
12-13-06, 08:42 PM
Cool, a 26.2 post will have to do I guess - LOTS of choice! :-)..
I just don't want to mess up and stretch the seattube on my only nice (531) bike, and I'm not a small lad (6'3" 90kg).

So you reckon a 26.3 is valuable to the right guy? :rolleyes: its scratched to s**t - as you can see from the pics. I've got to get one of the gouges on the post from the saddleclamp - I rode it home 10 miles! eek!