Given a rotten tomato and made it into marinara sauce
05-28-16, 05:49 PM
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Given a rotten tomato and made it into marinara sauce
I was recently given a free Unicanitor saddle because the one I have now pretty much snapped in half. So a very generous member sent one my way that needed some loving. I think some rats gave it some loving and ate the entire back half of the leather cover and numerous sections on the sides. Not to mention a half inch of the actual plastic on one side.
Man oh man...how the heck am I going to save this with a chunk of plastic missing? I looked at it and saw a line from when it was molded and ran with it. With a new razor and a steady hand I sliced off the sides and then rounded the edges with a file and some sand paper. It's not totally perfect but given what I had to work with. It's a lot more presentable now ready for my Guerciotti. I also had some faux black suede material leftover from a Fizik saddle I also recovered.
Now it has a Flite look to it and cleaned up the aluminum rails and now almost give a Titanium look. Makes me almost want to buy a repop plastic saddle and make one for my new project.
The original cover looks like something Leather Face could make a new mask from.
Sides sliced off. Notice the section some rodent chewed off.
Freshly carved saddle before getting some new skin
Yummmy!
Man oh man...how the heck am I going to save this with a chunk of plastic missing? I looked at it and saw a line from when it was molded and ran with it. With a new razor and a steady hand I sliced off the sides and then rounded the edges with a file and some sand paper. It's not totally perfect but given what I had to work with. It's a lot more presentable now ready for my Guerciotti. I also had some faux black suede material leftover from a Fizik saddle I also recovered.
Now it has a Flite look to it and cleaned up the aluminum rails and now almost give a Titanium look. Makes me almost want to buy a repop plastic saddle and make one for my new project.
The original cover looks like something Leather Face could make a new mask from.
Sides sliced off. Notice the section some rodent chewed off.
Freshly carved saddle before getting some new skin
Yummmy!
05-28-16, 05:55 PM
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Nice! Shows good craftsmanship. What did you use to attach the new cover?
05-28-16, 06:00 PM
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I used 3M Professional adhesive spray. It actually has the stitching on the nose like the original covers have also. I was thinking of adding some red stitching but I probably would of made it look worse. The material isn't very stretchy like vinyl p'leather is.
05-28-16, 06:49 PM
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That looks great. Please post a picture of it mounted on your bike.
05-28-16, 06:53 PM
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If you like titanium flite saddles, I have one I can donate that is in need of recovering. I already shaped the foam and lost interest.
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05-28-16, 08:18 PM
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Looks awesome! Those are already light, I can only imagine how light it is now. The most important part: How does it feel on a 20+ mile ride? As good as the old?
05-28-16, 09:49 PM
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That looks racy and fast! Good workmanship. They should've made such a model originally!
05-28-16, 10:05 PM
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Hmm. I kinda liked the way it looked trimmed and naked. I've got a couple of modern (skinless) unicanitors that I like pretty well, except they might be just a tad too stiff. Howcome I never thought about trimming the skirts like that?
Thanks for the inspiration, Henry. I think I may try trimming one of mine down to a Swift profile. Why not?
Thanks for the inspiration, Henry. I think I may try trimming one of mine down to a Swift profile. Why not?
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
05-28-16, 10:53 PM
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Impressive. 
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
05-29-16, 12:27 PM
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05-29-16, 05:19 PM
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My 748s is a 2001. Bought it just before we left Oregon because I wasn't sure I'd find one easily in rural Michigan where we moved to. We used to live directly across the street from a Ducati/BMW/Triumph dealership so I got to see eye candy everyday leaving the house. The shops two race bikes in the front window. The bike has a carbon Termi exhaust, foam air filter, chipped ecu, Ducati Performance pressure plate/springs/retainers, Fast by Ferraci clip ons and Marchesini magnesium wheels. This is my second Ducati and the first I bought for $700 and came in a box and completely hacked up wiring harness. Fun project.
05-29-16, 05:28 PM
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Well, more talent displayed from the man that made my awesome, one-off tool roll 
I'm assuming this is now un-padded? I like the way you cut away the sides - and the new profile. Kinda got me thinking of messing around with my spare #3 , although instead of re-covering, I might just remove the leather altogether. And add some extra holes, of course!
DD
I'm assuming this is now un-padded? I like the way you cut away the sides - and the new profile. Kinda got me thinking of messing around with my spare #3 , although instead of re-covering, I might just remove the leather altogether. And add some extra holes, of course!
DD
05-29-16, 09:47 PM
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My 748s is a 2001. Bought it just before we left Oregon because I wasn't sure I'd find one easily in rural Michigan where we moved to. We used to live directly across the street from a Ducati/BMW/Triumph dealership so I got to see eye candy everyday leaving the house. The shops two race bikes in the front window. The bike has a carbon Termi exhaust, foam air filter, chipped ecu, Ducati Performance pressure plate/springs/retainers, Fast by Ferraci clip ons and Marchesini magnesium wheels. This is my second Ducati and the first I bought for $700 and came in a box and completely hacked up wiring harness. Fun project.
05-30-16, 07:47 AM
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The original owner used to track it. The second owner was an older gentleman from the UK who raced a few times at the Isle of Man and sent his old leathers with me. Mind you he didn't race this bike but in the 60's. He really babied it and maybe put 500 miles on it and had it for three years. Did a full service treatment on it as I was able to go across the street and get a print out of the work he had done to it. He would start it up once a week and let it run up to operating temps and then shut it off.
I don't take it out in rain or if it looks like its going to rain the next state away two weeks before. Lol. I'm a very fairweather rider on anything with two wheels. Only thing I've done is install an integrated LED turn/tail light and licence plate mount to clean up the rear end and some carbon exhaust shields. I dont' really plan on doing much more. It's my grail bike.
I don't take it out in rain or if it looks like its going to rain the next state away two weeks before. Lol. I'm a very fairweather rider on anything with two wheels. Only thing I've done is install an integrated LED turn/tail light and licence plate mount to clean up the rear end and some carbon exhaust shields. I dont' really plan on doing much more. It's my grail bike.
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