Aurorabucky

So I finally got up the gumption to lace up my Ideale No.45. To do it I wanted to take it off the seat post so I could measure it up nicely, which meant I had to monkey with the clamp (Ideale no. 2, which is the run-of-the-mill standard clamp).

I got the saddle into good shape, put it back on the bike, set the angle, and tightened that horizontal bolt TIGHT, and left for my morning commute. I was fine until I hit a bump and the saddle pitched 20 degrees nose-up in traffic.

At work over lunch I re-set it, tightened the clamp as far as my little stubby wrench will let me. The seat rotates again right as I'm pulling out of work (with another rider witnessing...embarrassing). Then again this morning. Looking at the setup, it looks like the teeth of the clamp have stripped and rounded off, so I'm down to friction holding it.

At this point, I'm starting to get annoyed with the old clamps. When mine aren't rotating or slipping down the seatpost (22mm post), they creak.

I was curious how many, if any had given up on the old style clamps, and what they got to replace them.

I'm either going to get a modern seat tube (UO-8 with I believe 25.4mm post hole after shim is removed), or consider springing for one of those Ideale No.3 setups with the micro-adjust.

fietsbob

you talking regular tubular post and separate saddle clamp..


it's currently made for typical 7/8" 22.2 tops of post .. Brompton, Penta clip, Part# QPENTACLIPA

mostly aluminum stepless holds with a multiplate clutch.. , 1 bolt.

rhm

They are all the same design, more or less, but not all of the same quality. The cheaper Idéale ones are pretty bad. The nicer ones, and the better Brooks ones, are really quite nice.

I have a whole box of them, mostly cheap but functional ones. I can send you a few for the cost of shipping if you want.

randyjawa 

For bikes I ride on a regular basis, the old saddle clamp and straight seat post are gone! Same with rat traps, in favor of SPD.

That said, some of my bikes are original and I hope to keep them that way. Old technology is acceptable in such cases, even though the old T does not work as well as modern stuff, in my opinion. Seat posts can be a pain in the butt, for sure.

Saddle clamp...





Modern post...



The rotation problem is, sometimes, caused by mounting the clamp too low, catching part of the taper on the seat post. This will dramatically reduce the ability to prevent rotation.

To prevent rotation, if it possible to do so, ensure that the clamp is touching at all points on the seat post. Preventing rotation is not just a matter of tight. It is a matter of "area of contact". If enough of the clamp is not in contact with the seat post, the clamp will rotate. So...

Clean and ensue that the part are fitting together as required. This might mean rounding out the clamp or seat post, believe it or not.

dddd

Good advice there, randyjawa.

Also one should be on the lookout for mis-matched ratcheting parts from different posts, so the teeth mightn't line up effectively.

And I believe I have had one or both toothed plates come off of center with their mating teeth on the clamp itself, such that the round pattern of teeth weren't concentric with the teeth on the clamp. I don't recall what brand it was that allowed such improper, non-concentric assembly (and subsequent slipping), but I suspect some design fault at least partly to blame.

I always feel lucky when the coarse position "indexing" allows the saddle to be set at just the right tilt!

And I'm always (and still) looking for a just-right position for my headset's indexing, gotta get lucky some day!

wrk101

+1 This is one of those situations where the modern replacement is a definite upgrade performance wise over the old school method. Just get a vintage indexed seat post, save the old one for when you retire the bike.

Lascauxcaveman 

Take RHM up on his offer. Or, based on your location, if you ever take that ferry over to Pt Townsend, you can hike or bike up to the Recyclery and they will give you one cheap.