saddle mod advice
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
saddle mod advice
i am still not very happy with the saddle angle on my birdy bike even when I move everything forward and add extra washers at the back suspension. Here is a dump idea please tell me what you think ?
Basically i will cut the tube and drill through for two bolts so that i can move the tube to the front. i can add the metal ring around the two tubes if need to. The M2Racer Power Module would be perfect but i can't find it for sale anywhere as the company closed long time ago

Basically i will cut the tube and drill through for two bolts so that i can move the tube to the front. i can add the metal ring around the two tubes if need to. The M2Racer Power Module would be perfect but i can't find it for sale anywhere as the company closed long time ago
Last edited by tdong; 08-22-14 at 07:33 AM.
#2
i am still not very happy with the saddle angle on my birdy bike even when I move everything forward and add extra washers at the back suspension. Here is a dump idea please tell me what you think ?
Basically i will cut the tube and drill through for two bolts so that i can move the tube to the front. i can add the metal ring around the two tubes if need to

Basically i will cut the tube and drill through for two bolts so that i can move the tube to the front. i can add the metal ring around the two tubes if need to
probably what you need is a stem insert that has 0 forward stem length.
Last edited by smallwheeler; 08-22-14 at 07:48 AM.
#5
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
I dont have that seat post ... plain 7/8 top type offers the option of mounting the saddle clip ahead of the seatpost.. Or to the rear ..
you may seek out someone with aluminum welding experience to modify or fabricate a replacement .
Bike Friday is advantaged by having several frame sizes , most/all others just one .. yours seems that.
yes butterfly bar, horizontal, will be a shorter reach.. as shown vertical just up/down
you may seek out someone with aluminum welding experience to modify or fabricate a replacement .
Bike Friday is advantaged by having several frame sizes , most/all others just one .. yours seems that.
yes butterfly bar, horizontal, will be a shorter reach.. as shown vertical just up/down
#7
#9
i'm providing you with images for ideas.
you can visualize cutting the seatpost then bolting it back together but, you cant conceptualize how to modify the 33.9 seatpost to accept a 27.2 seat post?
anyway, maybe this is all you need. you'll have to experiment.
you can visualize cutting the seatpost then bolting it back together but, you cant conceptualize how to modify the 33.9 seatpost to accept a 27.2 seat post?
anyway, maybe this is all you need. you'll have to experiment.
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 8
From: San Rafael, California
As s/w intimated, it would be much easier/safer to install a negative setback post in the Birdy tube.. As the 35mm Birdy seatpost is open at the top, a simple sleeve and clamp would be all that is needed to modify .. your idea of bolting two round tubes together is not good (IMO) .. normal riding would attempt to shear/twist the bolts.. making the bolts bigger to offset the levering/twisting will weaken the tube more.. the engineer types might comment to say it would work and I'm wrong .. I'd go the easy, safe route that could be undone easily..
#12
i could be wrong, but to be clear, i think what you need is a seatpost with setback that has a pivoting clamp. you can rotate the seatpost 180º. that will give you 3-4cm of forward reach.
birdy seatpost with setback:
Last edited by smallwheeler; 08-22-14 at 10:09 AM.
#13
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
NB Problem Solvers
you can take apart that saddle clamping hardware and / or saw off the end of the tubing square
or maybe even just turn it over the other end is probably cut off square
shim the ID of your seat post tube to take a common sized seat post as there is being shown .. ^^above^^
Or have a tube, the same size, made and welded up to get the pushed ahead saddle mount you desire ..
Father was a machinist .. so making rather than internet shopping seems better..
welding on a 7/8" diameter tube Horizontal on top and buying one of Brompton's excellent Penta clip saddle clips
which is stepless, secure and works in 360 degrees will have your saddle positioned above the horizontal tube.
Then the saddle set back adjustment range can be user chosen..
Idea, modeled after Brompton's own Saddle adapter pin..
Which offers the horizontal tube when fitted to a post, which also has a 7/8" top diameter
As most tube seat posts do.
you can take apart that saddle clamping hardware and / or saw off the end of the tubing square
or maybe even just turn it over the other end is probably cut off square
shim the ID of your seat post tube to take a common sized seat post as there is being shown .. ^^above^^
Or have a tube, the same size, made and welded up to get the pushed ahead saddle mount you desire ..
Father was a machinist .. so making rather than internet shopping seems better..
welding on a 7/8" diameter tube Horizontal on top and buying one of Brompton's excellent Penta clip saddle clips
which is stepless, secure and works in 360 degrees will have your saddle positioned above the horizontal tube.
Then the saddle set back adjustment range can be user chosen..
Idea, modeled after Brompton's own Saddle adapter pin..
Which offers the horizontal tube when fitted to a post, which also has a 7/8" top diameter
As most tube seat posts do.
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-22-14 at 12:04 PM.
#14
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
thanks for all the input. i won't cut the tube as it seems like a dumb idea. I would either go with the Rspeed which sell on ebay or will talk to my brother in law about bending the tube a bit since he is working for a steel tube company
#15
LET'S ROLL
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,789
Likes: 59
From: NEW YORK, NY - USA
Bikes: 2014 BMC Gran Fondo, 2013 Brompton S6L-X
If you mod the seat post in any way; you may not be able to push it all the way
down. Negating one of the attributes of a folder, compact size for storage/parking.
From your pic; looks like you can still move the saddle forward. You can also try
another seat that has longer rails; Selle SMP is one.
down. Negating one of the attributes of a folder, compact size for storage/parking.
From your pic; looks like you can still move the saddle forward. You can also try
another seat that has longer rails; Selle SMP is one.
__________________
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
One day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20X43026ukY&list=UUHyRS8bRu6zPoymgKaIoDLA&index=1
#16
55+ Club,...


Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,834
Likes: 1,213
From: Somewhere in New York, NY
Bikes: 9+,...
I was just about to create a thread asking about a more forward riding position on one of my bikes (Puma Nevis, it's a pedal forward bike, but it's too far back and causes me knee pain). Now I'll just start Google'ing and find a more forward position seat post. The bike is well worth it - it's built like a tank!
__________________
If it wasn't for you meddling kids,...
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: Victoria BC Canada & La Quinta CA USA
Bikes: Birdy Red 8 speed, Birdy Blue 21 Speed, Birdy Monocoque 24 Speed, 2002 Devinci Desperado, 1996 Rocky Mountain Hammer Race
When they changed to the monocoque, they made the seatpost more upright and introduced a seatpost that is a bit longer and is closed on top by an offset clamp. With the offset set back, you can achieve a similar position to the original Birdy at maximum height. If you want the seat further forward, you can turn the seatpost so that the offset is forward. In both positions, you have a better range of seat tilt angle.
The seatposts are interchangeable in fact the offset post that came with my monocoque is a better fit in my older Birdies than the original posts are. It also has height markings which is very handy.
I think that if you buy one of the new posts, it may solve all of your problems.
If you look here "Models", they show the new style post facing forwards and back. They also show an old style seatpost on the folded grey monocoque beside the Birdy Orange 9 speed.
Last edited by energyandair; 08-23-14 at 02:01 PM. Reason: added link
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,027
Likes: 3
From: York UK
Bikes: 2X dualdrive Mezzo folder,plus others
I found a good selection of telescopic seatposts for a konga on ebay. I managed to get a suspension seat post fitted to my mezzo cheaply by simply using a 25.4 inner diameter standard length seatpost insert.
Presumably something could be achieved in the same manner to achive layback.
Presumably something could be achieved in the same manner to achive layback.













. Looks like too much work for a few cm

