I recently picked up a Brooks B66 saddle and I love it so far. But I notice that when I hit a bump in a certain position, the stupid bolt holding the saddle to the post cuts a trough in the inside of the side of the saddle. Better that than my leg, for sure! But still, it's bugging me. Why did Brooks make that bolt so long? Is this a normal problem?

If the problem is what I think it is--the end of the clamp bolt on the post is poking up and touching the bottom of the saddle??--it should be easy just to grind off the end of the bolt with a file, a Dremel, whatever tool you have around. Or cut it with a hacksaw, it it's WAY long.
If you can, threat a nut or the loose piece of the clamp onto it before you cut. Then when you take it off, it will straighten any damage your tool does to the threads.

post pics. i've never heard of it or experienced it.

If it's a new saddle I think I'd return it to Brooks and let them fix the problem. They might not know about it.

The clamp is a separate part from the saddle, does the bolt stick out further on one side than the other? If so loosen the long side and tighten the short side to even it out. Otherwise cut it off like has been suggested. Also if the bolt is in front of the seatpost flip the clamp around so it is behind the seatpost where the saddle flares out and it may not hit the leather.

I could cut the bolt of course, but what confuses me is this is the mount that came with the saddle. So if it's not fitting--is there a more significant problem? Anyway here are the pics. I'm going to go by the shop to day to see what they can do.

It looks to me like the mount has some setback and you have it on backwards. Try reversing it.

It is intended to be turned around the other way. Turn the clamp around, so the bolt is towards the rear of the saddle. If you prefer the forward saddle position you now have, cut the bolt down. Er, what Ziemas said.

It won't really flip around the other way, at least not that I've been able to figure out. And that's the same way it is in the product photos--with the bolt on the front side:



But I also notice the bolt is cropped in all the photos. Looks like it's time to get out Mr. Hacksaw!

It'll flip over. Take your seat off the post and take the clamp off the saddle. It's fairly self evident how it goes back together and you'll see how you can place the seat post clamp on either side (fore or aft) of the through bolt (the one the nuts and washers hang on).

Another option is to go to Lowe's and get what are called 'Acorn Nuts'. They will at least cover the end of the threads and would be a lot easier that sawing the bolts off. Here is what I am talking about, but as I said, they are available at Lowe's for about .25 each.


https://www.mmsacc-stainless.com/html/acorn_nuts.htm

Get a real seat post:

That has a bolt or bolts under the clamping section. What you have is the old post clamp which can be a pain to work on and subject to failure.

A carbon seatpost is maybe not the best example there.

The old skool seatposts are not prone to fail, they just don't have quite the micro-adjustments of some of the newer style posts.
And the B66 is a double rail saddle, you can use a "seat sandwich" to make it fit with a micro-adjust post, but in my experience the old post and clamp has a more solid feel.

how about a cheap alloy post with integrated hardware to clamp onto the seat rails?

How is an old style post subject to failure? It's actually the post the B66 is designed to work with, and has worked with for ages now. You need to get the B67 if you don't want to use the traditional post. Or else just clip on the bottom rung, which isn't as strong a fit. Anyway the post isn't the problem, it's the bolt.

This B66 and its "old post" clamp on its old post has worked fine for 30 years with no pain nor problems.

I agree with ILTB. The old seat clamps were just fine. The OP just needs to reverse the clamp like in ILTB's pic.

There's a Brooks B-17 (Honey) for just $2.00 Canadian!
Here's the link


I'll even give it a once over, make sure no rubby bits are rubby
























okay, it's $2.00 for a -chance- at a Brook B-17....still a damn good deal!

Turn the clamp around and you won't have a problem. This is the same double rail clamp that you have, but I converted it to single rail use by using parts from another clamp.

I used that type of post because it's more correct for a bike built in 1959. It absolutely does not slip and I'm no lightweight.



A Micro-adjusting seatpost and seat sandwich is a more elegant solution for double-rail saddles, but I didn't like paying $15 for the sandwich.

Lovely machines, Dirtdrop.