Big T wrote:Whilst cleaning my bike yesterday, i noticed the nose bolt on my B17 has bent. the saddle is about 5 years old and has been tensioned by about 3/4 of an inch. The bolt has bent where it enters the nut.
This is the second B17 i've had where this has happened. On the previous one, the bolt actually broke. Has any one else had this happen?
I notice Brooks offer a repair service. Has anyone used this and is it worthwhile?
Big T, I had similar problems with both my and my wife's saddles. Here's an extract of a posting we made in another forum a year or so ago:
The main bolt carrier (the bit that fits on the rail) is folded with varying degrees of accuracy.
The inaccuracy of our main carriers meant that the bolt thread was rubbing on the cutout and had actually compressed a number of the threads.
The bolt was wound back to its loosest position (counting the turns) and then the end cap and therefore the saddle top was prised off the bolt end (its just an interference fit) with a large flat bladed screwdriver positioned on the main carrier and under the saddle nose piece (lever forward, away from rear of
the saddle).
The bolt can then be withdrawn and the main carrier wiggled off the frame.
Once off, the carrier was then reshaped so that the front was as vertical as possible (to ensure correct fit of bolt) but still able to fit back on the rail.
The bolt was still fouling the cutout, so this was opened out using a Dremel + stone wheel.
The main carrier/bolt were then replaced on the frame and the large, flat bladed screwdriver was placed on the bolt end and underneath the saddle nose piece and the cover was levered back into position (lever the cover up and towards the rear of the saddle).
The bolt was then returned to the original setting.
All has been well with our saddles since then....
Andy