Cambium saddle cracks

[Kahu]

I'd quite like one of these, however I'm a bit on the the chunky side, are these saddles suitable for somebody like myself, given the elastic properties of cambium? - also what do people who have them think of them?

[Brucey]

Ask Brooks about any weight limit, and what kind of warranty you get too. If you ride your bike much, you may find that the cambium isn't terribly durable. There are at least two weak spots. This photo (from t'interweb) shows two that I know of



The saddle shows that the fabric has worn off the hull near the nose, and the hull itself is pulling away from the nose rivet (just like it does if it is leather, too.... )

I was looking at a chum's cambium just the other day and it was a bit like the one above. In fact the pulling was less bad but the fabric wear was worse. My chum described it as 'disappointing, considering the cost of the thing'. He also used an adjective, which I cannot repeat here.

cheers

[531colin]

Isn't there a rivet missing, too?

[fossala]

Isn't there a rivet missing, too?

There where a lot of talk on the internet about the rivets on the early models falling out while riding. The general consensus was to remove the bolts and put loctite on the threads before using them.

[Brucey]

Isn't there a rivet missing, too?

oh yeah...!...

cheers

[Psamathe]

Ask Brooks about any weight limit, and what kind of warranty you get too. If you ride your bike much, you may find that the cambium isn't terribly durable. There are at least two weak spots. This photo (from t'interweb) shows two that I know of



The saddle shows that the fabric has worn off the hull near the nose, and the hull itself is pulling away from the nose rivet (just like it does if it is leather, too.... :roll: )

I was looking at a chum's cambium just the other day and it was a bit like the one above. In fact the pulling was less bad but the fabric wear was worse. My chum described it as 'disappointing, considering the cost of the thing'. He also used an adjective, which I cannot repeat here.

cheers

I would have thought for wear to occur there must be something rubbing (repeatedly). The wear points on that saddle make me wonder what is causing the wear. I've done 10,000 miles on my C15 and the surface still as good as new; entire saddle as good as new.

Ian

[geocycle]

My son had an off on his and the frame popped out. It’s not welded like the leather ones. Fortunately it comes apart easily enough with a torx type bolt.

[Brucey]

I think the wear problem might be load-related; the hull flexes (a lot) where it is over the nosepiece, and the fabric just seems to fail and comes away from the hull at this point. It is not at all uncommon to see a line of wear across the hull just at the back edge of the nosepiece (i.e. about 1" behind the nose rivet). If there is rubbing there as well (as per the tip of the nose) it merely accelerates the failure, I think.

[edit; BTW I say that you can gauge that rubbing was probably not the main culprit for fabric loss if the fabric impression has not been rubbed off the hull material. In the photo the texture is still evident at the back of the nosepiece. My chum's worn saddle shows a bit more rubbing than that.]

cheers

[mattsccm]

Do you think that riding in those shoes might have anything to do with it? Uneven wear maybe?

[Brucey]

Do you think that riding in those shoes might have anything to do with it?...

er, it brings new meaning to the idea of 'abnormal conditions of use'.....

cheers

[Freddie]

Is there actually much in the way of innovation with these Cambium saddles. It just looks like a covering over a shell, rather than suspended material. How is it superior to a typical saddle or is it the Brooks name you are paying for?

[Brucey]

the idea is that it works a bit like a leather saddle, i.e. the hull is suspended under tension, but instead of leather you have a tough synthetic rubber instead. The fabric on top presumably adds little to the strength, and is mainly there for cosmetic/comfort reasons.

Selle Royal (who own Brooks) could have marketed the saddle under one of their other brands. I'm not even sure if the saddles (or the parts) are made in Birmingham. But chances are that they can charge more for it if it has a Brooks sticker on it.

cheers

[PH]

Is there actually much in the way of innovation with these Cambium saddles. It just looks like a covering over a shell, rather than suspended material. How is it superior to a typical saddle or is it the Brooks name you are paying for?

The rubber shell material is different to anything else I've seen, there's a fair amount of flex to it. I think they started out with the idea to find something that moved like leather. without the stretch and breaking in properties. Not sure they fully succeeded, I've done around 5,000 miles on mine, I like it but still not sure if I like it as much as the leather version.

[PH]

But chances are that they can charge more for it if it has a Brooks sticker on it.

cheers

I'm sure that's true, but there's also comparable numbering so those of us with brooks experience have a fair idea of what we're getting, in shape if not feel.

[Kahu]

Thanks for all your replies chaps, I'm rapidly going off the idea of buying one of these, at £100 a throw I'd be expecting something rather more durable ....