Page last changed February 4, 2007

Spotlight on the seatpost and saddle

(Mis)using the saddle adaptor pin

• Stein Somers, Nov 1999:
  I knew someone who did that without harm, but he didn't brompt very often. I threw out the seat adaptor and upgraded to a micro-adjust seat pin, which also moves the saddle a tad to the rear. The lower stage telescopic seat post got bent after some 3000 km (supporting 85 kg). But I just cut off a little piece at the bottom and twisted the post, it's still standing. I wouldn't be afraid to use the adapter.
• O'Reilly, Peter, Nov 1999:
  That said, I have had my saddle adapter pointing the rear of the bike since I starting riding the B about 10 months ago. In the very begining, I do recall having to retighten the saddle's bolts to the adapter pin once as the seat began to tilt while riding the B. It took me a couple of successive efforts to get it just right - meaning I had to really tighten the bolts (was afraid something would snap) so the saddle would not tilt at all. It has been trouble free since. For the record, I'm about 160lbs, too.
• David Edge, Nov 1999:
  Fresh from the factory, the Brompton saddle clamp is 'back to front' by normal standards to reduce shipping volume. Taking the saddle off and reversing it will give you an inch or two.
  If you cantilever the SAP backwards you risk bending the seatpost, which will cause it to scrape inside the seat tube going up and down. That will tell you you're too heavy to get away with it.
• Channell Wasson, Nov 1999:
  To avoid bending seatpost when saddle adapter pin is used backwards AND/OR you are tall and heavy, do this: Isert a close fitting piece of hardwood dowl into end of tube for 8 to 10 inches and epoxy it in place. If you have the standard seat post use a similar length of electical conduit (only because it's hard to find dowl that will fit tightly)

Keeping it up

• David Henshaw, Jan 98:
  This is sometimes a problem, but it's (usually) easy to cure. Remove the pillar and carefully degrease both the pillar and the plastic bush in the frame with solvent. This should work. If so, loosen the clamp until everything still just works OK and leave it at that setting. Never overtighten it (this can distort the frame or bend the pillar) and never lubricate the pillar.
  If the problem persists, check that the clamp pivot is properly lubricated (one drop should do the trick). If it still slips, and the bike is new, give things a few weeks to 'run-in. Very early (1991-92) bikes may have problems with failed bushes - the only cure is replacement, a job for the factory unfortunately. If you still have problems, try losing weight (yours, not the bike). Riders of over 200lbs are often troubled by slippage. We've never had problems with our carbon Fibre pillar which is much grippier.
• Channell Wasson, Jun 2000:
  Find your favored height for the seat pilar. Then epoxy a 5" piece of hard wood dowl inside the tube so that the wood is equidistant on each side of clamping bolt. Now you have two choices.
  1. Clamp the bolt tighter for more holding strength or
  2. Drill a hole through the post and use a stainless steel fast pin (use as small as possible say 1/8"). I bought a 1/8th" inch pin with ring in one end at a marine hardware store. Good luck. I've use mine on the Brompton for about 5 years.
• Erwin de Vries, Jul 2000:
  I found that by keeping the seat post and the plastic sleeve inside the frame absolutely grease-free I can stop any sliding of the seatpost, even though the clamping bolt on my bike isn't very tight at all.
• John, April 2005:
  Drill a small hole to the right or left side of the seatpost at the point where you wish it to be. Insert small self tapping screw as mentioned previously. When you wish to lower the post, simply turn it 45 degreees to let the small screw go down the groove at the rear of the plastis seatpost insert.
• Jerome Hsu, April 2005:
  Or cover a small portion of the seat post with one layer of packing tape. Be aware that in time, this leaves a residue on the seat post.

Is tightening the quick release seat clamp bad?

• Erwin de Vries, Jul 2000:
  According to the manual you should only tighten the normal seat post clamping bolt by something like 1/6th of a turn during the entire life of the bike [after setting it to a torque 5-8 Nm, depending on the weight and strength of the user]. Excessive tightening will damage the frame.
• mark james, Jul 2000:
  If I tighten my seatpin at full extension it is much less tight than if the post is set lower - for a shorter rider - rather irritating as its quite stiff for the shorter rider.
  No the post hasn't been squashed it was like that from new. I am not a B novice.
  • Erwin de Vries, Jul 2000:
    I think that this may be caused by the flange at the lower end of the seatpost. When the seatpost is fully raised the wider bit at the bottom of the seatpost partly enters the plastic sleeve which grips the seatpost. The narrower bit above the flange is then not gripped as tightly, so the plastic sleeve has to hold on to a smaller bit of seatpost. The solution could be to raise the saddle to slightly less than the max. height (you can see on the seatpost where it starts to widen, approx. 1/2 cm from the bottom) for the taller rider and adjust the clamping bolt accordingly.

Getting it up or down

• DRMLyons, Mar 1999:
  Yes, I too have had problems getting it up ... and getting it down too! I had a standard seat pillar and being a teeny bit portly bent it slightly. You can tell this by rolling it on flat surface. I replaced it with the telescopic pillar which is a bit beefier and have had no further problems.
• Stein Somers, Mar 1999:
  85kg of me bent the telescopic seat post after almost two years of daily use. The lower end had become an elips. I cut off as much as the second stage could take over.
• DRMLyons, Mar 1999:
  Yes, I too have had problems getting it up ... and getting it down too! I had a standard seat pillar and being a teeny bit portly bent it slightly. You can tell this by rolling it on flat surface. I replaced it with the telescopic pillar which is a bit beefier and have had no further problems.
• Custfold, Mar 1999:
  I used to get my OEM pillars bending and thus sticking at one point where the tube had bent and as a consequence gone slightly out of round. My own heavy gauge pillar doesn't bend, but is slightly larger in diameter - It does jam on the strengthening brace I have on rear frame if I don't spring this against the tyre pressure on the main frame, and also catches the Adie bell bracket I use in place of the plastic locking plate - so I guess that the locking plate will also jam the seat pillar if it rotates to tighten the tolerance.
  So not all jamming is bush related.
• Daniel Wood, Mar 2000:
  A stuck Brompton seatpost may be removed easily and without incurring damage through the use of an inside pipe wrench available inexpensively at plumbing-supply houses, the plumbing section of hardware stores, or discount tool firms such as Harbor Freight.
  The inside pipe wrench works well on the Bromptom because you can access the seat post at the bottom, where it is open to insert the tool.
  The tools use toothed, offset dogs that wedge against the inside of the tube when you twist the hex bar at the end of the tool with a wrench. It won't leave any marks outside, and will rarely leave any more than a shining mark inside the post, tube, pipe, whatever. It is not a tool of violence, as a hammer might be.
  You can help the tool ease the post out by squirting some spray or liquid lubricant along the post top and bottom, where it enters the seat tube. Once it is out, you can clean and lubricate it, removing any rust or debris that remains on the outside of the post and the inside of the tube. I would suggest (despite other's warnings about lubricating the post assembly) spraying some lube on a wad of paper towling or an old rag, and running it through the seat tube as you might clean the bore of a gum. You can use a common broom handle as a ramrod.

Crunchy sound while retracting the seatpost / stuck post

• Peter O'Reilly, Feb 2000:
  Those sounds are road grit which gets sprayed up into the seat tube while you are riding on wet roads. The solution is to flush out that grit in the tube.
  Keeping the seat post clean and dry is a good idea too as I reckon the less exposure to abrasivness/friction of the rubber seat post collar the longer it will last and the post would be less suspectible to rust.
• Stein Somers, Feb 2000:
  If there is a parallel with my situation, then you could ignore the sounds until it becomes difficult to extend and retract the seatpost, and then oil it regularly; surprisingly it won't slip while riding.
• Ian R. Platt, Feb 2000:
  A big rubber bung in the bottom of the seat tube while riding & remove when folding. Another in the bottom of the seat post all the time - stops it 'clang'-ing on the ground when dropped for folding (Oh, sorry: it _isn't_ dropping is it :-( )
• De Clarke, Feb 2000:
  If you know you'll be riding in wet grit, why not just stuff an oiled cotton ball into the very bottom of the tube after assembly? easily removed later, cheap prevention, spares you a messy and inconvenient cleaning procedure later.... [this is theory, I haven't tried it yet, haven't used my B in the rain yet, I use my old clunker bike in bad weather]
• Jonathan Brickley, Feb 2000:
  I found with my Brompton (April'99 vintage) that the powder coating on the frame does not extend inside the frame where the seatpost slides in. When the bike gets wet, it rusts here and collects grime which causes the horrible graunching. I have painted the bare metal with Hammerite paint and this seems better, allowing the water to run off, rather than sit there, rusting. I also noticed the inside of the rear frame tubes had surface rust from using the bike on the british salted roads.....this can be cured with a tube of black silicone....just seal up both ends of the open tubes (not forgetting the little holes in the cross tube where the front of the rear mudguard sits).

Removing rust spots from the seat post

• Channell Wasson, Apr 1998:
  Use fine steel wool and WD40
• David Cox, Apr 1998:
  Dont use WD40, the post on mine slipped 2-3 inches on every ride after I did this !!
• Richard Pearson, Apr 1998:
  You could try Jenolite (in the UK) a rust remover for cars. It is basically phosphoric acid so I guess you could try Coca Cola instead although it would be more dilute.
• Jeff Dauvin, Feb 2000:
  The "crunchy" sound is interesting & plays havoc with the chrome & I get rust spots the whole time. I clean mine with "Autosol" chrome cleaner once a week which keeps the post clean & the rust away. I just hope it dosn't affect the fibre in the clamp.
  Method - with the bike open & post fully extended clean but don't polish the top part - push the post through afar as possible - clean & polish that then fully extend & polish the top section.
  Mine gets VERY dirty & crunchy but this method seems to work.

The rubber bong: an invention to keep your seat post clean

{Erwin de Vries, May 2000} Here's how I closed the underside of the seat tube from water and dirt getting in:
I took a conical rubber stopper, the top of which just fits into the seat tube, and inserted it into the seat tube. I then marked it and cut off most of the rubber protruding from the seat tube, and attached the top of the stopper to a short piece of cylindrical rod ^*, which just fits into the seatpost (diameter approx. 1mm smaller than the inside of the seatpost). A bit of elastic cord^** is attached to the rod, and to the top of the seatpost. The elastic should be tight enough to keep the rubber stopper against the seatpost when this is lowered below the frame. When the saddle is raised, the elastic is stretched, and the rubber stopper is drawn against the underside of the seat tube, keeping dirt out. The bit of rod is rounded off at the top, so that when the saddle is lowered, the rod easily enters the seat tube. Because the stopper is only marginally wider than the seat tube, it doesn't get caught anywhere in the Brompton Triangle, and even passes the LSD without problems.
There are a few things to be borne in mind though, if you attach this thingy to your Brompton (I imagine this could also work for other folders):

• Because there now is an extra bit of rubber protruding from the seatpost, you can't lower the saddle as far down as before (diff. approx. 1cm)
• The underside of the rubber stopper touches the ground when the bike is folded, interfering with rolling the bike on its castors (actually an advantage for me, as it stops the bike rolling away during my train trip. If I want to roll the bike along, I slightly raise the saddle)
• Water getting into the seat tube from above (heavy rain or hosing down the bike) doesn't drain away, but stays inside. Lowering the saddle lets the water out.

^*Actually, I sacrificed the top of my old broomstick, when I found how neatly it fit into the seatpost (ever heard of Chuck Yeager? ;-) . [Later...] And that's where I went wrong, so I'd like to warn you. I thoroughly washed the bike, causing the bit of wood to get wet and therefore EXPAND while the bike was folded. It got stuck in the seatpost, and I had quite an enjoyable time getting it out so I could unfold the bike again (of course this didn't happen at home where I have all my tools) I've now replaced the wood by a bit of PVC rod. That won't get stuck unless I blow hot steam down the seatpost I suppose ; )
I don't think the length is very critical; on my bike it's about 1 inch.
^**I didn't use a spring, fearing it'd make clanging noises inside the seatpost when riding over bumpy terrain. Apart from getting stuck, the stopper works beautifully. No more scraping noises from the seatpost when (un-)folding the B.

Replacing the seat post's sleeve in the frame

• David Cox, Feb 2000:
  My seatpost sleeve has now worn out and detached itself so that it can twist round - this means I need to keep the post lubricated and it does slip down. Twice I have had the embarrassment of not being able to raise the seat without a lot of force after putting the Brompton away wet and dirty. Apparently it has to go back to the factory to have a new sleeve reamed in and I keep putting this off but will need to do it soon.
• Andy Follis, Feb 2000:
  My seat-post sleeve more or less disintegrated. I just bought a new one from my helpful local dealer, picked the old bits out, cleaned up with some wire wool and dropped the new one into place with a dollop of super-glue to hold it in place. A lot easier than sending the bike back to the factory.

Keeping it straight

• Simon Shearn:
  I've found that the standard (non-telescopic) steel model does need careful treatment. When I bought my Brompton, I replaced the sadle with one from a racing bike, positioned as far back as it would go, in order to get a more aerodynamic riding position. I also accidentally overtightened the seatpin clamp, as on conventional bikes the tension in this bolt isn't critical. The result was that the seatpin bent even though I weigh less than 70kg (150lb). The dealer replaced it free of charge, so I can't complain. The lessons seem to be:
  • it's VERY important not to overtighten the seatpin bolt
  • the standard Brompton saddle has limited forwards/backwards adjustment for a good reason, and care should be taken when replacing it with a saddle which allows more adjustment.
• Hugo Villalobos:
  Well, the same thing happened to me in a trip to Paris but without my saddle been replaced, which indicates a hot spot in Bromptons maintenance.
• Ron Colverson, Sep 97:
  Recently I've noticed that the seat-post on my L3 has developed a tendancy to jam slightly when I'm raising or lowering the seat. It's the standard steel post. When I had a chance to look at it closely I could see a very gentle curve to the rear - it's about a quarter of an inch out of true at the top.
  The bike's around 8 years old so I'm guessing that it's developed the curve slowly over this time. I'm about 150 pounds and I don't abuse the bike. Anyone else experienced something similar?
  I've given the seat post a half turn so that my weight is now tending to straighten it out. Maybe it's a good idea to do this every 4 or 5 years?
• Phil Gough, Sep 1997:
  My T5 is about the same age, but I'm only about 136 pounds, I'll check it out when I can find a straight-edge.
• R.E.Burton, Sep 1997:
  My Brommo is also about 8 years old and the only comparable experience I have had with the seat-post is for the top, where the saddle is attached, to shear off ever so gently backwards to leave me virtually sitting on the carrier. The bike at that time must have been about five or six years old. My weight is about 160 lbs. Otherwise I have never noticed any jamming effect on raising or lowering the post.
• David Henshaw, Sep 97:
  It is not unknown for posts to bend very slightly over time, but catastrophic failures are thankfully rare. However, after 8 years, your post is probably pretty scuffed up and due for replacement anyway. A permanent solution is to fit Brompton's extended post (if you don't have one already) - it's made of thicker stuff. We're also wondering whether the after-market titanium or carbon-fibre posts might be more durable, but you'd need to wait 8 years to find out.
• Jim McLaughlin, Mar 2000:
  The only time I had trouble with the seat post binding was after jumping a lot of curbs while seated fully. I bent the post a bit. Channell suggested the longer seat post as it has heavier walls, and he reinforced it with a hard wood insert. I also stopped jumping curbs. No more problems.
• Stein Somers, May 2000:
  My telescopic post got bent after a year or two. The riding position seemed changed and after a minute I could feel myself moving backwards with every bump. I got off and twisted the post 180 degrees (but obviously not the upper stage). At home I cut off an inch or two at the bottom, as much as the upper stage could be raised. It's still going strong after two more years. I did notice cracks developping at the top. It certainly didn't snap!

Telescopic seatpost

• Stein Somers:
  Actually two parts - a standard saddle pin (second stage) inserted into a larger tube (first stage). The first stage is blocked in the frame with a quick release fixed on the frame - just like a single tube, and a clamp with a second quick release on top of the first stage holds the second stage which in its turn supports the saddle.
• Channell Wasson:
  [It] is properly engineered and does not stick up. It does work like a radio antennae and is like music to your rear. It allows quick and easy removal of the seat when taking the Brompton on airliners as carry on luggage.
• Doug Faunt:
  My only complaint with the telescoping arrangement is that it makes the seat much more vulnerable to theft.
• David Henshaw, Jul 97:
  When we reviewed the Brompton Telescopic Post (in the magazine formerly known as 'The Folder' of course) we grumbled about the unnecessary length of the first stage. With a maximum height of 47 inches, why does it need to increase the size of the folded package?
  We hear reports that a second stage and saddle have been half-inched in London - obviously it's very vulnerable. Brompton have been rushing around to come up with a price for a replacement second stage for this, and presumably all the others that are due to disappear.
• David Edge, Jun 1998:
  The telescopic post is rather more expensive, but will accomodate riders up to about 2.5m tall! It makes the folded package a little smaller than the +6cm, which adds all 6cm onto the height, while the telescopic adds about 4cm to the folded package if you have an LED on the outer tube.
  The telescopic post is a standard diameter seat post with a plastic shim and quick release into which fits a 26.4mm (I think) standard seat post. It's neat enough, and I've got one, but I wouldn't bother if 1.5 inches (ie 4cm) is all you need. I've come down from 115kg to 95kg (thats 250lb to 210lb in the old money) and at the higher weight the telescope did slide down very slowly under load. Also the plastic shim wears on the rough surface of the seatpost, so it won't last for ever.
  Because the second stage is a standard post, you can substitute a trick seatpin with USE fittings if you like.
  Finally, the big disadvantage of the telescoping job is that it won't telescope if you attach a Bike Hod hitch to it - it ovalizes and seizes. You can't attach the Hod to the upper post as it is then too high and the trailer rides too far upright.
  Have you considered splurging out on the carbon-fibre seatpost? Don't if you weigh 230lb. I don't say it isn't durable, but it sure is flexible and wobbles alarmingly under my big bottom.
• Willi Mindak, Jun 98:
  Come to think of it: it is probably possible to convert a standard seatpost to telescopic by ordering the quick release (and the plasic bush that goes with it) as a spare. All it takes is a slot in the upper end of the seatpost (about 2 mm wide, and as long as the plastic bush), and a hole to fix the quick release.
  I have replaced the extended (telescopic) tube with a 'microadjust' seatpost (26,2 mm). This grabs the Brooks saddle much better than the original saddle clamp, is easily adjustable, but heavier than the OME. The only problem is that saddle and seatpost are exposed to theft, because it takes only seconds to release the clamp and pull out the saddle.
• Herman van Ommen, May 2005:
  Here is the full report on how to convert a standard seatpost to a telescopic one. The fotos are located in folder seatpost conversion in the fotosection of BromptonTalk.
  I converted the standard seatpost into a telescopic one becuase after a few months I realised that I needed 4 to 6 cm extra height. The extended seatpost would do but would enlarge the folded package and I found the telescopic one quite expensive.
  Because I'm fairly light, 75 kg, and only needed a little more length extending the standard post wasn't very risky considering the bending problems heavier people experienced.
  First I made a design because I also wanted to fix two other problems, pulling the saddle up to the correct height and making sure that it points straight forward when pulled up. Then I bought the parts, prepared them and made a hardstop. The actual conversion took a saterday morning.
  For the extension you need a short seatpost (5£ for a steel one, ordinary aluminum ones have a greater wall thickness and are equally heavy), a sleeve, a clamp and a hardstop you have to make yourself. The clamp I bought at Halfords for 8£ and the sleeve 12£ at a good LBC. The outer dia of the sleeve equals the inner dia of the old post and the inner is a few tenths of a mm larger then the outer dia of the new post. The sleeve is prepared, see photo (drawing) sleeve, by cutting it off at an angle of 30°ree; (45°ree; is better). That and a cut (⋄5.2, a V-shaped cut might even be better) in which the head of a little screw fits acts as a seeker and hardstop which also orients the top stage. In the new post M3-holes are tapped for the screw to obtain various heights. The screw can be reached and removed through the hole I drilled earlier in the old post. The height of the head of the screw is important because it has to fit between both tubes without rubbing against the outer one. I found only 1 in my collection which fitted. The screw makes it impossible to remove the top stage without the tools. The position of the screw is so that it is only visible when the saddle is lowered half a cm.
  I cut of the top of the old post just beneath the shoulder, drilled a hole in it and made a cut from the top edge to the hole, see photo's in the file section. You can see that the edges of the cut aren't parallel when clamped. This means that there's more then enough play when unclamped so that the second stage slides down easily. To reduce stress the hole at the end of the vertical cut is strongly recommended. The clamp and sleeve are glued in position. I used Loctite 330. An O-ring is placed around the post under the clamp to prevent a 'bang' when the saddle is lowered. There also one right under the saddle clamp. To assemble the seatpost the normal way, from down under, is no longer possible so it has to go in the other way. Therefore the flare at the bottom end of the original post has to be cut off as well. Here we need a new hardstop, see foto (drawing) hardstop. I cut the T-shaped stop from stainless steel sheet and formed it using simple wooden dies. The thickness is critical again because it has to fit between the tubes. One of the photo's shows it mounted on the seat post. The thing at the end of the post is a rubber 'bung' that shuts off the end of the post to prevent the ingress of water and dirt. The horizontal bar of the T will block the upwards movement when it hits the sleeve in the main frame. That sleeve has a slot in which the vertical leg of the T fits snugly fixing the rotational orientation.
  So both stages have a stop for the upwards movement and a defined rotational orientation. After pulling the post up in its highest position you can mount and align the saddle. C'est tout.
  Is it perfect? Almost. I have used it over 2 years and learned that after a while the orientation of the first stage loses its sharpness. I guess the the plastic of the sleeve gets deformed locally. The solution or workaround is to pull it up and rotate it always to the same side and adjust the saddle so that it points straight forward in that position. This also makes the fit of the vertical leg less important.
  It is possible to adjust the sleeve so that the second stage with saddle can be remove quickly. The slot that's about 1 mm has to be widened to 6 mm so the head of the screw can pass through. The cut-off has to be rotated 180°ree; (relative to the slot). If you pull the saddle up it locks as described above. Turn it backwards and then you can pull it out.

Adjusting the seat post after unfolding

• De Clarke, Jun 2000:
  I used a scribe. Scribed a fine line into the metal. Then rubbed black ink into it, then wiped off the excess. It is still visible so far...
  • PHolden960, Jun 2000:
    I'm wondering if a small dot (with a punch), or series of dots, might not be better for the metal post (prevent cracks from forming).
  • De Clarke, Jun 2000:
    ouch you are probably right. maybe my idea was not so smart. well no sign of damage yet. but I will start checking it now and then.
• Channell Wasson, Jun 2000:
  Use a punch and hammer to make a small dimple mark.
• Stein Somers:
  Fixed a leftover from a gear cable between the saddle and the upper quick release of the telescopic seat post. The upper part or second stage raises until the cable is stretched, and then both stages raise until the flare blocks the first stage.
• Custfold:
  A tip for the removable bit of [the telescopic] seatpost is to fit the clamp out of a brake lever from a set of drops, and tighten it onto the upper post as a stop to leave exactly the right length of this sticking out with the bottom part fully extended - short riders just retract the bottom portion.

Rail saddles on a telescopic seatpost

• Willi Mindak, Sep 1999:
  IMO the easiest solution is to buy the 'extendable bit' new. The original part has the diameter stamped on it (26.2mm?), and it`s possible to buy a `microadjust' seatpost in that diameter. The diameter seems to be a bit uncommon, and you may have to rummage around a bit. Changing the extension and clamp against a microadjustable seatpost allows you to fit any standard saddle without modification to the bike, solves the problem of the clamp working itself loose, and you can adjust the saddle at any angle you like. Disadvantage: the saddle sits slightly higher when folded. With the seatpost and saddle I use its only 8 mm.

Telescopic seatpost versus long seatpost

• Leonard Rubin, Jun 1998:
  I'd me much happier seeing you on the telesoping model, because it would be less likely to bend than the longer post, and descends fully when the bike is folded, making the package more compact. Also, you can replace the upper post of that assembly with a high-quality, lighter and more adjustable pro-style seatpost. Several vendors still offer that (rather uncommon now) size (26.2).
  I make a super-cool Titanium telescopic post which saves a huge amount of weight, but it is much more expensive, and probably not what you are looking for.
  At your weight, it is very important to make sure that you lower the lower post well below its safety line and use the upper post (where the bending moment is much lower) to add the desired extra height.

Can one shorten a Brompton seatpost?

1. The telescopic seatpost needlessly sticks out ± a centimeter at the top of the folded package, and scrapes the ground on the bottom.
2. The flare at the bottom of the lower or only tube, which keeps it from being raised to high, also makes removing the tube - for even more compact folding or cleaning - difficult; it has to be guided through the bottom after the clamp or saddle on top has been removed.
3. Taking off a tiny bit (±20g) of dead weight.

• Channell Wasson, Jul 1997:
  Yes you can. I saw off seat posts regularly. Takes about 3 minutes with a good hack saw blade.
• Steven D. Hanel, Jul 1997:
  I removed the flared little bit (4-5mm) at the bottom to make it easier to pack and had no problem. The chrome plating is the hard part. Hacksaw blades are cheap though. If you file or grind off the plating it makes cutting much easier.
• Leonard Rubin, Jul 97:
  You'll have a much easier time with a professional pipe cutter with a sharp cutting wheel (less than 15 seconds and almost no effort!). Rigid makes the best, but any really solid model with a sharp cutter and no play will do.

How to make your own telescopic seatpost!

{Custfold, Aug 1997} [Second stage is a standard 1" seat tube] - the first version of the extending seatpost - my concept to accommodate a 6'6" rider with 38" i/l (I ride a 29" frame on a standard bike, with bars and seatpost well out), I found that the USE seatpost system offered a 1" seatpost with shims up to 1.25" at least.
My reason for the seatpost was 3-fold (sorry)
1) With the Mk 1 extension (a cut down seatpost, with a q/r clamp from the Bickerton on the top section of a Brompton seatpost) the leverage bent the top back & forward until it snapped off,
2) The weight & leverage on the standard tube size bent the seatpost, where it enters the frame, and made the post stick.
3) The saddle adjustment (normal grip plates) could not be kept tight, or adjusted finely enough.
USE are 2-bolt micro-adjust posts, up to 18" long, and some versions even have internal suspension. I got a sample length of 31mm (1.25") stainless tube, with generous wall thickness, and a USE shim fitted perfectly, as well as the tube fitting the Brompton perfectly. To use a seatpost larger than 1" does not give enough 'meat' for the clamp/shim in this style, so I expect that Brompton found a similar problem, and fittings are available for 1" seatposts.
Caveat with USE. The adjustment for Brompton 'frame' angles is on the limit, and if the seat starts to creak beware. One of the bolts will soon fail through fretting fatigue - catastrophically (ouch), and you have to ride home with no saddle, or do him big buggerup repair job
PS a USE rig is expensive (in the UK) c.UKP40 for the post & shims and a cheap clamp. Specialised 1.25" clamp c.UKP20.

Alternative seatposts

Ultralight Titanium seatposts

• David Goldfarb, Mar 2000:
  I can attest to the excellence of Len's Titanium Seatpost. Very light and solid with an easily adjusted microadjustable head. I have a Terry Liberator Ti saddle on mine.

Carbon fibre seat post

• David Cox, Mar 2000:
  I am particularly concerned to know how carbon fibre fares being dragged through the plastic sleeve and whether dirt damages it and whether a scratched surface weakens the material.
  I saw one at Folder Forum in 1998 and even new it did not run up as smoothly as the chrome one however it was light a looked good. Are there lubricants that can be used on this material?
• Mike Hessey, Mar 2000:
  I've been using one of these posts for a couple of years now on my Brompton T5, though I can't really class it as very extensive use. Proving one keeps the pillar and seat tube clean, I've had no problems - the old post similarly was better if things were kept clean. There are slight signs of 'dust' on the post sometimes, but no visible wear. I don't much like the USE fitting, but it does the job.
  Since fitting the post I have avoided carrying the bike by the saddle and I don't use the Bike Hod with it either - I don't know that thee would be any problem, but at the high price I'm not going to take risks. I seem to recall it was £90 when I bought it, and the latest adverts quote £120 - I think the supplier might have changed.
  I'm rather short and quite light, and I cut off some of the surplus length (quite distressing in view of the price). I also put a small self-tapping screw into it so that when I extend the post it comes up to the right height for me.
  I also have one of these posts on my SP Brompton, no problems with this, but less use so far. SP (Steve Parry) used to put an alloy sleeve inside these posts to prevent flexing with heavier riders - not necessary in my case. Steve also now has an alternative alloy post available - I haven't tried one of these.
  I've been happy with mine, although I'm not sure I would pay the new price - the old one was bad enough!

Comfy saddles

• Rob Cope, Aug 1998:
  Saddles: the supplied one has the advantages of being cheap, light and...er that's it. Saddles are v personal choices, so I can see some sense in Brompton supplying something acceptable (just) & expecting those who encounter trouble to upgrade. The riding position throws more weight onto the saddle than less upright machines, which may call for a wider saddle than you are used to. If you already have a much-loved saddle, try it on Arnold. If not, go find one you like. Patriotic little machines that they are, Bromptons seem to thrive on Brooks saddles, but they'll tolerate other brands.
• VELODROOM -- urban mobility concepts, May 1999:
  There is no such thing as an ideal saddle. It all depends on riding position, weight, riding style etc. Thumb rule: The more upright the position the more you need a saddle that is wide in the back. The more forward the position (and the more weight on the handlebars) the narrower the saddle can and should be.
  Example A: Completely upright (Dutch style;) Brooks B130 or B90/3 or comparable Gel or plastic alternatives (which I personally mostly dislike for their poor lasting qualities and lack of breathability, though there might be a sensible niche for them in short distance everyday use)
  Example B: half-sporty (ca. 45 degree) Brooks Conquest or B66 or similar. More weight on the handlebars reduces weight on saddle. It can be chosen narrower because less of the backside contacts it.
  Example C: Racing style. Chosse something flashy, narrow and uncomfy. Looks and (zero)weight count. Beeing a real racer you don't sit down anyway riding out-of-the-saddle all the way. Pain is good (in your arms and neck, too), actually necessary, the others envy you for your Machismo (flamethrowers on!).
• Frank Tompson, Jun 1999:
  To come at the Comfy Saddle question from a similar angle, (and by pure coincidence,) on spec, I bought a GelTech KF gel filled saddle cover on Sunday, and it works very well. On my normal touring saddle it stays secure, and I've just tried it in the standard Brompton saddle and it fits quite happily. The gel inside is very thick, and really moulds itself to the shape of your pelvis, thereby spreading the pressure.
  It may not be the real cool solution, but it works, and at 12ukp others may want to give it a go.
• Stephen W Butler, Jun 1999:
  For normal mature people, who prefer to ride sittin upright and thereby enjoy the scenery and avoid chronic wrist and neck pains, all hard saddles are out. This includes leather saddles with or without springs.
  I have tried the gel seats and some of the currently available "too soft" varieties and find that numbness of lower parts is agravated by them. My analysis of situation is that ones weight is supported by two protruding bones and this causes the super soft seats to bulge up everywhere else to hinder blood circulation.
  The best seat, currently available, at the present time, in my opinion, is the "Terry" saddle (the soft one with the hole in the middle).
• David Edge, Jun 1999:
  I'd agree that the ideal saddle shape for a relatively upright bike like the Brompton is unlikely to be the same as one for a forward position like a tourer. So whatever you go for, check it works for you in an upright position.
  Me an the missus, both forties, both portly, have found comfort and solace on both our main bikes using Brooks. We've been happy with them from new - ie bone-hard. It is important that the shape of the saddle allows your sit-bones to make firm contact. If you just spread the squidgy bits of your bum / butt across a saddle, pain will result.
• Geoff Law, Jun 1999:
  Brompton-sitters, I have a Brooks "conquest all-terrain" sprung saddle on my Brompton and it's turned it into a very comfortable bike. An extra benefit is that it's about 1cm higher than the other saddle that was on it, and since I already have the seat post all the way up, that little bit makes it just about the right height for me without buying extensions.
• Channell Wasson, Jun 1999:
  We have a gel cell seat cover that makes for a softer saddle. Can be mailed easily.
• Jim McLaughlin, Dec 1999:
  I used to have Brooks saddles on all my upright bikes before I switched to the Easy Seat. It takes a short time to get used to it but you'll never go back once you do. (Except for off road perhaps since you can slide sideways more easily.) This type of seat is really two small seats side by side, one for each side of your rear. Each side has a little independent play so it tracks your leg movements. Once you get it adjusted right you can double the number of miles you can ride before your backside gets sore. Plus you privates never go numb, even in the coldest weather. (At least not before your hands and feet do.) But the angle and spacing adjustments of the Easy Seat are critical to comfort.
  Once you get it right it's almost like half of the comfort of a recumbent for a fraction of the cost with no posture change.
• John Blackburn, May 1999:
  In the Guardian some time ago, there was an item about an inflatable rubber bicycle seat to cure "cyclists' droop". It is caused, they explained, by compression of the penile artery when sitting on the saddle, and was first described by American doctor Irwin Goldberg. A claimed cure is an inflatable rubber clip-on saddle, that attaches to your normal saddle. It is available from UK sculptor Steve Morris (phone 0171 244 6067, which is Earl's Court in London), at UKP 10.99.
• O'Reilly, Peter, Dec 1999:
  Last, it is just my opinion but I think there is quite too much craze over the cut out type bike saddles. If the seat is not adjusted properly, vertical tilt and horizontal positioning, of course it goes without saying even a cutout type saddle will be uncomfortable, maybe even more so. Yes, I'm sure it works well for some and is well needed by those. But for most I think they are hoodwinked with marketing ploys pleading on peoples ignorance or anxiety (notably the bike company Specialized and the Dr. who did such questionable "research").
  How many folks run out and buy a gel saddle and then realize it is no more comfortable than their original saddle, because despite its softness, it sags and puts more pressure in the nether region. What is important is that the bike saddle support your cheek bones. Firmness and saddle width are what come to mind when I look for a new saddle. Most stock saddles are worth replacing, but for me, the Bromtpon saddle provides my bum adequate support and fit. YMMV.

Terry

• David Goldfarb, May 1999:
  I just upgraded my seatpost to Len Rubin's titanium seatpost with a micro-adjustable head and a Terry/TFI "Ti-Comfort Liberator" (http://www.terrybicycles.com) and find it a substantial improvement over the original equipment (though I am not a heavy person). The result is noticably lighter, the seat is better and more sturdily positioned, and the ride is much smoother.
• Larry Chinn, Dec 1999:
  I use a Terry Men's Liberator Saddle. That hole makes the world of difference. Terry also makes a couple of other men's saddle including the Ti-Liberator which has titanium rails and the Fly which is narrower racing saddle with titanium rails.
• 2rbr, Dec 1999:
  I use a Terry Men's Liberator Saddle also.

Brooks

• John Blackburn, May 1999:
  How do you clean a Brooks saddle? Mrs B says dubbin. I thought of saddle-soap. But the Brooks FAQ [Spotlight on the (hub) gears - Sturmey Archer] says you should use none of these things, and it tells you what to use, and how to look after your saddle in every way. It even tells you how to detect when it is time to throw it away and buy a new Brooks saddle.
  The "heavy duty" section shows saddles for the larger rider.
  Stein mentioned numb willy syndrome. I sometimes get this; in fact, the very first time I read Brompton-Talk, somebody wrote about it, and I remember thinking, "I'm normal!". I felt so happy...
  
• Ian R. Platt, May 1999:
  No doubt you'll hear this n times: You want a Brooks saddle!
  Like a dinner plate with springs. Not for heavy tonking, but we don't do that anyway, do we? :-)
• VELODROOM, May 1999:
  try the good ol' Brooks 90/3. Super-heavy-duty spring-suspended and extra large. Comes highly recommended from our not so light customers ;)
• Stein Somers, May 1999:
  I would definitely get a leather saddle, and I understand in Britain this is pronounced Brooks.
  Consider that the standard Brompton seatpin can be replaced with a micro-adjust seatpin (either more or less easily for the telescopic seatpost, or expensively through a whole new carbon fiber seatpost). These allow you to tilt the saddle in whatever corner you like. Only saddle with rails fit on micro-adjust seatpins. The standard Brompton saddle obviously doesn't fit, and nor does the Brooks B90/3. They have a stupidly designed adapter with only one or two usable positions, unless you enjoy the numb penis syndrome. Stupidly because when I peeked into the Brooks B90/3 adjustment mechanism, I noticed an even number of teeth. Why on earth didn't the engineers pick an uneven number, so you could reverse the thing and have positions that fall halfway in between the normal ones?
  I have a simple springless Brooks saddle on my Brompton, worn in but scarcely used since January, and recently got a huge cumbersome (Utopia London) with a Brooks B90/3, a wide, heavy saddle with springs. My behind has just tested both for several hours on (not on adjacent days), with only brief pauses for consulting maps. And it actually preferred the Brompton saddle. Of course not only the saddle differs: on the Brompton, my arms share the load, on the ultra upright cumbersome I rode long stretches hands free. It's a choice between wrist and bum, and the winner is... the recumbent.
• David Hansen, May 1999:
  Brooks.
• Richard Lighton, May 1999:
  The B-66 weighs (I think) just over a Kg. It is sprung, but it has the same top as the B-17 (only marginally wider than current "racing" saddles). You can find the link to the Brooks Saddle page through Sheldon Brown's pages (well worth exploring). And if you think it weighs too much, diet for a week :-).
  I like the B-66, but then it's the only saddle I've tried apart from the standard which I did not like.
• Richard Moore, Jun 99:
  I would agree with what some others have already said about a Brooks. One advantage is that, after an initial wearing-in period, a leather saddle will gradually and subtlely adapt itself to the particularities of one's nether regions which will tend to provide better anatomical support. With the sit-up position on the Brompton I would tend to go for a slightly wider saddle (oh how I wish I could afford a Brooks myself but they appear to be more expensive still here in Belgium!).
• Martin Whitfield, Dec 99:
  I have Brooks saddles on all my bikes, including two Bromptons (one's a company bike). They are excellent and very comfortable. Standard B17s on the Bromptons and a Tandem, a Swift and a Professional on my road bikes and a springed Conquest on my bike for around town. For the Brompton, I would probably recommend no springs as they would fight with the bike's own rubber bung.
  If you get one, don't forget to break them in fairly gently (ie don't ride 50 miles on the first day) and apply Proofide (saddle polish from Brooks) liberally until they leather has worn to the shape of your behind. In England, Brooks saddles are not expensive, (B17s for around £25), but I don't know about overseas.
  You can check out the saddles on the Sturmey-Archer web site as they are made by the same company.
• Chris Newport, Dec 1999:
  I have a Brooks B17 on my L5. That has no springs. I had a Conquest on my ATB with 2 big springs at the back that was very comfortable. I'm still tempted sometimes to try the heavy duty Brooks saddles (eg the B130) with springs back AND front!
  But - sigh - I'm going to have to put the original saddle back on as my wife now rides the B to work and is complaining the Brooks is too uncomfortable (she LIKES the original!).
  Note that superficially (IMHO) a Brooks can feel harder and less comfortable than a saddle filled with foam or gel. However it repays with consistent comfort on longer rides, where a gel saddle can become very wearing.
  One useful side effect of the Brooks is that the rails raise the saddle a centimetre or so higher compared to the original. I need that extra bit of height, so it saved me the cost of changing the seatpost.
  Anyway, I might try Brooks on my Bernds, though that comes with quite a reasonable gel saddle.
• Nico J. de Boer, Dec 1999:
  I have used the Brooks Professional for more than 1500 miles now, and I wouldn't want anything else (especially no foam or gel!). However, it took me at least 500 miles to come to that conclusion: before that, I _really_ doubted whether the 150 guilders (75 euro) had not been wasted. My girlfriend has a B66, and she is happy with it ever since the first day (and another 1500 miles).

The Brompton Folding Bicycle FAQ