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Bottom bottoming

Intil such time as I can make the appropriate adjustments to myself can anybody suggest a method of stopping the seat bottoming on the mudguard when riding over bumps. I quess stiffer springs are the optimum solution but goodness knows how to find some that will do the job.

Re: Bottom bottoming

Personally, I try to avoid having any weight on the saddle over bumps. I feel that the footrests and bars should be positioned so that the legs act as springs. A rigid-girder motorcycle is quite good for the condition if ridden in a spirited manner.

Re: Bottom bottoming

Assuming you are of average weight you must have either the wrong springs or knackered examples of the right ones..

You also don't mention the make of bike, which has some relevance to both the type of spring and its potential availability...

I don't take my weight on my legs generally when riding on the road and never have the problem you have noted...I'm a little under 16 stone...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: Bottom bottoming

Ian, i'm a little over 16 stone. The bike is Wm20. The seat is a modern replica solo saddle but I carried the springs and brakets over from an original. I must admit that the geometry is not quite right as the springs do not sit vertically but slope slighty rearwards, which will not be helping matters. I'll dig out the old saddle frame tomorrow to compare the length with the new one.

Re: Bottom bottoming

Or, instead of stiffer springs, you can simply add a third (or even fourth) spring, if you jury-rig a mount point.

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

Re: Bottom bottoming

I'm sure it's not the seat springs that are Dean's problem. It's the vertical saddle springs. The fact that the saddle slopes back, says it all.

Personally I would be inclined to overhaul and refit the original saddle, even if with the repro (Indian?) saddle cover fitted.

Otherwise you might need to make up brackets at the rear of the saddle frame to level it up, and are the saddles springs and adjustable stud mounts correct?

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Bottom bottoming

Can you post a picture of the saddle frame etc.?...If you have the Wrights 'universal' type saddle you should have two triangular plates which bolt to the saddle frame and extend forward to pick up on the top of the [vertical] saddle springs...Do you have those?...They are a riveted bracket on the Lycette type...

Also do you have long saddle springs that connect directly to the spring lugs on the frame or the shorter springs with the hexagonal spring mounting pillars?...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: Bottom bottoming

Many thanks for your helpful (as ever) inputs Ian, Ron etc.
I took another look this morning.
The saddle I have fitted is a Wassel universal and it turns out this is longer fore-aft than the original saddle.
So, the springs will struggle due to not being vertical (perpendicular to the force applied)and the extra seat length will increase the leverage.
I had fitted the spring mounting brackets from the original and the springs with the long hex bottom mount.
This morning I started prepping the original saddle to go back on, and will just fit the new cover as per Ron's suggestion.

The good news is that I also discovered a worrying grinding sound was not coming from the engine or gearbox but from the rear tyre rubbing on the mudguard. This is also sorted.
These are all part of the fun of snagging a rebuild and so far I've go off pretty lightly and during yesterdays 25 mile run she felt like she'd go on forever.

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