Removing and Installing a Saddle

There are a number of different ways in which saddles attach to seat posts. On some older or lower-end models, the seat post and the seat clamp are two separate pieces with the bolt horizontal and tightened with a nut (as shown in Figure 9-4). This type of seat clamp only has a limited number of groves and ridges for the seat-angle adjustment — as opposed to the next two clamp styles, which have about twice the number of seat-angle adjustment points, which allows you to find a much more comfortable riding position.

On many bikes, the seat clamp is integrated into the seat post and the saddle is attached with one or two vertical bolts, which are adjusted with an Allen wrench. Figures 9-5 and 9-6 show a saddle with a one-piece clamp.

Figure 9-4: A traditional saddle clamp.

Figure 9-5: One piece saddle clamp.

Another style of clamp is the two-piece clamp. It allows for a lot of flexibility in terms of adjusting the fore and aft of the saddle; however, it is a little trick­ier to attach. Here’s how:

1. Turn the saddle upside down and remove the seat post.

2. Hold the bottom half of the clamp under the seat rails with your fingers.

3. While supporting the bottom half of the clamp, slide the square nut under the clamp and hold it in place with your fingers.

4. Lay the top half of the clamp on top, making sure that both clamps align with one another.

At this point, you should still be supporting the bottom half of the clamp and the square nut with your hand.

5. Place the seat post on the top clamp, insert the bolt, and tighten (as shown in Figure 9-7).

Figure 9-7: Attaching a two-piece clamp.