My seat clamp really sucks and it’s quite a hard to find good clamps that fit unicycles with 22 mm seat posts. Normal bicycle stores don’t usually have clamps this small. So I was wondering if someone has tried this:
I’m going to drill a hole to the clamp and seat post or just trough the frame and seat post and put a second bolt in the hole. This would prevent all the movement of the saddle. I think I’m going to drill a few holes in the seatpost about 1/2"-1" apart so I can still adjust the height. So should I drill through the clamp or the frame?
1.Through clamp: +The bolt won’t hit legs
+Might look a little better
-Holes in seat post will show if the seat is high and weaken the seat post parts outside frame.
2.Through frame: +Seat post holes won’t show and weaken the seat post.
-Might hit legs
Oooh - bad idea. Drilling holes in your seat post and frame will only introduce weakness and create new problems. I had the same problem with my quick-release seat post clamp. I bought a 3-bolt cast aluminum clamp that replaces the quick-release clamp. The only work required is to grind off the weld where the clamp collar is welded to the frame. I don’t change my seat height much, so the loss of the quick-release feature didn’t bother me. I bought the clamp from Darren Bedford, but I think Unicycle.com has them also.
Schwinns and a few others actually are built with the holes. I’ve never seen any problem with the structural integrity of my Schwinn; of course, it’s built like a tank.
One of the problems with Schwinns is that you can’t get the micro adjustments that unicyclists like. I learned to ride on my uni with it feeling too low because the next adjustment was too high. The other problem I see with drilling a seat post not already made for that is causing the “lollipop effect.” On unicycles with lollipop-style bearing holders, that is the first place they crack and break, so I have a feeling that this would happen with the seat post (or worse, your frame) after any amount of abuse (trials, MUni, etc.)
If you do decide to try it, give us an account as to how well it holds up, because I think this would be very useful information.
You can pick up a good seat post clamp that will fit the 22.2 mm size at most bike shops that carry BMX bicycle parts. Quite a few of the BMX bikes still use a 1" (22.2 mm) seatpost, and 1, 2, and even 3 bolt clamps are available
Now there’s an understatement. Increments of no less than 1" are the second biggest problem with the Schwinn (and Semcycle Deluxe) bolt-through-post design. Any bike manual will tell you to adjust your seat no more than a few mm at a time to optimize your fit. Impossible on a those unicycles.
The other main weakness in the design of those cycles is the stamped steel frames’ flexibility. They twist back and forth a lot, as well as side to side, which can make the tire rub the frame Some will content this makes the cycle more comfortable, but most riders seem to prefer a stiff frame for better performance.
However, this stamped steel makes the frames very strong around the bolt, so there is no worry of squishing or cracking. This is what you would have to worry about on a conventional post, which is made of thinner, lighter (yet structurally stiffer) tubing. Plus you won’t be able to adjust your seat without making more holes.
I have not had problems finding strong clamps to fit my unicycles that needed them. I’m sure there’s something out there that can fit your post and frame. If not, use shims. Either beer can or custom-made shims, they’ll shore you up and allow you the freedom to adjust your seat.
I went to four different stores to get a new clamp and found one. It’s even worser than the old one, except I haven’t broke this yet. I’ll have put e-mail to guy who’s going to order some stuff from the Unicycle.uk.com.
I did that with an old cheap unicycle.
Solved the problem.
Rode it hard, never had any structural problems.
Lasted years until someone smashed the window in my car and stole it? Hope
they could at least ride.
Just put the bolt the same way as the seat, so if the blot sticks out it
doesn’t rub the thighs…
Unicycles should be built to bike part standards so parts are
interchangable.
Just one hole and one bolt does the trick.
“joona” <joona.umdlw@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message news:joona.umdlw@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> My seat clamp really sucks and it’s quite a hard to find good clamps
> that fit unicycles with 22 mm seat posts. Normal bicycle stores don’t
> usually have clamps this small. So I was wondering if someone has tried
> this:
> [image: http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albums/albus66/kaavio.jpg]
> I’m going to drill a hole to the clamp and seat post or just trough the
> frame and seat post and put a second bolt in the hole. This would
> prevent all the movement of the saddle. I think I’m going to drill a few
> holes in the seatpost about 1/2"-1" apart so I can still adjust the
> height. So should I drill through the clamp or the frame?
> 1.Through clamp: +The bolt won’t hit legs
> +Might look a little better
> -Holes in seat post will show if the seat is
> high and weaken the seat post parts outside frame.
>
> 2.Through frame: +Seat post holes won’t show and weaken the seat
> post.
> -Might hit legs
>
> What do you think?
>
>
> –
> joona - )-O <–Neat
>
> Real men use the same razor to shave their beard and legs
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/28023
>
