I figured that, just wondered if this metal plate is common among all the latest i.e. post 2006/2007 KH saddles? I’m definitely leaving it in!
Just got my t-bar and 09 saddle today, and it was more of a PITA to install than I’d expected.
The stiffener plate didn’t line up well at all with the seatpost holes, and I actually had to put it under the seatpost (rather than on top of it, as the OP shows in his picture) just to get it so the screws could be inserted. Not sure if it will make any difference or not, though.
For others who will be installing the stiffener (and t-bar), here’s a helpful tip: tighten nothing until you have all the screws in place and threaded. I know that’s just basic common sense, but I had to really manipulate the handle, the stiffener, and the t-bar bracket a lot before everything was ready to tighten. It’s especially important to leave the handle screws a little loose until you have the screws installed in the t-bar attachment–the part that goes between the brackets. If you tighten the handle screws down, the screw holes probably won’t line up perfectly, and you won’t be able to get them installed. This is part of what makes it a pain to install; the t-bar attachment gets in the way of your typical allen wrench set, and so makes it tough to finally tighten down the handle screws.
I suppose all it takes is patience; I was thinking it’d be a quick 20 minutes or so, but it was closer to an hour all told.
I won’t get a chance to ride it until tomorrow, but am looking forward to playing around with the different angles and lengths. It’s a cool system.
My sentiments exactly. It came with no instructions or pictures, so I went to the pictures posted here previously as a guide to assemble it. I was able to mount the stiffener plate over the front bumper and the seat post.
•I had to disassemble the seat to loosen the ties to get the cloth out of the way to get the screws to insert. Ugh!
•It comes with six stainless steel cap screws. I used four in the front bumper and two to hold the handle mount. It comes with two lock nuts for the handle mount and a total of six washers. By my count there should be eight washers–one for each screw and one for each nut. I used four washers on the handle mount and that left two washers for two bumper screws two more bumper screws without washers. Oh well.
•The seat screws did not catch with the stiffener plate in place. I switched to using two of the discarded front bumper screws, which were a mm or two longer, and still had to discard the lock washers to get the screws to mount. I like lock washers securing my seat tube!
•It comes with two plastic end caps that in theory mount in the handle cross-bar. I say “in theory” because they appear to be significantly too large to fit. I was not able to mount them, so I have the metal edges of the tube protruding. I can picture a UPD in my future where I leave small pieces of inner-thigh skin on these metal pieces. 
I may try to find some end caps that fit.
OK, it is a pain to set up, and some instructions would be nice. It looks very nice. I will try to mount it on my unicycle and ride it soon.
I got mine … put a T7 on my new KH 36 but just did not like it. I have the KH handle just “on for looks” right now. Waiting for the new seat … yes, I had to order one… was hoping the seat I had on there was a KH 2009 seat since I just got the 36er 3 weeks ago.
I like the handle but anticipate actually trying it out on a ride or ten.
Good thread … but that picture of the broken one bums me out already … Got to be careful I suppose. But I don’t want to be…
I will update with my results and such.
The two rear seatpost screws in my street saddle come loose so much, I had to tighten them twice at the skatepark today. Anyone else have this problem with the new saddle?
gypsy i had this problem on my club saddle, just use some loctite and its no longer a problem 
Mine loosened at first, but have stayed tight the last couple rides. Use loctite, but beware, if you make it too hard to unloosen them, then you’ll have to pull the cover to hold the inserts tight as you unscrew the post bolts. I’d use Loctite Blue.
This should not be necessary. If you gently pull the fabric of the cover forward to expose the threaded inserts you’ll be able to get the bolts in. I’ve mounted KH T-Bars on two saddles and a KH Reinforcing Plate on another without having to do any disassembly.
I did this too. However I was able to use lock washers without any difficulty.
I didn’t bother installing those end caps as, to me, they serve little purpose. Since your bar-ends are intended to be mounted flush with the ends of the cross-bar, there’s little risk of protruding edges. You could try whacking the end-caps in with a mallet if you really wanted I guess. Thats how I’ve installed these caps on bikes I’ve owned.
Tony- thanks for pointing out some of the assembly details.
In general you can push the saddle cover fabric out of the way by assembling (putting the bolts through) the stiffner plate and two angle pieces before you put it on the saddle, and then use the protruding bolts to push the fabric away from the holes. I suggest that you mount and tighten the angle pieces BEFORE you secure the slotted tube, because there is more room for your hex key to tighten the saddle bolts.
Those end caps don’t fit the T-bar. They just come with the bar-ends that are of course designed for bikes, and the assembler put them in with the T-bar package. Just recycle them.
Kris
I had no problems with first, second or third time installation (playing around with it for reviewing purposes). yes it’s a little more fiddly getting in the allen bolts that the old 10mm nuts, and aligning everything for the first hole on the front bumper but I did it the same way as Tony no problem.
Hey, I was just wondering whether the new saddles would have a good position angle-wise even without the adjustable seat post. Because I’m about to order a street and a freeride one and I still have a Try-All seat post that I’d like to use then. Because I find that I don’t ever need to change the angle once it feels right, which is usually when the center part is not lower than the rear. Or will I have to get the adjustable seat posts as well? Would get pretty expensive then.
I realize it should not be necessary to disassemble the seat, and I spent 30 min trying to pull the fabric out of the way to catch the bolt. It worked fine for the right side, but I could not get the left side to work. After trying to do it the easy way, I gave up and did it the hard way in 15 min. There may be some trick to it that I just did not get.
I am very happy with the handle bars, but it was frustrating putting it together.
In comparison to my 08’ Freeride, it looks to be the same. I use the adjustable seat posts because I like to have more microadjusting freedom. If anything, the only problem I found on prior KH seats and non adjustable posts was that I couldn’t get the seat to extremes, neither way up nor way flat.
The new seat is nice, it’s worth getting if you need a new seat.
I broke down and bought a stiffener plate for my muni, mounted up pretty quickly, had a little trouble finagling the bolts, but got it okay. It only comes with four bolts, so I used two of the longer stock grab handle bolts for the seat/plate intersection.
It does seem significantly stiffer, though there’s still some flex in the handle and possibly at the seat/seat post attachment. I’d say that the 2009 KH seat with plate decreases flex by 50% over the 2008 KH seat.
It doesn’t seem that heavy either.
Hey. This is just a quick post from the road.
I’ve been touring with my dad in the Adirondacks for the last week. The new seat and handle have been great. Really the perfect riding position for me.
On an uphill climb, though, my touring handle snapped almost clean off no upd just ripped at the weld where the tube attaches to the part where the two tubes slide into on another. Sort of hard to explain.
I have pictures but can’t upload them right now as I’m writing this from and iPhone.
Managed to get it rewelded, though.
Seeing as this happened from only my partial weight on the bar, I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a common problem with the new handle
i put my 09 street saddle on in 5-10min i just put the reinforcement plate over the front string worked well.
also i have a KH reinforced seat post and have the front all the way up and i can ride 15kms straight on a trials and its nice the whole way
Oh no, I already ordered mine… I hope it’ll last a bit longer than yours. I thought those products were tested prior to being released. In my opinion this should be under warranty too, so people should really get a replacement part for free when that happens.
![P300709_19.46[01].jpg](https://cdn.unicyclist.com/uploads/default/original/3X/2/5/254740919170d59362a00d6728e2a696f95a059d.jpeg)
Hey,
Thanks for posting. I have had produced an upgraded stronger version of the slotted tube, that uses much thicker sidewall tubing. It will be available as soon as possible. Once it is ready, it will be available as a trade-in for the slotted tube in the T-bar, and for warranty exchange.
Kris