Installing a replacement rail on a fancy bike saddle

Another mostly silent video. A friend asked me if this fancy saddle could be salvaged, since its rail was broken. I said I'd try. Found a rail from a scrapped saddle that matched, from my community bike shop. Used metal bits I've accumulated at home; bought nothing. The process was quite fumbly; yay, VSDC Video Editor.
There are a few more fancy saddles to restore; it'll take mere minutes, now that I have the jigs...
Give me the right lever and I'll spring a saddle rail into place!

[@UMarchello]

Thanks for this - but instead of making the bending bars I used 2 seat posts attached to the rails. Then bent it over a soft edge like a top step w/ a cloth on it to protect the nose of the saddle. Easier w/ 2 people: 1 to bend the rails with the seat posts and 1 to work the nose of the saddle over the end of the rails. I have a photo but can't seem to post it here.

[@toppdogg1986]

@Jan Przysiezniak had a mind blowing solution big ups and @marcel you made it accessible to people without any tools. thank you both you saved me some money. I can now say i fixed my seat after the bike shop told me to rather buy a new one :)

[@stevenreyes3680]

I think you have create link in photos. I use google photo...

[@frenchie091]

I ripped the seatpad off the saddle rails on my new cargo bike this week by distractedly trying to lift it by the saddle with a child on the back. I just fixed it with this method using 2 seatposts. Can't actually believe how easy it was to do. I'm delighted, thanks a million for both of your help!

[@0124andamansea]

​@toppdogg1986 unfortunately that is what Billy bike shop mechanic's are all about the easy fix selling you new parts makes you're LBS more money apart from which the vast majority wouldn't know where to start to fix existing parts. I've been building bikes since 12 years old so not having to much cash I learned very quickly to fix if it was fixable, or ask mum.

[@MillerAdz]

Hey Marchello you ok can you please show us a picture etc of your method thanks bro

[@HobbyTimeSeattle]

This works great. I just fixed a super rare vintage $300 Schwinn freestyle BMX seat using this method. And now that we have the tool we can make some side cash fixing seats for other people.

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Smart move!

[@macbirddog69]

Amazing video, just did this with a 2 month old WTB titanium seat and it worked like a charm!!! Thanks for the tips!

[@joeborowy5794]

Much better then the one I hade on board.

[@jonjohnson3091]

Wow! Thanks for making and posting this video, I have been struggling with this very same problem!

[@dudeonbike800]

Very nicely done! I have a Ti rail saddle that's about done and found the same replacement with steel rails and was thinking of doing this very same thing. With the right tools, it's a snap. Thanks again!

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Glad to know it was useful. Thanks for the feedback!

[@trevekneebone369]

Did it work to swap the Ti and steel rails? I'm in a similar situation with a Selle Italia Flite saddle. The modern replacement only has black FEC Alloy steel rails. I would like to use Ti rails from another Flite saddle.

[@green_dog8960]

Nice work Jan! Surprise finish makes it all clear.

[@martinlanglois126]

Jan you just saved me $250! I sent your link to Specialized Rider Care who told me that they couln’d repair my S-Works saddle. Keep it up!

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Great to hear!

[@w.o.w2801]

Job done! ✌️ thanks

[@mirecsvoboda6717]

Genial!!! ... thaks for this video Maestro ...

[@ahmadalimin8547]

Good job..from surabaya indonesia

[@epmods123]

Absolute genius was having the same problem , used 2 old seat tubes and it worked a treat, thank you for sharing 👍

[@yaguswahyudy6904]

finally there is a video on this method..Actually I just want to forget it..👍🙏

[@shanescott7338]

Clever! Thanks for sharing, Jan.

[@gzank6]

the whole time i'm thinking, wtf is he doing? and then... whoa... genius.

[@ricgoco3450]

At last I found your video very clever idea thank you so much now I can repair my bike seat

[@ssirany]

Damn! that’s a lot of work, but great vdo n good to know 👍🏼😎

[@Oldbikerestorations]

Szukałem tego filmu od dawna. Wielki dzięki

[@soynut6389]

Oh man, I've been struggling with this Ti WTB thing.. Genius Thank you See you on the trails

[@asmirawati7476]

Honor all all jjbsdgkl

[@carlossegura8604]

Excellent!! Thank you for this video!!

[@tennnis498]

Love it! I have a WTB SST98 with a broken Ti rail, but I refuse to give up.

[@satria155]

Well-done

[@jesuszulueta7295]

Thank you!

[@ScRaMbLeS247]

Well done

[@СтасСтарков-л1н]

Man, you are crazy. And this is helpful. Now I am free to make my own experiment

[@nanangendrianto7690]

Tq, smart👍

[@nuntosoon1]

Thank you. How a tutorial should be done, Silance and results.

[@jesuszulueta7295]

Nice!!! 😀

[@ScrubsIsee]

Thank you very much for this demonstration! Simple and brilliant. Would be great to know though, how the manufactures do this in their factories …

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Hi Christian, To answer your question, see this, specifically at 1:48 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5W6q42Xebp9p8U Cheers. Jan

[@ark_knight]

@@janprzysiezniak7563 So they basically slam the plastic piece over the titanium rail at the end. They dont have to slid the TItanium rail in. Guess its not made with repair in mind.

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

@@ark_knight Yup. Bending plastic is easier than bending metal, and if it doesn't break or warp, it mostly returns to its original shape.

[@ryanvillanueva]

@@janprzysiezniak7563 8:42 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGXRaaShrK54ors is another example.

[@sim8706]

Danke 🙏

[@Жидомассон-э8ч]

❤❤❤

[@tommyswain5865]

I wish you were closer I would send you mine to fix. I will be scared to do it.

[@rpiian]

Brilliant.

[@IISourAyyII]

Mogles cos powiedziećz, haha

[@starboy80s]

Thanks for the great idea... 👍🏻

[@P-Dawg-01]

Holy crap brother that is awesome! Trying to renovate an old bmx bike and want to polish up the seat bracket due to rust. Will you rent out the tool you made? Lol

[@bleblebleblablabla9602]

Super!

[@12villages]

sweet

[@imratsingh4579]

Thanks man

[@roxanneshawyer9019]

*cheap saddle* however thanks this was helpful for my expensive saddle

[@WisseSpring]

I'm happy for you and your expensive saddle.

[@BlinkerDKS]

Cool

[@alrzaln]

How to remove rail?

[@tot_samyi_Lexa]

Так вот оно что!!!!!!!!!

[@iamdjsluggo]

Wow!

[@RSO-IV]

U R D 🐐!!! 💪💪💪

[@rodionpavlenko4680]

k..va m...t ! this is awesome dude

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Sorry, I'm not up to date on my slavic cusses, but I can guess the first one... What's the other?

[@BigerKuma]

Way to work in an Archimedes' reference! I have the same issue, and I can't find a rail on sale. So, I have to get a salvage one ?

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Yup, with the same distance nose to rail tip.

[@Sojaehun]

Good

[@danfuerthgillis4483]

lmao simple, no words spoken!!

[@almarjo5619]

Formidable, yo quiero sacarlo para tapizarlo, es posible? Asi con la misma operacion, saludos

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

I haven't tried removing the rail, but I guess you have to hold down the saddle while you do this.

[@anthonyvene2161]

Do you think I could just use washers and shave the sides if they hit the plastic?

[@scottdevore6218]

“Let me just grab the dirtiest gloves I own before working on this expensive seat.” Proceeds to breathe like Jason Vorhees through the entire video.

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Hah. Good one about the gloves. But you must have had your volume way up high; maybe you like heavy breathing?

[@stevenreyes3680]

Question: I want to use the ti rails from my old Titec Berserkr saddle on a new DMR saddle. If the over all length looks the same within a few millimeters, can this be done ? I’ll just have to wait and see, if I get the DMR. But video was very helpful. Always wondered how you would get rails in and out.

[@stevenreyes3680]

On second thought, this old Titec Berserkr K-Ti is still going after 4 bikes and 20 years...mostly commuting miles. But now it’s a trail bike. Oh, I ride it home on the street. I recovered in leather 10 years ago, or longer, and still looks new. I should just cover it in camo fabric like the DMR. Could even create a channel. A bit of 1/8” foam and I’ll have a nice sofa saddle...PS: I saw a NOS Berserkr on eBay for $160...

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

That's one thing I didn't address in the video: sizing. And what you suggest is exactly how I proceeded, i.e. matching parts within a few millimeters should work.

[@juanpauloandradecardona6690]

And how to remove that rails either. ?

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

I hacksawed the old rail off, because it had already been partly cut.

[@stx333]

Serwus, gdzie się znajduje Twój warsztat? :)

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

W Edmonton, Canada

[@mathguy829]

Hi Jan, great video! A few questions: what size bolts did you use? What size holes did you drill in the small metal bars? How thick are the small metal bars? Thanks in advance.

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Hi Math Guy! The bolts are 1/2" (13mm) in diameter, around 6" (15-16 cm) long. The holes in the plates are 1/2". The small plates fitting near the nose of the saddle are 3/16" (5 mm) thick. The larger ones are 1/4" (6-7mm) and 5/16" (8mm) thick, whatever I had around... Thanks for asking. Jan

[@mathguy829]

@@janprzysiezniak7563 Thank you!

[@backcenter2]

What to do if my rails have a bit of play, they move front back like a few mm, should I use super glue on the point where they enter in those plastic slots from the back? I don't have the tools you got :)

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Good question. One thing that the video doesn't address clearly is that you have to choose a replacement rail that is long enough to fit snugly. Sorry. I don't think superglue will last very long with your full body weight on it, but I haven't actually tried this so... Alternately, if the rail metal is soft enough, usage might flatten out the rail slightly so that it fits more snugly, even if only during use. Finally, if the new rail is already installed, bending it slightly flatter to fit its sockets better, would be difficult, but not impossible with the right tools. Make your own video? Cheers. Jan

[@yerjokin]

Great video👍🏻 and fantastic method of putting the rail in place! Do you know where you can get replacement seat rails from as I’ve been searching for ages and can’t seem to find any!

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Good question. I work at a community bike shop, we discard damaged saddles. I found one with an intact rail the same length and width as the saddle I wanted to fix and did a switch. I doubt it's something you can buy, so ask a bike shop for scrapped saddles?

[@yerjokin]

@@janprzysiezniak7563 that’s great, thank you for the advice 👍🏻

[@rubenangel9986]

You should make and sell these tools... I cant find nothing online. An I'm in this problem. You would make a big fortune

[@frankbauters9717]

What weight capacity does it support?

[@janprzysiezniak7563]

Good question. I haven't done any testing. I assume the fresh rail, even if slightly bent by this procedure, should hold as much weight as it was designed for. Assuming, also, that the plastic rail sockets aren't damage by this.

[@anthonyvene2161]

Well don't try this lol, oh you can't post pics here. I tried washers in front and 2 door-lock latch/strike plates from home Depot, 1/2" boly in front and 5/8 bolt in rear, 7" long. It all bent to crap. Need thick steel

[@joaobrito9642]

Thank you very much!