Weight Weenies

So in a moment of madness with the credit card, I bought one of the new Engage Fluke saddles because I thought I could easily get an adaptor from Kuota. It's a braided carbon saddle and I need to fit it to an aero seatpost with a side clamping arrangement. It turns out that even though its a new model of frame, there is no provision for braided saddles. The obvious solution is to sell it and buy a (probably heavier) standard saddle but I think there must be a way.

Before I attack the clamp with a Dremel I thought I better get some advice. If I can file the grooves in the clamp to be 9mm high but retain the same depth would it clamp safely or would this place an uneven force on the carbon? I'm only 54kg but ride fairly rough roads. Does it need to be done properly in a machine shop? I have managed to get a spare set of the silver outer clamps but they seemed reluctant to give me a spare of the inner wedge type clamps, although the LBS assured me that if I balls it up they can get replacements somehow. The seatpost is topped with just a hole approx 30mm in diameter and each side has a aluminium cone that is held in by a single bolt. These cone wedges have a groove corresponding to the opposite clamp to hold the rail, these would be very straightforward to modify as its just a lump of alu, the silver pieces are a more complicated casting and the metal could end up fairly thin with the groove widened. Pictures below:





Any tips? Lost cause? Is there an alternative solution like an aftermarket adaptor?

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contact Kuota?

I don't understand why anyone that makes a seatpost doesn't factor in carbon/larger rails these days. Some manufacturers provide additional clamps whilst others charge for them(i call it the carbon tax).

Enve sell a clamp only i believe that looks similar but I bet won't work with your mast.....

Think you maybe SOL.....

Perhaps you could file the inner part (that protrudes the mast) and find other outer parts such as Ritchey or Enve which have a very similar design. If you could dismantle and photograph the parts individually, maybe with some measurements, you could get a more qualified guess if that might work.

Took a picture of the parts with some annotations:



The hole in the post is difficult to measure because it is chamfered on the outer edges to a minimum of 27mm ID. The widest point (as seen from back of bike) is 30mm.

I was going to suggest trying a Bontrager clamp kit but they don't quite look the same. Maybe someone here could measure theirs to check though?

It does look like the design could be similar: http://bontrager.com/model/09194 But I would have to buy one to find out.

Im going to try contacting Kuota again, this time over the phone as I never had a response to my emails. The LBS told me they don't do an adaptor but I will ask if an entire mast from a different bike might fit or if they could suggest any modifications. I do find it ridiculous that a brand new mid-range frameset doesn't offer a carbon saddle option.

The oval shaped holes in the black wedge pieces suggest there is some vertical movement possible

lannes wrote:The oval shaped holes in the black wedge pieces suggest there is some vertical movement possible

I didnt notice any, but the grooves are deep enough to prevent carbon rails being used anyway, even if the clamps would shift about a bit.

I highly doubt they would suggest modification options. That would be a liability risk for them.

I just found this: http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftb/ro ... clamp-79mm

It looks remarkably similar. Is there anyone with a Venge or Shiv that could compare their clamp to the measurements in the pic posted earlier?

Sorry for the gravedigging but I have an update. After weeks of trying to get measurements I gambled the £25 on a Spesh clamp and it arrived today after a long wait.

Stunningly enough, it fits! So I can now use my Engage Fluke PC on the Kuota.



Compulsory scale shot:


Nice 80g saving. The spesh clamp is a bit lighter too but haven't got round to weighing it yet.

What is that saddle? It looks like a Toupe just made by different brand.

asdf123 wrote:What is that saddle? It looks like a Toupe just made by different brand.

Engage is the AX lightness "home" brand

It's basically ax lightness but a bit cheaper. I'm guessing it's made in Asia rather than Germany?

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Very nice !
Ive just fitted a Selle san marco Superleggera to my spesh seatpost on the venge & it didnt quite like the spacing. Managed to get there in the end without breaking the rails.


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