Lifecycle of all-carbon saddles?

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jz4nyc
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Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:07 am

by jz4nyc

Friend of mine has a Becker all-carbon saddle. Anyone know how long they are supposed to be good for? Years?

He's going on 6-7 years so far, it gets daily use, training & racing. Has tens of thousands of miles on it, and clearcoat has rubbed off.

The plan is to send it somewhere professional to have it lightly sanded and re-cleared.

Curious to know if that's not a great idea or will these things keep on truckin' for years to come.

Thanks for any tips.

BikeAnon
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by BikeAnon

It will come down to the rider's style, and the build of the saddle. There's no reason one can't last as long as a seatpost or frame. There's also nothing to say a person won't kill one off in less than a season.

Clearly, your buddy has a style that works well with his saddle.

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jz4nyc
Posts: 666
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:07 am

by jz4nyc

yes he's lightweight, about 140-something pounds. also takes care of his gear.

i just read the becker manual and it said frayed fiber may be a sign of strain.

so, he's lobbing in a call to fairwheel to get the real skinny, as it were.

thanks.

BikeAnon
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by BikeAnon

Let us know what they say. I'd be curious.

I'll bet that most carbon makers would be cautious about saying their product will continue to hold up if it has been sanded/resprayed in a way that is outside their control/QC.

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madcow
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by madcow

Becker saddles like most, don't have a clear coat on them, what most people think is clear coat is actually the resin. If the saddle is worn enough that the resin is affected and fibers are frayed/broken this could likely be a structural issue. Refinishing the saddle isn't a good idea, as it won't fix structural problems but will instead do a bit to mask them.

If a superlight full carbon saddle is worn to the point of needing this it's best to just replace it. Besides it's not like a 50 gram saddle is overbuilt to start with and there isn't a whole lot of room for error.

jz4nyc
Posts: 666
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:07 am

by jz4nyc

Thanks Madcow!

I'll reach out to you separately on this (our mutual friend probably contacted you already; I was trying to poke around on this forum for some potential solutions in advance).

by Weenie


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jz4nyc
Posts: 666
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:07 am

by jz4nyc

My buddy ended up with a Tune. He likes it a lot.

Madcow, thanks to your shop for helping out in the dialogue.

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