Sprinters years ago would occasionally crack the seat clamps and end up on
the top tube. OUCH!
The saddle when forward or especially when a rider stood up to jump and sat
down too fast in heat of exertion could have too much force and weight on
the old style clamps and strip the serrations on the clamps and the seat
would go tip down or up
I've seen both happen.
Motor paced guys would use them because of the forward seat position and on
the steep tracks the downward force at high speed could easily strip the
clamp. This could be fatal at the high speeds
pacing racers would reach.
They were not used too much in team races, (madisons), because the long
hours in a 6-day race and the seat not having any rail flex in the front
could cause saddle / crotch type difficulties.
Nice crisp edge clamp serrations if a saddle was fairly centered on the rail
didn't have many difficulties, but when seats were moved and clamps clicked
over serrations without proper loosening, that's when problems developed.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA 90274
> So the other day someone posted a question on BF as to why people used to
> mount saddle supports on older track bikes. My only reply was when a
> saddle
> was forward mounted or had a ³flipped² seatpost, it added extra support.
> But it got me thinking, what was the point really? Were older saddle
> clamp
> s
> that unstable that they might fail during a sprint? Or is there some
> other
> reason I am just missing? Just curious.
>
> Sean Flores
> San Francisco, CA