[CR]Fabricating replacement saddle rails for Ideale alloy-frame SC 90

(Example: Framebuilders:Masi)

To: Dale Brown <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Jon Spangler" <hudsonspangler@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 21:19:59 -0700
Subject: [CR]Fabricating replacement saddle rails for Ideale alloy-frame SC 90

CR list members,

Has anyone out there in CR land ever fabricated replacement alloy saddle rails for an Ideale 90 SC saddle, or replaced the original alloy rails with steel or Ti round rails? I'm looking at this for two reasons:

1) The rails on my 90 SC (a cutaway-leather version, like the Brooks Swift or Swallow) were bent before bought the saddle, and need to be replaced.

2) The other problem is that I need a wider fore-and-aft adjustment range (and/or an offset seatpost ), which a steel or Ti round rail would offer.

I realize that I'm talking about heresy from a classic bike restoration standpoint, but this Ideale saddle is the most comfortable thing I've had since my beloved and broken-in Brooks Pro was stolen in 1976 with my Raleigh pro Mk IV. I just need to get off of the %@$*( copper rivets.... :-)

My thinking is that if I could find someone to modify an Ideale steel or Ti round-rail frame to bolt onto the rear saddle frame in place of the alloy rails, I would not have to sacrifice the saddle's historic value, but this seems rather daunting to most people, and I do not know any classic-bike-friendly machinists who could do this job.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Best,

Jon Spangler

hudsonspangler@earthlink.net

Alameda, California USA
(on the Left Coast)