Bob Freitas wrote: <snip> One of the best investments I have made is a reamer handle and assorted reamers (26.8,27.2 and 27.4) so after realigning the ears ,I reinstall the binder bolt but not tight) and ream to the proper size. This eliminates the nasty seat post scratches and gives great grip on the post. Only issue here is an almost total lack of vintage 27.4 seat posts (I have only seen Campagnolo and Shimano, did SR ever make one?) +++++++++++++++++++++++ One of my favorite seatposts of all time was my 27.4 Satri Gallet, a lovely design of the general flavor of the first (2-bolt) Campag posts. The differences were crucial: The S-G had a bit more offset, so the two bolts (allen key, as I recall) had their heads underneath, and threaded into cylinders that served as the top clamps for the seat rail carriage.
Alas, a critical design flaw: they cylinders were hollow and threaded transversely. Double the number of stress risers (at thread entry/leaving points) and reduce the amount of meat, and they failed. Alas, I suspect I discarded the parts instead of making proper new cylinders. I'd love to find another, for the collection of Great Ideas that weren't really.
harvey sachs
mcLean va.