There was a time in the mid 70s when a I had a number of Campagnolo seat post bolts snap when I tightened them sufficiently to prevent the seat post from moving.
It seemed like there was a bad batch that was over hardened during heat treatment.
For many years after that, I avoided using Campy seat post bolts.
On the bikes that I currently have that came with them, I carry a spare Japanese or Taiwanese made seatpost bolt that cost me under $10 USD.
It's insurance in case the Campy one breaks while adjusting the seat height on the road.
There's an eBay seller from Belgium currently offering Sugino seatpost bolts, 2 for $12 with free shipping.
They're about 22mm wide which is little wider than the Campy bolts but they can be ground down to the proper length if need be.
As far as the bolt not fitting in the hole, I had to run a tapered reamer into the holes in a seat lug last night to open them up a little. You could use a small round file too.
The bolt holes can warp when the seat post clamp is overtightened from using an undersize seatpost.
Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA
Bob Freeman wrote:
> Or perhaps the Campy seat post bolt is only made strong enough so that too much force won't allow you to damage your frame. Bolts are cheap, frames are expensive.
> I've broken a lot of them in my life, mostly due to an ill-fitting seat post or a poorly made frame. Get your generic Japanese seat bolt. Will look fine and fit well and may not break so easily.
> $5 instead of $30 for a Campy.
> Bob Freeman
> Elliott Bay Bicycles
> 2116 Western Ave
> Seattle, WA 98121
> From: EPL <lowiemanuel@yahoo.ca>
> subject: [CR] seatpost binder bolt woes
> While installing a new seatpost/saddle, tightening down the Campagnolo 8mm
> binder bolt resulted in that esteemed part exploding, snapped in half on the
> threaded male portion.
> I have a Simplex binder bolt which I can use instead, except that -- due to the
> lighly ribbed section on the female shaft socket just inside the end -- that
> portion does not quite seat quite flush into the seatlug binder bolt ear (this
> s an older style set-up, not recessed as many are today).
> Does one just bolt the Simplex thing in with torque for a very tight fit
> gnashing of metal resulting) or are the binder ears normally skimmed larger
> first or?
> That Campy binder bolt is sure a piece of c**p!
> Thanks,
> Emanuel Lowi
> Montreal, Quebec