bike seats

[frugalnacho]

My wife got a new bike, but she doesn't like the bike seat on it.  She likes the seat on her old bike though, so I was going to switch them, but I can't.  The seat posts are different diameters so they are not interchangeable.   The seats attach to the seat posts differently too so I can't swap the seats. 

So what's the deal with seats and seat post sizes? Will I be able to easily find a seat post to fit the diamondback and fit the aftermarket seat?

New bike is a diamondback.

Old bike is a huffy, and i'm pretty sure it was an aftermarket seat.

[Russ]

The seats attach to the seat posts differently too so I can't swap the seats.

are you sure?

[frugalnacho]

The seats attach to the seat posts differently too so I can't swap the seats.

are you sure?

...Not anymore. 

The aftermarket seat looks like it just has a clamping mechanism that you shove the post into and tighten it.  The diamondback looks like the seat attaches to another piece that then attaches to the seat post, but the seat post looks like a different size at the top, and it looks like it attaches via a nut inside the bottom of the seat post.  I did not completely disassemble the diamondback seat though.  I will have to give it another look when I get home tonight.

[frugalnacho]

Ok I checked and I can't swap it.  It looks like it is a suspension seat post? I don't see how I can get the seat bracket base off of the post, unless maybe I disassemble the whole seat post and get at it from underneath?  The end of the post that the old seat would connect to is noticeably smaller in diameter than the other rigid seat post.

[Russ]

ok just gonna say you aren't giving me very much to work with... maybe some pics or something would be awesome

but I think I know the problem you have. the top of the seatpost looks like this, right?



Everything that is black is part of the seatpost and shouldn't have to come off. The silver rails are part of the saddle, so get those unclamped from the seatpost and you should be able to swap. If neither of the saddles have those rails, that is incredibly rare (like I've only seen one like that, ever) and they will probably not be interchangeable.

If that doesn't work, we can talk swapping seatposts.

[frugalnacho]

Here is the new bike seat post.  I don't see how to take that top piece off.

[Russ]

you don't take the top part off

there are two clamp pieces and one nut that should part of that seatpost but are not pictured. use those to clamp the rails (see first picture) of the other saddle, once you've removed it from the other seatpost leaving the top clampy part behind

[Russ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfnM0eyjB5Q

[NoraLenderbee]

There is a piece missing from the seatpost in your photo.

[frugalnacho]

I know, I removed those pieces.  This is the seat I want to put onto it. 

[Russ]

ok so yeah that's not going to work because there are no rails like there would be on a normal saddle.

if the SP for the saddle you like is smaller than the one you want to replace, you can shim it out (the bike shop may have shim kits for this). If it's bigger, tough luck nothing you can do.

really though I'd just replace the saddle with something similar with rails. The one you have is not meant to last long and you'll have to do it eventually anyway.