Why did my Brooks Break: A poll

[mg2ride]

Details: This is the oldest Brooks I have (10+ years) and is installed on the bike that I have always ridden the most frequently. While it is a MTB I do not use it as such. It is my main urban assault bike so that seat has certainly seen many, many cycles. Last time I rode it I noticed something wrong with the seat the last few miles. I知 guessing one rail broke then. Lucky me, it broke off in my hand today and not while riding.

Weyless seat post.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/590/22093053086_a055c3cff8_b.jpg

The rails are skewed but I assume that happened after it broke
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/724/22093054296_96edf8823c_b.jpg

Metal fatigue? Not a clean break!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/710/21498122923_2c894a3d52_b.jpg

[Louis]

Age + insufficient set-back on post.

How much do you weigh?

[Peter P.]

Brooks saddles have unusually beefy steel rails so I'm surprised they broke.

Any chance you have a counterfeit saddle?

Is yours made with titanium rails?

I wouldn't be surprised if you contacted Brooks that they make you an offer you can't refuse.

[dustyrider]

Survey says...

I'm saying age. Though extra points for your cleverness!
Certainly brooks offers rail replacement, no?

[jtakeda]

I see corrosion. So no on ti rails.

Seems like fatigue and bad luck.

[mg2ride]

Brooks saddles have unusually beefy steel rails so I'm surprised they broke.

Any chance you have a counterfeit saddle?

Is yours made with titanium rails?

I wouldn't be surprised if you contacted Brooks that they make you an offer you can't refuse.

I'm a big guy. 250-270 over the years I have been riding this bike. I have ridden this bike hard and done damn near zero maintenance. Still, I was surprised it broke in this manner.

No reason to believe it's counterfeit. I'm not even sure if I bought it used or new.

Steel rails. I will contact them with no expectations. If they offer, I will not refuse.

[Schmed]

I didn't see the poll option that I want:

"Because I was talking with Mike Sinyard on the phone while riding the Trans America Trail singing "Happy Canadian Thanksgiving" and counting the 10, 10mm spacers you have under your stem"

:banana:

[bikinchris]

I have broken a Brooks rail before myself, but it was a weird weekend riding a tandem rally in Jefferson, Texas staying at a haunted hotel. The Brooks rail broke, a brand new Velox rim strip failed, and I had several other flats. We sagged in the last day. I say the bike was cursed.

[eBAUMANN]

i think it was probably a combination of things...steel is not unbreakable.

youre not a lightweight rider, and if you are riding off curbs and landing on the saddle with any amount of weight it would certainly put stress on the rails. also, certain seatpost clamp designs will support the rails better than others. while that weyless clamp doesnt look BAD, it could certainly be better.

but yea, i would just chalk it up to rider weight/use/saddle age, 10 years is a pretty good run, though understandably on the low end for what some folks get out of a brooks.

[R3awak3n]

Rails are fine on kine but leather is ripping. Its cool though, got a berthoud now that is that much better and leather is much thicker so this shouldnt happen.

[mg2ride]

Anybody know how the Brooks production code works?

The bottom looks to have "0M2" stamped on it.

[eBAUMANN]

i stopped riding brooks after my black one stained my jeans :p

[Wakatel_Luum]

Things break...even Brooks saddles...

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/12/88d471beceab425adb5aa052010fefde.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/12/0e67aae0d2ec74e055819e5eeb720053.jpg

[mecse]

I'm a big guy. 250-270 over the years I have been riding this bike. I have ridden this bike hard and done damn near zero maintenance. Still, I was surprised it broke in this manner.

No reason to believe it's counterfeit. I'm not even sure if I bought it used or new.

Steel rails. I will contact them with no expectations. If they offer, I will not refuse.

It looks like brooks sells the replacement rails happily and directly on the website:

http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue-and-shop/spareparts/frames__+brackets__+etc_/

Which means that this happens every now and then, right.

Good job not being on it when you broke it!

[Drmojo]

2 at the nose
1 at rails
They replaced all 3
Gratis
Great company
I ride Velo Orange now
None broken
Yet
Will try Rivet
Deb is my buddy

[Cicli]

Bummer on the Brooks. Nice bottle cage bracket. :bike:

[mg2ride]

Nice bottle cage bracket. :bike:

That's a left over from my Tri bike phase. Years ago I decided to start collecting the parts to build a Tri. I bought that bracket and some Tri bars, then came to my senses. The Tri bars were cut into Bullhorns for my Road SS and the bracket has served me faithfully on my most used bike.

[CSTRider]

It does appear the seat was clamped way forward on the rails, and the rails snapped just behind the clamp. If the post had more set-back you could have put the clamp in a more neutral rail position. Also have to ask about the tension bolt - have you tensioned it lately?

[cloudguy]

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