# Saddle Rail Popped Out - Any Help?



## TwoPumpChump (Feb 13, 2004)

First time seeing this one. My gf biffed it on a jump and later found out her saddle was crooked. Instead of just bending (seen many-a-time), the ti rail had popped out. 

I'll be damned if the stupid thing didn't take me 1.5hr of bending, prying, and eventually throwing across the garage before coming here for help. This is probably one where you have had to of done it before because most logic approaches have failed. I even tried heating up the rail to make it more plyable to no avail.


Saddle is a WTB Devo. Ti Rails. 
Thanks in advance.


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

I had similar occurence with a Sella Italia. Ti rails were impossible to bend back into the hole.

I finally just gave up and ordered a WTB from Performance.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Subbed just to see what other people's solutions might be. Have seen this happen to a friend before and we werent able to fix it.


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## GTR2ebike (May 3, 2010)

Most wtb saddles have a bolt under the nose, if it does remove it, pull the rails out and the rest is easy.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

I've had this happen before on a saddle with hollow cromo rails and I couldn't get anything to work. The saddle ended up in the trash, and unfortunately it was only a few months old. If the rails will bend, you'll never get them back to normal and they won't ever be as strong.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Try wrapping the rail with blue tape to protect it. Chuck it in a vise and also tape the seat to protect it from the big pair of Channelocks you use to bend the seat over the rail. 
If that doesn't work, it ain't going back together.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

As is often the case. I have seen this in a thread before. If I recall the OP offered a solution. Search


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

sounds like a warranty claim to me!

You are not bending those rails back in.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Put a rag on the floor, put the saddle on the rag upside down, stand on the nose of the saddle, put a big pipe wrench on the vertical section of the rail and bend it back in.


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## TwoPumpChump (Feb 13, 2004)

GTR2ebike said:


> Most wtb saddles have a bolt under the nose, if it does remove it, pull the rails out and the rest is easy.


The screw on the nose only holds in a protective nose cap.

Prying with pipe wrench and channel locks while bending the saddle in half has not gone my way so far.

Thanks for all the replies. Keep em comming.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

You don't want the saddle bending in half, you need the rails to bend. That's why you brace the saddle against the ground.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Contact the manufacturer... They should be able to refer you to a dealer that has the machine required to reinsert rails into a saddle. Happened to me with a Selle Italia saddle a while back and they referred me to ProNetCycling.com.


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## TwoPumpChump (Feb 13, 2004)

WTB says its dead.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

TwoPumpChump said:


> WTB says its dead.


How'd THEY do it??


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Of course they do, because they want you to buy a new one.


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## TwoPumpChump (Feb 13, 2004)

No, they were cool. They asked how long ago I purchase it. I was honest and told them three years ago (WTB warrantees for 2yr). The rep seemed genuinely sorry that they couldn't do anything about it. 
I only know of one manufacturer that has ever offered 100% crash protection on thier product and even that was only for 2 years.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Pop some steroids and/or envelop yourself in gamma rays.


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## TwoPumpChump (Feb 13, 2004)

*Fixed*

Okay, once my mindset changed that this thing was garbage I decided to get manley with it (got some help from my lady friend).

With two people:
-clamp super tight into a bike stand
-heat up the rail, I used a small torch
-one person put channel locks onto the rail mount and curl back while I used two pair of vice grips high/low on the rail to feed it in.
-A little bit of spit doesn't hurt either

It wasn't pretty... scarred em up like a fithly pirate hooker... but the rails are back nice and straight like it never happened.

Thanks for all the help:thumbsup:


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Nice! See that? I knew you could do it.


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## CupOfJava (Dec 1, 2008)

Call WTB and have it replaced under warranty assuming you have any warranty left


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

CupOfJava said:


> Call WTB and have it replaced under warranty assuming you have any warranty left


Read the thread.


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

You may want to do a search or contact manufacturer re: torch effecting the integrity of the rail.

Possible the heat has decreased structural integrity but maybe not. I imagine it depends on material.

I only mention this because a few months back my seat failed me and I had a long 15 mile ride over some rough terrain. Entire ride was out of the saddle as sitting on the seat post was not an option.

You just don't want a rail failure out in the boonies!

Maybe for the first few rides carry a spare in your Camel Back if this is an option.

Just a thought but congrats on the fix.


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

Excellent! This happened to my girlfriend too. She basically left me with the saddle saying it was my job to fix it (while she put another good saddle on her bike). A few weeks went by and I just kind of wrestled with it and got it. Returned it to her and she was amazed I could fix it. In the end, yes, it's a PIA but is do-able. Great job on your part.


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## lone ranger nh (Oct 19, 2011)

i use 2 large adj. wrench's. leave the seat on the post. put one wrench on the rail, the other on that wrench and use as a pry bar to bend it back in. once it's in, rebend it the other direction to help seat it [no pun]. usually it is not perfect, a little play, but can salvage the seat for a while until it comes out again, or you buy a new seat.


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## ziscwg (May 18, 2007)

bad mechanic said:


> Put a rag on the floor, put the saddle on the rag upside down, stand on the nose of the saddle, put a big pipe wrench on the vertical section of the rail and bend it back in.


I have a Spec Phenom that a rail popped out on from a crash.

I have got it close to going back in by BENDING THE SADDLE, not the rail. I did not have enough leverage to get it back. I just put the saddle on a 2x4 pressed on each end with my hands. I needed a 3rd arm to guide the rail, but it was close.

I think if I had messed with it more, I could have done it. I had a spare saddle so the urgency was not there.

This idea will only work with a flexible saddle.


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## abelfonseca (Dec 26, 2011)

That happened to me with an adamo typhoon. The rails popped out in a crash (failed wheelie while cliped in). The manufacturer said it was dead. After trying for countless hours to pry them back in I gave up. I had nothing to loose so I gave the 2 pieces to a genuine 3rd world mechanic (not a bike mechanic) and told him I would get him a couple of beers if he could get them back in. It took him about 5 minutes. Hi bent the rails some more and got them in, then he proceeded to "straighten" them up using an anvil and a hammer. Im pretty sure the rails lost some of their structural integrity but its been about a year since that and I have continued to use the saddle with no issues thus far (knock on wood).


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## GTR2ebike (May 3, 2010)

TwoPumpChump said:


> The screw on the nose only holds in a protective nose cap.
> 
> Prying with pipe wrench and channel locks while bending the saddle in half has not gone my way so far.
> 
> Thanks for all the replies. Keep em comming.


On a lot of WTB saddles that protective cap holds the rails on.


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## Tslab (Mar 15, 2021)

TwoPumpChump said:


> *Fixed*
> 
> Okay, once my mindset changed that this thing was garbage I decided to get manley with it (got some help from my lady friend).
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for the info and the pic. We used a monkey wrench and did not have to heat up the 2nd rail.


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