Laserlite saddle options

[rhino_mac]

I'm in a qunadry about what saddle to put on my Laserlite build.

New, they came with Elina Aero Turbo's but it appears that they are rare as rocking horse poo so I guess I need a plan B.

I've had a few thoughts, as I'm trying to build it as near to factory fresh as possible using NOS parts (jury's still out on a crank decision but it'll either be 401 single pinch or 400's). Other than this (and IRC tyres) we're good to go. It was going to be a rider for a bit of racing at Iford but as I've built it up, most of the parts are NOS so if I race it, I'm going to lose a fortune on it. I'll probably buy a complete racer now for the summer seperately to the Kuwahara.

So here are the options:

1) Cheapo black saddle until I find the right Elina
2) Kashimax Aero NOS and if an Elina comes along one day, then at least I can use it on another ride. And from piccies they seem to look really similar
3) Elina Lightning NOS and leave it as that

What are peoples thoughts on this - it's my first build and I'm wayyyyy over budget so far having made a few bad decisions on parts already so I'm keen to try and avoid any more costly mistakes.

[Jt]

your elina probably wont come up nos.

the kashi i prefer, but the lightening bolt look ace too.

if you've discounted the elina aero due to rarity, then its a simple matter of choice.

dont pay over the odds would be best advice, because if the elina ever does come up, then you can sell on your other seat for what you paid, give or take a tenner.

i like kashi, so thats what i choose ( every bike i have, has em, with the exception of my trickstar)...simply because for me, the kashi is the bmx seat at the top of the pile....

any pics of it so far?

[20to26]

User 'worldwide' had some saddles that looked very much like the Elina Turbos - I got one off him. Perhaps he has more.

[rhino_mac]

It's all in bits at the moment.

Apart from the seat, I'm dithering over the crank - I'm waiting for Orangezippy to zing over some piccies of his 400's before deciding on those or his 401's and a chrome sugino spider. The 400's are bloody expensive (more than I wanted to pay for a crank, but I guess the right price for 400's) but I know I'll kick myself for buying the wrong ones if I have the option of getting the right ones.

The other thing I'm dithering over is whether to rechrome the frame/bars or not. The chrome is pretty good - not rusty but not show. I've got new decals from Del ready for it as the headstock sticker is scratched and the Laserlite top tube is missing. With all the NOS parts, a rechrome should bring it to show bike standard or thereabouts.

Once I stopped dithering, I need to relace my Arayas with the NOS Suntour hubs, Asahi spokes, Suntour freewheel and black nipples that arrived in the post today, get some tyres and a pad set and a seat and I'm done. Oh yes, it's got a Tech 4 lever until a decent Tech 3 comes up.

I paid way over the odds for the frame and bars (especially the bars!!) and the wheels I bought from a member here had seized hubs and bent spokes (despite being described as spinning free and true!) and needed quite a bit of money spent on them so I reckon the total cost built with 400's will top £1600 whcih is about twice what I could have bought yours for........................live and learn!!

[bodamus]

It's gotta be an Elina Aero Turbo but until you can find one I would use A Kashimax Aero.

Cranks has to be 400's.

bodamus

[Jt]

It's all in bits at the moment.

Apart from the seat, I'm dithering over the crank - I'm waiting for Orangezippy to zing over some piccies of his 400's before deciding on those or his 401's and a chrome sugino spider. The 400's are bloody expensive (more than I wanted to pay for a crank, but I guess the right price for 400's) but I know I'll kick myself for buying the wrong ones if I have the option of getting the right ones.

The other thing I'm dithering over is whether to rechrome the frame/bars or not. The chrome is pretty good - not rusty but not show. I've got new decals from Del ready for it as the headstock sticker is scratched and the Laserlite top tube is missing. With all the NOS parts, a rechrome should bring it to show bike standard or thereabouts.

Once I stopped dithering, I need to relace my Arayas with the NOS Suntour hubs, Asahi spokes, Suntour freewheel and black nipples that arrived in the post today, get some tyres and a pad set and a seat and I'm done. Oh yes, it's got a Tech 4 lever until a decent Tech 3 comes up.

I paid way over the odds for the frame and bars (especially the bars!!) and the wheels I bought from a member here had seized hubs and bent spokes (despite being described as spinning free and true!) and needed quite a bit of money spent on them so I reckon the total cost built with 400's will top £1600 whcih is about twice what I could have bought yours for........................live and learn!!

you certainly do.

as ian says, you cant do a laserlite unless you have 400's..its the law...

i have a black tech 3 if you need one...its a right hander, and a keeper, but seeing as your going for it and want to do it properly, its yours for 20 quid posted...

also have a Nos black powerstem..25 quid posted.

i would need to see your chrome, but unless its gone through, i'd polish the living shit out of it...original chrome is such a massive bonus

[bodamus]

I agree keep the original chrome just shine it up

[rhino_mac]

You would be a gentleman if you could do the Tech 3 for me - PM me your details and I'll get a payment over straight away!!!

Bodamus sold me a Suntour Powerstem that was absolutely mint so I'm sorted there thanks.

I'll take some piccies of the parts later tonight as well as the chrome to see what you guys think

[rhino_mac]

Oh yeah, think I'llPM orangezippy and see about those 400's!

[rhino_mac]

I'll post up some piccies of the parts so far and the frame, but in a new thread seeing as this is about seats!

[Frosty]

Great project, it is exactly how I came to spend so much money on this hobby too. I stumbled across a KZ83 frame by chance on ebay and then from e.mailing the seller got to hear about RADBMX and vintage etc and the rest is history.

I would agree with the recommendations to clean the frame initially, mine was rather worse nick than yours and the re-chrome whilst quite good does still have some discolouration at the spots where the rust/corrosion was worst - typically the most difficult places for the chromers to work in!!





As Ian said cranks have to be 400's imho, hubs ideally the Suntour sealed high flange (but again these are rocking horse poop).

Pedals do not appear on your photo's, but oem should be Suntour XC-II's.

The headlock should be black - I can swap a used black for the blue if you want?

I know the problem on tech III's also, my bike is awaiting for a good one and is making do with a tech IV.

Re: the saddle should be the turbo like below

from this


to this


I may be able to help you with a NOS one of these in the same blue as the one above, I need to check and see what I have in the garage and also what I would need to get to recover costs.

the IRC's will be the hardest to get, but again I may be able to help with some different versions that were on the Nova





here's mine - I still love this bike just wish I had one when I was little!!



Cheers

Paul

[boofy44]

i've customised mine from the factory spec.i put galindo bars on a la gary ellis and clint miller with a gold seatclamp wheels chainring brakes and suntour headset lock.got a black hatta headset and tuffneck powerdisc with a black lightening bolt seat with a polished tuffneck stem.got gold dx pedals at the moment but i might go for some hutches.gold padset as well.and 401's with a hadley sealed bb.