I have been a lurker here for a while,, Great builds and a lot of good ideas.. Now for the question, my wife and I just bought a pair of 09 Huffy Cranbrooks, they ride great but I have a problem I am a big person 280 and about 6'3 I need to raise the seat but with the quick release clamp I can't get the seat tight enough for it to be up when I finish a ride. Do I need to put an old style bolted clamp on it or is there a trick.. Thanks Lee
help!!!! got a question
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I've never really had a problem with quick release seat post clamps but try just tossing a nut and bolt in it and give it a try. You could also pull out the seat post as sometime they come equiped with grease on the post to help with the post and frame seizing together. If you keep your bike out of the elements try wiping it off if it has some on it.
Loosen the quick release and on the end without the lever there should be a nut you can tighten down, tighten it a turn then clamp it back and see if the seat still slips.
The way I have fixed these quick release clamps is to open it all the way, tighten the bolt on the other end as far as you can hand tight then re-clamp it, usually this works. if not pull the quick release out of there and put a new bolt with nut and lock-washer. Hope that helps.
Another possibility is to change the seat post. Alloy seat posts in general grip tighter in the frame than the chrome steel ones. Another good thing is that a nice long post will let you raise the seat enough to make riding easier. Most men's Huffys are 18" frames, made to fit anyone from 5'6 to 5' 11. You want to make sure there's enough seat post in the frame to be safe.
Most seat posts have 2 markings on them. One is the minimum insertion line, a dotted line that shows how far you can raise the seat. the other is a number- 25.4, 22.2, 27.4, something like that. That's the diameter of the seat post and the number you need if you decide to replace it. As far as length, longer is always better.
Most seat posts have 2 markings on them. One is the minimum insertion line, a dotted line that shows how far you can raise the seat. the other is a number- 25.4, 22.2, 27.4, something like that. That's the diameter of the seat post and the number you need if you decide to replace it. As far as length, longer is always better.
so i just happen to own a 09' huffy cranbrook cruiser. i use it some times to go to work cuz i don't care if a dumpter careams into it. this bike has a very cramped feel to it. first of all, the seat post binding. i'm 210lbs and 6'2" and so far i replaced the seatpost with a longer one and replaed the qr with a bolt and nut binding system. i never had the seat slipdown on me, but i am gonna replace it with a bell "magic cruiser" seat (the brown ones they sell at walmart) cuz the factory "huffy" seat is a joke. those factory "cruiser" pedels that look as if you can ride bare footed, get rid of them. if they get even a little wet, your feet will DANGEROUSLY slip off. alot. my 09' cranbrook almost got thrown into greenhorn lake cuz of this the other day.
and another thing, the stem that the bike comes with doesnt have enuff reach, furthur making the bike feel cramped. just yesterday, i swapped out another handlebar stem with a longer "reach" to it and it helped a little. i've had mine since april and probably put around 200 miles on it so far. one of the only reasons i ride this bike, besides being expendable, is that it has mounts for a waterbottle cage.
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if you've ever riden an older cruiser with more relaxed geometry you will definatly notice the difference of how cramped the cranbrook is. any mor cranbrook questions, let me know.
and another thing, the stem that the bike comes with doesnt have enuff reach, furthur making the bike feel cramped. just yesterday, i swapped out another handlebar stem with a longer "reach" to it and it helped a little. i've had mine since april and probably put around 200 miles on it so far. one of the only reasons i ride this bike, besides being expendable, is that it has mounts for a waterbottle cage.
. if you've ever riden an older cruiser with more relaxed geometry you will definatly notice the difference of how cramped the cranbrook is. any mor cranbrook questions, let me know.
you could maybe drill small a hole in the seat post right at the minimun insertion indicator and stick a self threading screw in it. then it can't slip in any further than the screw. that way the quick release clamp only needs to be tight enough to keep it from twisting side to side.
I figure it was a good way to get backon a bike and it was only $84 at Wally World... I have a longer post and stem I am going to try.. My complaint is the bars aren't wide enough I hit my knees when I turn, I might have to put apes on it.. I will post pics when I do.. Thanks for all the help.. Lee
yeah, my knees hit too. i do try to keep the stem up a little as the extended stem does make it feel better and will help distance those handlebars from your knees. the lbs can order you some classic wide cruiser bars which i love or you can get some apes. the bolt thru the seattube to keep the seatpost from dropping is cool, line the hole to another hole thru the seatpost its self and make thbe bolt descent with a nut and washer on the other end and you wont have anymore probs. tighten down with the qr post binder for good measures.
