how do I repair a cracking seat?

I just got a replacement seat in the mail that is beautiful and matched the description. I slapped it on and hopped on it and the seams near the middle split. I'm assuming this is just due to age and dryness and was wondering the best method to go about patching the cracks and moisturizing theseat. Any ideas? Thanks

 

I'd send it back if it did that right after being installed. What is it made of?
If you really want to patch it, I used GOOP to patch a seam on a set once till I got a new one. I just squeezed a small bead along the split and pulled it together and used masking tape to hold it over night till it set up.
If it cracke or split just from sitting on it, imagine how it will look after riding with it for a few hundred miles!

 

Just recover it or get it recovered. Nothing else will hold up plus it won't look good.

 

Black rtv silicone will work for short term repair.

 

That bead of GOOP lasted over two years on my old Seca seat, and pretty much gone unnoticed unless one looked real close.
I notice after market seat covers a pretty reasonable and not very hard to install.

 

I just got mine for 37 dollars! Will replace next weekend!!

 

i used a needle and thread and just sewed it up, they have curved needles that make it a lot easier on the fingers and you have to get back far enough to catch the cloth backing. it lasted a few years and i guess it'll last a few more

 

Ride the Bike into "The Neighborhood".

Tailor Shoppe ~ Upholstery Store.

"Gostaria que me precisasse o custo para as novas envolucro sobre sate lugar?"

(( "Please tell me the cost for a new cover on this seat?" ))

 

Rick, that translates to: "do you want fries or salad with your Skate"

 

Well, ... I tried.

Beats: "How much-cho you number-one fixie-fixie seat-oh bikie?"

 

Yeah, if you're gonna do it right, get a new cover.

dave

 

My seat guy cuts and sews them to suit (he will even remove foam to give it a modern look) for $40
.

 

Where'd you get those Foot-rests that blend-in so well with the Case Guards?

Love 'em.
I could use a set.

 

it was a 2 part purchase from flea bay. They are going up for sale when I get some forward controls. Dibs?

 

That looks a nice peacefull neighbourhood, Bill.

 

I feel guilty every time I fire this thing up.

 

That's funny, I've been using black rtv silicone for the past 4 months and it's held up pretty well. $1 for a tube of it at the dollar store and it doesn't look half bad if you don't have the immediate cash to repair a crack or rip in the leather.

It's just now starting to peel at the edges, but the good thing is that I can just pull the stuff out, and reapply it as it won't fully bond with the leather.

 

During several restorations I've been forced to repair seat covers that I'd normally replace. Once you recover a seat, it will never be original again. That doesn't mean much to us with these bikes but it's a very big deal on a 40, 50 or more year old bike that is still "all original" since it by itself can devalue a bike by thousands, and no, I'm really not kidding.

One of the easier methods for a seam (different methods depending on the location) is like Painterd said but a little different. Cut yourself a strip of cloth from a good pair of jeans and a tube of Goop. Make the strip about an 1-1/4" wide. Have the tools, tape etc that you'll need to hold everything together once you finish because the Goop sets pretty fast.

Now, soak the strip of cloth in the goop, be liberal but not messy, CAREFULLY coat the underside of the seat with a coating of goop as well at the tear, tuck the cloth UNDER the old seat cover and keep it even on both sides of the rip. Lastly, carefully pull the rip back together and tape to hold it in place at the ends and run a VERY thin bead of Black silicon along the line of the tear, it should be very nearly invisible now. A couple more pieces of tape across the rest of the repair will hold it all together so it can dry. Give it a couple days to set.

jeff