Length of steel rod behind seat?

[rhst1]

Hope someone can help with the following question: What is the length of the steel rod, bent into a semi-circle, that connects the left and right seat uprights together.

The rod on my bike broke and has been lost. I need to know the length to cut the replacement to.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[tutorblk]

Hi rhst1, welcome to these pages - firstly to say the brace might differ between seat versions!
That said, i have just measured my own seat (2002 CT with aluminium tube seat uprights & brace).
My seat brace measures 15.5 inches weld - weld around the outside of the curve BUT it is an aluminium tube! Not steel rod as you ask.
My uprights measure 14.5 inches outside - outside at the top.
So, I reckon if you increased the uprights distance by something like an inch, then added whatever disappears into the uprights (if that's how it's welded) you'd have something approximating original.
try it with a tape measure on the edge of a table - you'll see 15.5 makes a nice curve when ends are 14.5 apart.
Hope that helps!
Enjoy the bent grin - soon!!
Brian

[rhst1]

Thanks Brian,

Not sure of the model BikeE that I have. The outside distance between my seat uprights is 16.5 inches, so I'll scale up your recommendations from there.