Carbon frame with or without integrated seatpost...help ?

Ezy Rider

1st thing thursday morning,im off to a pre-booked bike fitting , the reason for going is to advise me exactly which size frame I should buy on thursday night. when I get the sizing chart, ill be using it to select a 3k carbon frame from a supplier in the far east. my trek 1000 is a size 56cm, its too long for me and im pretty sure the frame size i should be riding will be in 52cm, 53cm or 54 cm range, where im puzzled is that i can buy whichever product with an integrated seatpost , or a non-integrated type. I was thinking of simply taking the thompson carbon seatpost upon which my synthetic tan leather charge spoon saddle rests and using that with whichever carbon frame i end up buying, sorry if this is a noob question,but that would be a frame with a non-integrated seatpost wouldnt it ?

Is a frame with an integrated seatpost something which doesnt have height adjustment or one which requires a different type of stem or something ? sorry for my lack of technical :oops: knowhow

Im 5ft 9 inches , 44 inch chest and 29 inside leg and im going to transfer handlebar, brakes/shifters, double compact, derailleurs and mavic handbuilts from the trek1000 over onto the new frame and im hoping for a much better fit and significantly lighter ride when its all finished.

merak

You might get the lighter ride, but I think buying a frame on the internet from the Far East is fraught with potential fit problems, even if you are an experienced cyclist. You are talking about frame size which is measured on the seat post length, but what about the rest of the geometry - top tube length, BB height, seat and steering angles, toe overlap, tyre clearance etc etc. With all due respect, if you don't know the ins and outs of integrated seatposts you are likely to get that or something else fundamentally wrong. I do think you have a rather unusual body shape which makes it even more squirelly.

...Unless the professional who's fitting you is going to take care of all that for you, in which case my advice is to ask him to sort out the integrated/conventional seatpost question for you as well. And if the frame doesn't fit you when it arrives from China, will he take responsibility for sorting it out with the supplier?

Sorry to be negative but unless you know exactly what geometry you need, I think you should either have a frame custom built for you by someone who knows what they are doing or be able to test ride your prospective purchase.

Anyway, whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoy riding it.

(BTW, an integrated seatpost is supplied by the frame builder and will need to be cut to exactly the right length for you - once cut there is little or no adjustement. It is slightly lighter and can be more aero than a conventional one. IMHO the disadvantages outweigh the benefits).

cougie

I'd go with normal seatpost. Better chance of adjustment. Easier to fly with. Better resale value.

rafletcher

Integrated seatpost means essentially the seat tube is extended upwards, usually with an aero profile, and is of benefit on TT and track bikes. But there is limited adjustemnt of the saddle height - you have to cut the mast down, and then use spacers - up to around 3cm - to increase the height if you need to. Cut it too short and you're buggered. And selling second hand is going to be harder as the set height (plus spacers) has to be exact for your buyer too.

Oh, and saddle rail to top of saddle dimension is more critical as well of course.

Advice is avoid. Buy a conventional frame into which you can fit the seatpost of your choice.

esspeebee

Get an integrated seatpost only if all of the following are true:

- Either you don't pay for your bikes, or you have far more money than you know what to do with.
- You never plan on selling the bike. You will ride it until it falls to pieces.
- You know exactly what saddle height you need and will never change it.
- The saving of a few grams in weight is worth the knowledge that you can never adjust your saddle height.

In other words, if you're a professional with a team to pay for your kit, or you're an absurdly rich amateur with more money than sense.