Seatpost

am7 · February 2015

After getting my latest saddle I need a new seatpost. Even when set at the maximum angle I cannot get the saddle nose down enough to level and is uncomfortable to ride.
Can you recommend one that works well? Zero complaints from my current one as far as clamping, etc. but limited tilt adjustment. I need one that offers plenty of tilt.
Has to be:
- material: aluminum
- diameter: 30.9mm
- offset: none
- length: 350mm
- weight: ~250g
- height markings: required
- colour /finish: matte black / anodized
- price: ~50gbp
Cheers.

EDIT: forgot to add offset/markings, now corrected

The Rookie · February 2015

Why Al and not CF as a matter of interest?

Easton EA70 hits all your targets.

am7 · February 2015

Al because it will go on my 14kg mountain bike which has nothing in carbon, it would just look out of place, I am not trying so save weight and do not wish extra to pay for something I do not want, I would rather the money go to a better designed Al post. Also riding on very low pressure 2.4 tubeless tyres and 140mm of plush rear suspension travel setup so certainly not looking for any compliance benefits. Plus I like the look and resilience to minor scuffs of the anodized paint, the smooth carbon look does not do it for me. On a shiny road bike yes but my bike is always caked in mud and the seatpost if full of scratches from putting it up or down the whole time.

The EA70 tilt adjustment looks almost exactly as my post, a screw goes through the middle on the top, this exactly what I do not want. Check the below photos. I am looking for unconstrained tilt adjustment like the spesh post below (I realize it is carbon/setback/ 27.2 and whatnot it is posted just as an example)
https://images.coloradocyclist.com/prod ... skkmmf.jpg
http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-c ... post01.jpg

cooldad · February 2015

What are you riding?
Must have a crazy seat tube angle.

am7 · February 2015

Seat tube angle is fairly normal it is just an all mountain canyon, it is the new saddles fault, previous ones were ok. New saddle is a wtb same make, different model as the previous one. I can't understand why I cannot get it level. If I remove the tilt screw, it is level but the screw hole does not exactly align, when I put the screw in it all goes wrong, I did try it both ways round. I could enlarge the hole using a drill but prefer not to do that.

cooldad · February 2015

Rails should be level, so can't see that.

Sure you haven't put the post in backwards?

njee20 · February 2015

All very odd. Don't assume that a twin bolt set up (like the Spesh one) gives you any extra range.

The default option I'd say would be Thomson, you'll probably be looking second hand for £50 though.

am7 · February 2015

I will get a pic of the problem, I have looked at the Thomson, looks like a brushed aluminium finish instead of anodized but it would work. The tilt I am unsure about, it says +5deg/-29deg not sure if enough. No height markings on it either. Regarding the price I no realize I will need to pay more with all the requirements but no problem as long I have no issues down the road. I will measure the tilt I need so I make sure to buy the right one.

Chunkers1980 · February 2015

It's anodised. Just has ridges so actually doesn't scuff up very much at all. No markers, but why to you need them anyway.

Ferrals · February 2015

I like markers too, Occasionally I feel like my seat post slips so it's nice to be able to check. And even more occasionally i drop my seatpost and so have to get it back to the right height!

The Rookie · February 2015

The problem you are having is the bits that sit in the top of the seatpost can get jammed, you have to remove them and start again, otherwise you line up the bit you can see and as you tighten the bolt it will rotate to match the location of the inner parts. That said I'm confident the Easton will work.

njee20 · February 2015

am7 wrote:

I will get a pic of the problem, I have looked at the Thomson, looks like a brushed aluminium finish instead of anodized but it would work. The tilt I am unsure about, it says +5deg/-29deg not sure if enough. No height markings on it either. Regarding the price I no realize I will need to pay more with all the requirements but no problem as long I have no issues down the road. I will measure the tilt I need so I make sure to buy the right one.

You got a picture of your bike? For a Thomson not to work you'd have to have a 61 degree seat tube...?

rockmonkeysc · February 2015

Is your post bent? All WTB saddles have rails which are paralell to the top of the saddle

paul.skibum · March 2015

I concur with the general consensus that you are fudging something up. No saddle seatpost combo should struggle to deal with a fairly standard seat tube angle.

am7 · March 2015

Ok found some free time to tackle this. Placing the iPhone on the post while on the bike it reads 19deg. If this is accurate in theory a 71deg seat tube. Removing the saddle and placing the iPhone on the saddle somewhere where I consider the middle, it reads 0deg so with the rails level the new saddle is flat. Placing the iPhone on top of the seat post without the saddle it reads 3deg. This is amount of how much off it was. Removing the screw and the tilting base it reads 2deg. This is as far as it will go without the tilt mechanism. So the seat post has to go.
This got me thinking how is it possible I rode this bike for years and did not have a problem, the manufacturer couldn't use the wrong seat post, could they? I went and dug up my 2 older saddles. Placing them both on the desk both read 5deg sloping down (one was a wtb). So 5deg - 3deg I still has 2deg adjustment and both saddles were perfectly flat when on the bike. Now I know saddles should be level when the rails are level but these were not, no idea why.
To cut a long story short the new saddle is different and I need a new post. Anything with a tilt angle of 20deg will do (Thomson is 29deg for example), anything under 20deg will not (I noticed some advertising 17deg, this will not work).
So if you know an alternative to the Thomson but with markings let me know. I am prepared to pay the Thomson price and go for carbon as well if there are marking on it. I lower my seat post all the time and it does my head in when I need to put it back up and I discover it needs to be 1cm higher or lower. Sometimes I need to unmounts 2 or 3 times until I get it right. I have problems with my knees so the correct height makes a lot of difference to me.

The Rookie · March 2015

Read my earlier post, I don't think you are adjusting the post properly, much cheaper to learn to do it than buy a new post!

iphone data is a waste if you can't wield a spanner (well allen key) properly.

cooldad · March 2015

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +1,000,000 potatoes.

Ferrals · March 2015

I know this is a bizarre concept in the internet age, but if you really can't get your saddle level with your current seat post why don't you pop into a local bike shop and get them to help you?

Have you taken apart your current post's clamp and cleaned and greased it? There could potentially be some dried mud and grit in there that is limiting movement?

The Rookie · March 2015

Almost certainly the cones aren't rotating, when he sets it he moves the outer clamps but not the cones, thus wasting his time.

On my carbon post I use gripper paste on the cones so have to loosen them to set the saddle angle when I very occasionally move the post onto a different bike.

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