american classic seat post

[E Goforth]

Hello,

I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.

-Eric

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

E Goforth wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
>
> -Eric

Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....

 

[[email protected]]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> E Goforth wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> > would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> > know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
> >
> > -Eric
>
> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....

Is this relatively common, or the only one that you've heard of that
did this? I broke the bolt on a Campy Victory or Chorus (one of those
80's aero style posts).

-Eric

 

[Bill]

I have a 1999 Am Classic seatpost. Was the problem
fixed by then?

Bill

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> E Goforth wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> > would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> > know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
> >
> > -Eric
>
> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....
>

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

[email protected] wrote:
> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> > E Goforth wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> > > would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> > > know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
> > >
> > > -Eric
> >
> > Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
> > breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....
>
> Is this relatively common, or the only one that you've heard of that
> did this? I broke the bolt on a Campy Victory or Chorus (one of those
> 80's aero style posts).
>
> -Eric

Saw another yesterday. It's the adjustment bolt that breaks. They
hardened it but still see enough that I won't sell 'em.

 

[Llatikcuf]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>
> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....

Is this not the problem with most (if not all) one bolt posts?

-Nate

 

[Llatikcuf]

Bill wrote:
> I have a 1999 Am Classic seatpost. Was the problem
> fixed by then?
>
> Bill
>

If your really paranoid, replace the bolt every couple of years and
watch the torque.

-Nate

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

>> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
>> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....
>
> Is this not the problem with most (if not all) one bolt posts?

No. The problem with the American Classic is the size of that bolt (very
tiny), added to the flex of that relatively-thin plate that's supposed to do
all the work. They do break frequently, and sometimes you get a hole punched
in the plate by the tiny screw (causing it to get loose). Not a great
design.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Llatikcuf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>>
>> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
>> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....
>
> Is this not the problem with most (if not all) one bolt posts?
>
> -Nate
>

 

[[email protected]]

I have to American Classic seatposts and have never had a problem.
OTOH, I've had the dread bolt break on a Campy Chorus. Another Chorus
seatpost I sheared off a couple inches above the binder, but I was
coming down a mountain road at about 40 and had to take the bike across
a ditch and into the woods, so that's another story.

You might be seeking data, but I'm afraid all I can offer is anecdote.

Cheers,
Mike Davis

 

[Bill]

Mike, which post would you recommend?

Bill

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> No. The problem with the American Classic is the size of that bolt (very
> tiny), added to the flex of that relatively-thin plate that's supposed to
do
> all the work. They do break frequently, and sometimes you get a hole
punched
> in the plate by the tiny screw (causing it to get loose). Not a great
> design.
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
>

 

[[email protected]]

E Goforth wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
>
> -Eric

Don't know about that, but mine bent when the roof rack with 4 bikes
fell of the car on the interstate in Nevada! Ka-thunk! Look up through
the sun-roof, no bikes! Look in the rear view, see a clump of bikes
still on a roof rack tumbling down the highway. That was a rough day.

Joseph

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...

>I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
>would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
>know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.

I've heard of bolt failers, not cradle problems. I've been riding AC seat
posts for about 10 years now, and about 30k miles. No failures. At my
heaviest, I weigh about 170. IIRC, AC seatposts have a weight limit.
I think the number was 170, or maybe 180.
-------------
Alex

 

[[email protected]]

OK, this is just too scary -- someone, apparently on an American
Classic, had a bolt break on them during a 200km brevet ride. The next
week, I spoke with the owner of a bike shop on the route. He remembered
the rider, he remembered the specific problem, and he remembered the
fix: Selling the rider a titanium Campy seatpost, used, for sixty
bucks. It's another anecdote, but that shop owner said it isn't a good
design. For what it's worth.

Robert Leone [email protected]

 

[Jay Beattie]

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
> >> Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
> >> breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....
> >
> > Is this not the problem with most (if not all) one bolt posts?
>
> No. The problem with the American Classic is the size of that bolt (very
> tiny), added to the flex of that relatively-thin plate that's supposed to do
> all the work. They do break frequently, and sometimes you get a hole punched
> in the plate by the tiny screw (causing it to get loose). Not a great
> design.

I think it is great concept, though -- very convenient when it comes to
changing saddles and keeping an adjustment. Maybe they just need to
punch up the material.

I have a bunch of these seat posts on different bikes. I have one from
1986 or 87 (I think first generation -- it came on a Cannondale T1000),
and and the bolt has not broken after a lot of hard miles (yet, I
guess). I am really disappointed to hear that these posts are a
problem, being that they are an all time favorite for me. -- Jay
Beattie.

 

[Mike Krueger]

E Goforth wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
>
> -Eric

I weigh about 180, and used an AC seatpost for many years with no
problems. I ride a Turbomatic saddle, which helps absorb some of the
road shock. I don't know if that alleviates some of the stress on the
saddle clamp, but it helps my back.
I had heard about the saddle cradle on some older AC seatposts bending,
but they addressed the problem by switching from a stamped plate to a
forging some years ago. They also moved their manufacturing from the
USA to Asia around that time.
Their customer service is good. Last time I contacted them to ask a
question, the head designer and owner of the company, Bill Shook,
answered the phone. I don't know if he is still involved, but you might
give them a call to discuss your concerns.

 

[SYJ]

Alex Rodriguez wrote:
---snip---
> IIRC, AC seatposts have a weight limit. I think the number was 170, or maybe 180.
---/snip---

AC's website makes no mention of weight limits on the current iteration
of their posts. It does, however, state the following:

"Strong forged cradle plate. Larger 8mm diameter clamp bolt with
integrated ball swivel for accurate torque.

Improved forged head for increased strength. Easy to setup and adjust."

YMMV
SYJ

 

[A Muzi]

E Goforth wrote:
> I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.

Riders whose saddles are way behind the seatpost clamp
sometimes find that's too much leverage for the design.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[A Muzi]

>>E Goforth wrote:
>>>I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
>>>would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
>>>know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.

> "Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email protected]> wrote
>>Bolt breaks. The gent that works for me has a ugly story about one
>>breaking and what it did to his anatomy.....

Bill wrote:
> I have a 1999 Am Classic seatpost. Was the problem
> fixed by then?

You write as if it were a defect.
The bulk of seatpost bolt failures on posts with a single
vertical bolt are from a loose bolt. Not too much impact on
a loose bolt will snap it off.
Some designs, such as the AC, are prone to deformation of
the saddle rail plates, especially where the saddle is
extremely far back. Once the plates deform, you have your
loose bolt.

Regarding that particular post (also 'Kingsberry'), they are
light, not too expensive, give good service. Unless you are
the rider whose saddle is at the farthest extreme setting
behind the clamp.



--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

> Mike, which post would you recommend?
>
> Bill

Lots of nice, sturdy, boring seatposts out there. They're just not going to
be as cheap as the American Classic (which, when they moved production
offshore, became very inexpensive). I run the stock Bontrager, with the
new-style clamping system. Works very nicely, is quite light, but the carbon
ones aren't super-cheap ($85-$130 or so).

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike, which post would you recommend?
>
> Bill
>
> "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> No. The problem with the American Classic is the size of that bolt (very
>> tiny), added to the flex of that relatively-thin plate that's supposed to
> do
>> all the work. They do break frequently, and sometimes you get a hole
> punched
>> in the plate by the tiny screw (causing it to get loose). Not a great
>> design.
>>
>> --Mike Jacoubowsky
>> Chain Reaction Bicycles
>> www.ChainReaction.com
>> Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
>>
>
>

 

[Nate Knutson]

E Goforth wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd heard bad things about these 10 or 15 years ago, that the cradle
> would sag and bend if you stayed in the saddle over bumps. Does anyone
> know if this is/was true? They look the same as they did then.
>
> -Eric

I saw a trashed one not too long ago on a bike that was a straight up
custom build not more than a few months old, so I assume it was
current.

They still seem to have the best price:weight for cheapish seatposts,
but not by much.