Best value seat post
- Thread starter Segrott
- Start date
Added comfort is a tough benefit to nail down with something as simple and minimal as a seatpost -- you're talking about a few inches of tube is all. It's possible that certain seatpost comparisons might yield a discernable difference, but that's not a quality you can make an informed hunt for.
The biggest things to watch for in a seatpost are 1) the effectiveness of the clamp design, 2) lower relative weight, and 3) the way the damn thing looks.
What's your price range? There are lots (LOTS) of well-made carbon and aluminum options which may make you feel better than your current seatpost, and fit within your wallet.
Deda, Ritchey, ITM, USE, Thomson, Campagnolo, Shimano and Easton, among others, make some sturdy, reliable options.
Someone is bound to tell you, FYI, that there are areas to upgrade your bike which might lead to more dramatic changes in weight, ride, and so on -- stuff like wheels, or a new saddle, or even handlebars with a slightly different bend. They're right. Even so, nothin' wrong with changin' up your seatpost, so long as you know what you're in for. Thoughts?
The biggest things to watch for in a seatpost are 1) the effectiveness of the clamp design, 2) lower relative weight, and 3) the way the damn thing looks.
What's your price range? There are lots (LOTS) of well-made carbon and aluminum options which may make you feel better than your current seatpost, and fit within your wallet.
Deda, Ritchey, ITM, USE, Thomson, Campagnolo, Shimano and Easton, among others, make some sturdy, reliable options.
Someone is bound to tell you, FYI, that there are areas to upgrade your bike which might lead to more dramatic changes in weight, ride, and so on -- stuff like wheels, or a new saddle, or even handlebars with a slightly different bend. They're right. Even so, nothin' wrong with changin' up your seatpost, so long as you know what you're in for. Thoughts?
For relatively good value and light weight check out ITM Millenium or, with a more tricky clamp design, USE Alien. Recommendation based on my personal experience. As lokstah says though look at your saddle and other areas of your bike to improve comfort. A saddle that lots of my mates rave about in the comfort dept is the flite gelflow transam, you may want to try one out.
Though I only mentioned it as a brand-name to consider, I second MidBunchLurker's recommendation of USE's Alien. USE is underappreciated here in the States -- probably because their chief claim to fame, the Alien seat clamp, is a clever but unnessescarily complex way to attach a seat to a stick.
Funny, though, because their chief claim to fame should be that they offer some of the lightest seatposts in the business, with reputations for relatively high durability. I've got the Ti Alien on one of my road bikes; it's quite sexy and essentially weightless. They've got aluminum and carbon versions as well, along with a bladed aero model (all sporting the same trick clamp).
Many pals of mine swear by the Shimano Dura Ace post for sheer, rugged simplicity and clean good looks.
Give Ritchey a good look as well. For a while now, they've had a reputation as a maker of super solid, well-crafted, old-fashioned stuff -- but in the last few years, have started turning out some truly elegant and shockingly lightweight seatposts and stems. Good prices on Ritchey, too.
Funny, though, because their chief claim to fame should be that they offer some of the lightest seatposts in the business, with reputations for relatively high durability. I've got the Ti Alien on one of my road bikes; it's quite sexy and essentially weightless. They've got aluminum and carbon versions as well, along with a bladed aero model (all sporting the same trick clamp).
Many pals of mine swear by the Shimano Dura Ace post for sheer, rugged simplicity and clean good looks.
Give Ritchey a good look as well. For a while now, they've had a reputation as a maker of super solid, well-crafted, old-fashioned stuff -- but in the last few years, have started turning out some truly elegant and shockingly lightweight seatposts and stems. Good prices on Ritchey, too.
I've got a WCS stem on my mtb - 112 grams, and it only cost 30GBP! The only stems that beat that are the ludicrously expensive magnesium ones.
Segrott said:
It may come as a surprise with so many hi-$ posts out there, but I think the best one for the money is the full-carbon post at Performance. First, weight is right at 75gm, and that is a confirmed weight on my triple-beam balance. Second, it has a nice, two bolt seat-clamp that gives lots of adjustability. It does have about 30mm of offset, so that may be of concern, but still, if you can handle that, at $ 80, it's a great deal!!!
