Seat post clamp - braze on or removable



lspeedguy

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Mar 12, 2016
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I have a 2003 Litespeed road bike , titanium , want to install a quick release seat post clamp - I removed the bolt/screw that tightens the existing clamp and what remains looks like it's part of the seat tube , wasn't expecting this , thought it would be a removable piece - does anyone know if a braze-on clamp is common for a bike of this era , 17 years old doesn't seem like a long time ago - I guess the quick release clamp would just go above this clamp .
 
You said there is a clamp, so did that clamp come off when you loosened it and removed the seat post? Or is the clamp welded to the frame?

From the images that I saw every model in 2003 used a separate clamp. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=2003+litespeed&FORM=HDRSC2 Just scan the pics and you'll see what I saw. See Saw?

Also quick release bolts do not hold the seat adequately in titanium frames and over time the seat will slowly slip downward. Frankly, I don't care much for the clamps either!
 
Thanks Froze , I think it's a removable clamp that hasn't been removed since bike was purchased in 2003 , think it just needs to be gently banged to get it loose - for mobility/flexibility challenges I need to be able to drop the seat when at a stop occasionally - put another way I can't get off the bike unless I tip it over and step over it - there's a product on the market that resembles a quick release wheel skewer and incorporates a bolt with nut that replaces the threaded bolt on the original seat clamp - I was just curious if that would hold the seat as well as the original bolt but I see your point that the grip on the seat post wouldn't be as strong .

On another note I noticed that CampyBob hasn't been active on the forum for awhile , he's a colorful guy and I enjoyed his responses , hope things are Ok with him ?

LSpeed Guy
 
I haven't heard from Campy Bob either, hopefully he didn't get the C19 ****.

Do you have a website for that clamp you're talking about?
 
Thanks Froze , I think it's a removable clamp that hasn't been removed since bike was purchased in 2003 , think it just needs to be gently banged to get it loose - for mobility/flexibility challenges I need to be able to drop the seat when at a stop occasionally - put another way I can't get off the bike unless I tip it over and step over it
How are you planning to work that when you’re ready to ride off again? Do the rest of the ride with a lower saddle? Stop and raise the saddle before setting off? Are you more agile getting on the bike?

Maybe you should investigate getting a dropper post.
 
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, there's a product on the market that resembles a quick release wheel skewer and incorporates a bolt with nut that replaces the threaded bolt on the original seat clamp - I was just curious if that would hold the seat as well as the original bolt but I see your point that the grip on the seat post wouldn't be as strong .
It’s generally difficult to get the same amount of ”pinch force” from a q/r type clamp compared to an Allen key type. You really need to put some serious effort into closing the lever. If you manage that, a clamp is a clamp. Until you come to the split/double clamps.
 
On another note I noticed that CampyBob hasn't been active on the forum for awhile , he's a colorful guy and I enjoyed his responses , hope things are Ok with him ?
CB got into this silly pissing match with CyclingTom.
And although I hold CT responsible for starting it, eventually CB became pretty much equally guilty by maintaining the conflict, which really soured the whole site.
I don’t know if he got banned, or simply choose to move on.
 
CB got into this silly pissing match with CyclingTom.
And although I hold CT responsible for starting it, eventually CB became pretty much equally guilty by maintaining the conflict, which really soured the whole site.
I don’t know if he got banned, or simply choose to move on.

I know that CT got banned for getting it on with a mod, but CB wasn't banned, but CB came back for a bit, but then CT came back and that's the last I heard from CB. I got into pretty heavily with CT myself because he was telling stories and giving readers false and sometimes potential dangerous info, neither CB or I wanted to see CT continue doing that so we butt heads with him a lot, and eventually the mod was butting heads with him..
 
.... I got into pretty heavily with CT myself because he was telling stories and giving readers false and sometimes potential dangerous info, neither CB or I wanted to see CT continue doing that ....
I’m all with you on the ”quality” of CT’s posts.
But sometimes a simple ”you’re wrong” and an explanation of why is all that needs to be said.
IMO, it’s difficult to call a winner in an argument when both sides have resorted to repetitive insults and name calling.
The ”win” in such a situation isn’t worth the loss in self-esteem as far as I’m concerned.
 
I’m all with you on the ”quality” of CT’s posts.
But sometimes a simple ”you’re wrong” and an explanation of why is all that needs to be said.
IMO, it’s difficult to call a winner in an argument when both sides have resorted to repetitive insults and name calling.
The ”win” in such a situation isn’t worth the loss in self-esteem as far as I’m concerned.

Oh, believe me we did that including others, and he would go off on these wild rides with us regardless. Even the Mod tried doing that and it didn't work.

The problem is he would come up with dangerous replies, which we would correct, and he would just fire off on us telling us we were the ones wrong and he was some sort of pro at whatever the situation was about. We had to post replies to correct the insanity, and if we would have done as you suggested all the time then others reading his posts may have thought the stuff he was saying was good idea because after all he was the professional, then find out later he wasn't while suffering damage to their bike and or themselves. Personally I think the Mod let it go on for FAR to long, myself and CB, and probably a few others, appealed to the mod to stop CT for a long time to no avail, it wasn't until CT went off on the Mod that the Mod banned him temporarily for several months...I would have banned him forever.
 
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Oh, believe me we did that including others, and he would go off on these wild rides with us regardless.
Wasn’t it you who used that set disclaimer piece about CT?
I thought that was a rather good way of dealing with it. To the point w/o any profanity.
 
I'm no expert on Litespeed bikes, but I can tell you that quick release seat post clamps are indeed a thing. However, it seems like you've encountered a braze-on clamp, which is not uncommon for bikes of that era. It's essentially a permanent part of the seat tube.

Now, before you start wondering if your bike is some sort of antique, let me assure you that 17 years is not that long ago. I mean, I still remember using floppy disks and waiting for dial-up internet. So, yeah, we're both getting up there in years!

As for the quick release clamp, you're on the right track. It would go above the existing braze-on clamp. Just make sure to measure the seat post diameter to ensure you get the right size clamp. And remember, when it comes to cycling, it's all about adapting and overcoming challenges. Just like in my line of work. ;)