What happens if I set my seatpost past the 'maximum' mark?

[BlueIcarus]

What are the dangers of setting the seatpost
an inch or two past the "maximum" mark?
My frame is just to small and I need to set the seatpost 1.5 inches past the mark... and just wondering if this means my sadle could fall from its place or..... what could happen while riding??

What could be the solution to this problem?
Buying another (longer) seatpost?
Another frame (ughhhhh... too expensive...))
Can I make something to tighten the seatpost
to be more secure once past the mark?

Any ideas strongly apreciated.... I conmute with my bike and she has become an integral part of my life

Thanks in advance,

Osca

 

[el Ingles]

Originally posted by BlueIcarus
What are the dangers of setting the seatpost
an inch or two past the "maximum" mark?
My frame is just to small and I need to set the seatpost 1.5 inches past the mark... and just wondering if this means my sadle could fall from its place or..... what could happen while riding??

What could be the solution to this problem?
Buying another (longer) seatpost?
Another frame (ughhhhh... too expensive...))
Can I make something to tighten the seatpost
to be more secure once past the mark?

Any ideas strongly apreciated.... I conmute with my bike and she has become an integral part of my life

Thanks in advance,

Osca

You have a very messy accident with grave risks to your sexlife .
Don´t be a plonker ,a new seat tube , the right size this time .

 

[dorian]

That seatpost must be almost all the way extended. My seatpost has only 2" from the bottom to the max height mark. Putting only 1/2" of post in the frame is asking for serious injury. Buy a longer seatpost.

 

[Cipher]

Not really worth the risk... Thomson makes 'em long & strong. (410mm). Thats over 13" of usable SAFE extension.

http://www.lhthomson.com/seatpostdims.asp?id=SP-E113

 

[dobber]

Originally posted by BlueIcarus
What are the dangers of setting the seatpost
an inch or two past the "maximum" mark?
My frame is just to small and I need to set the seatpost 1.5 inches past the mark... and just wondering if this means my sadle could fall from its place or..... what could happen while riding??

I get nervous enough when my seatpost is at the min insertion mark. I my youthful days, I had a terrible accident which resulted in a gaping hole in my left thigh. Took a hundred internal stitches and another hundred on the outside to close that one up.

Another inch or two and I'd have been singing soprano. I still get a creapy feeling when I think about it.

You don't have to get the fanciest super alloy. A quick look at Jenson's site show a plethora of posts, up to ~15" in length.

Drop the coin and get a longer post. Your buddies will thank you for it.

 

[meehs]

Actually the way that I've always understood it is that the seatpost should be inserted into the frame far enough so that the bottom of the post extends past the point where the bottom edge of the top tube intersects the seat tube. This is true regardless of where the seatpost manufacturer's minimum insertion mark is. Failure to do so could result in damage to your frame. And who knows what else?

 

[zewol]

I did it on my last bike and still regret it, the tube held only by the small portion of frame over the tob tube. I was MTBing and landed on my seat and a bit trown backwards....

CRACK

the wield did not stand the shock and the tube tore just over the top tube... it was not a very fun ride going back home !!!!

 

[lokstah]

Originally posted by meehs
Actually the way that I've always understood it is that the seatpost should be inserted into the frame far enough so that the bottom of the post extends past the point where the bottom edge of the top tube intersects the seat tube. This is true regardless of where the seatpost manufacturer's minimum insertion mark is. Failure to do so could result in damage to your frame. And who knows what else?

Theoretically, both the seat tube and seatpost have a minimum post insertion level, as either could fail -- though in terms of the physics, it's much more likely that you'll rip your frame open than damage the post. You make the right point here in stressing that it's best to become familiar with your frame's safety specs; if you scan the available documentation for your frame, you're likely to find a minimum seatpost insertion figure as specified for your bike. Search online or contact the frame manufacturer if you have to.

Once you have it, it's best to hold that figure as gospel.

 

[meehs]

Originally posted by lokstah
Theoretically, both the seat tube and seatpost have a minimum post insertion level, as either could fail -- though in terms of the physics, it's much more likely that you'll rip your frame open than damage the post. You make the right point here in stressing that it's best to become familiar with your frame's safety specs; if you scan the available documentation for your frame, you're likely to find a minimum seatpost insertion figure as specified for your bike. Search online or contact the frame manufacturer if you have to.

Once you have it, it's best to hold that figure as gospel.

Yeah, that's true. Good point! I guess I was making the assumption that if you inserted the seatpost so that it was okay for the frame (past the bottom edge of the top tube) it would also cover the minimum insertion for the post. But maybe that's not always true.