# Why would someone upgrade a seatpost?



## moontz (Aug 13, 2007)

There are tons of seatposts for sale on ebay... What is the deal? What benefit does a $100+ seatpost give you over a stock? Is it just lighter or am I missing something here. I want to buy one just see whats up.


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## Kaba Klaus (Jul 20, 2005)

A $100+ seatpost might give you the warm feeling to support the poor bike industry... Besides that I personally don't see any other positive outcome. But then, I am not into $10000+ stereos or $100000+ cars. I assume somebody will be able to list 100 good reasons for a luxury seatpost. Maybe weight (-0.001 ounces) or something...

Seriously I can only see a few reasons to change the stock seatpost: You brake the stock seatpost. The stock seatpost is too short or you need another design for a better fit (seat postition). But none of the reasons justifies $100+.


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

First off, there are very few $100+ seatposts. Those that are are usually extremely light (like a full Carbon Fiber...even the head like the Easton EC90), suspension seatposts (think Thud Buster), or artisan works of art (think Moots). The reality is that the best seatpost is $80 which is the Thompson. It's very light, very adjustable, and very durable.

But I have rode a Moots Titanium seatpost on a hardtail and it really makes a difference in the beating your backside takes. Plus, its just damn sexy!!!

Cheap seatposts are usually fine...but they often lack true adjustability and are a tad heavy.


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## Guyechka (Jul 19, 2005)

mtnbiker72 said:


> First off, there are very few $100+ seatposts. Those that are are usually extremely light (like a full Carbon Fiber...even the head like the Easton EC90), suspension seatposts (think Thud Buster), or artisan works of art (think Moots). The reality is that the best seatpost is $80 which is the Thompson. It's very light, very adjustable, and very durable.
> 
> But I have rode a Moots Titanium seatpost on a hardtail and it really makes a difference in the beating your backside takes. Plus, its just damn sexy!!!
> 
> Cheap seatposts are usually fine...but they often lack true adjustability and are a tad heavy.


Thomson is worth it. It's the only post I'll use.

I believe this way because it is exceedingly durable and doesn't creak under my clyde weight. It doesn't slip like a post with a single bolt will do. It is very adjustable. While it isn't the lightest post out there, it is still very light for the amount of abuse it can take. Search the clydesdale forum and see just how many Thomson fans there are. It's kind of like having cheap handlebars. They work, but they can be flexy and heavy, and they can bend. The same with the third contact point, the pedals. Spend more and you can get a pair that are lighter and stronger. I understand your point. There is a limit to the madness of how light and strong you can go. The seemingly costlier posts, like Thomson, are a compromise between super light and super costly.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Your first 4 hour ride....*



moontz said:


> There are tons of seatposts for sale on ebay... What is the deal? What benefit does a $100+ seatpost give you over a stock? Is it just lighter or am I missing something here. I want to buy one just see whats up.


When you ride your first 4 hour ride with a creaky seatpost, you'll buy a Thomson and never have to listen to a creaking seatpost again.

The Thomson on my road bike used to be on my mountain bike until I ran it in to a parking garage. I cut it down and it became my road post.

They're durable. They work. They don't break.

Ken


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## BlurredVision (Jul 1, 2007)

I upgraded mine due to seat clamp failure and I wanted to make sure it never happened again since I almost lost "the boys" when it happened. I know theres no guarantee it won't happen but just like anything else there are varying levels of quality. Everyone seems to love Thompson but I have a Titec Hellbent gold series and have no issues and only paid $30 for it.


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

Sheesh, there are just so many people drinking the Thomson (or King for headsets) Kool-Aid on the forums.

A Thomson might make sense if you're a really heavy rider or you take whopping great hits on the saddle on a regular basis. Otherwise, any post from a reputable maker should be fine and probably a lot cheaper. I have a fairly wide range- Easton CT 2 for the carbon bling, Easton EA30 for value, and a Moots Ti knockoff for the novelty. They are all good, and I just cannot bring myself to believe that any one brand is magically better than all the rest.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

I love my thomson.


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## sis (Jul 11, 2007)

Becuuse it looks nice and you want it


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

i have a thomson because it's sexy.


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## GRAVELBIKE (Oct 7, 2006)

The stock seatpost on my Fuel is (soon to be "was") a zero-offset Bontrager. I couldn't get the saddle back far enough, so I picked up a RaceFace Deus XC offset post. I could have gone with something a little less expensive, but since I had good luck with the carbon version of the same post on my Kona, I'd give the alloy RF a try. The fact that it's 100g lighter than the stock Bonty post is imply icing on the cake.


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## ThatOldDude (Jul 2, 2007)

It's kinda like switching to Geico on your car insurance and saving money........I switched to a Thomson and shaved a few grams.  
Actually when my Bontrager Sport started slipping (no matter how tight the clamp was) I decided to get a Thomson. I figured it would be a "one-time only" kind of upgrade.


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

I put a Race Face XY post on my old bike because I wanted the set back. When that frame broke the replacement came with a Thomson (laid back).

I never had any problems with the RF and I haven't had problems with the Thomson either. The RF was easier to adjust and had height index markings on it which the Thomson lacked until I took a file to it.

I think the bottom line is that if you are a gear junkie and have the money, $100 isn't really that much to spend so why not?


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## Boyonabyke (Sep 5, 2007)

Aha!

So it wasn't my imagination that either I grew or the bike shrunk under my massive weight. I gotta lay off the Dorito's and guacamole, it's cheaper and healthier than buying a bling bling seat post. Besides what's the point of buying Bling seat posts when you are always last in line and no one gets to see it?:thumbsup:


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*You and I will disagree....*



womble said:


> Sheesh, there are just so many people drinking the Thomson (or King for headsets) Kool-Aid on the forums.
> 
> A Thomson might make sense if you're a really heavy rider or you take whopping great hits on the saddle on a regular basis. Otherwise, any post from a reputable maker should be fine and probably a lot cheaper. I have a fairly wide range- Easton CT 2 for the carbon bling, Easton EA30 for value, and a Moots Ti knockoff for the novelty. They are all good, and I just cannot bring myself to believe that any one brand is magically better than all the rest.


I've been riding since around 92. I've tried lots of different components. One brand is not "magically" better than the other. It's better by improved design and criteria determined by the people riding the components.

I have two mountain bikes that I've purchased in the past 4 years. They both have Thomson stems and seatposts and King headsets that I purchased about 10 years ago for different bikes. To me, all three components are virtually a lifetime install and forget component. My seat never comes loose. My bars never slip. My steerer tube always turns smoothly.

On occasion I've tried other components, including some higher priced CF seatposts. And they don't work. The epoxy bond between the CF and metal head eventually wears out and your seat moves with every pedal stroke. So why have you swallowed the CF kool-aid? Obviously you feel there is an advantage to this component or your wouldn't have dropped the coin. I feel there's an advantage to Thomson.

So who is right? We both are. What works for me may not work for you. So what? What do you care? It works for me. I haven't swallowed any Kool-Aid. I've chosen to spend more money 1 time because I've found components that work for me 100% of the time.

I've also swallowed the Shimano crankset, front DR and cassette Kool-Aid because they work well for me over years of riding. I've swallowed the SRAM Grip-Shift, rear DR and chain Kool-Aid because they work for me too. Oh, there's the Avid mechanical disc Kool-Aid and the WTB 2.4 Motoraptor Kool-Aid that I've ingested as well.


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## sis (Jul 11, 2007)

But you still want one


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

I was one of those, upgraded the seatpost to a Thomson well for one to see what all the rage was a bout. I had already been playing with different handlebars & stems to get the cockpit set up so I sold the original bar/stem/post with another bike, and got the thomson to see if a straight (non layback) post would be better suited for me.

Since getting the thomson I've never looked back - well only the fact that once you cut it you can say goodbye to half of what you paid for it! 
The thomson saved some weight, it's strong as it needs to be and lastly the head design that holds the saddle is really great and easy to work with.

If I've taken away anything from the purchase it would be to get a 2 bolt design if I ever need a new post again, it may not necessarily be a thomson next time though. 
I kind of discovered how good it is upon a recent bike purchase for my husband. His Alias came with your run of the mill single bolt post. First ride the seat angle changed , basically it wasn't tightened enough in store, and tell ya I wasn't used to really having to reef onto the bolt that much just so it would be tight enough for the saddle to stay in place. Although I must say a few rides later, no more problems!

Obviously in a lot of cases there is no need to upgrade your post. And other times there is one reason or another. On hardtails in particular the seat post would take a real hammering, so in some ways you don't really want to wait for the need to show itself (broken post, injured rider). Marketing certainly plays on this, that we all need the strongest lightest components out there.

OP if you want to upgrade then go for it, but be warned it could be a start to the upgradeitis disease


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## Radney (Mar 30, 2006)

For all of you hardtail riders watch your seat post. My stock post is now cracked at the top (the aluminum that attaches to the seat). I always stand up during the rough sections and I'm a light rider at 160 or less so I have no clue how this happened. With that said keep an eye on it and times like this is when it's a good time to upgrade.


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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

Good marketing?


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## thatdownhillkid (Mar 11, 2007)

i think it just comes down to weight. wieght weenies just get them cuz they're lighter and maybe they look cooler


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## Steve030687 (Jan 7, 2007)

I use the Thomson setback. I got a new frame over the summer and I figure I wasn't going to have a nice frame and some OEM seatpost. 

006_007- Nice seatpost


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## Ryder1 (Oct 12, 2006)

*Kent Eriksen ti seatpost*

Light, strong, compliant, remarkably sexy.


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## kona4lyf (Sep 24, 2007)

also comes down to one bolt or two,most set back posts under 100 have only one bolt to fix to seat rails,so instead of spendin 100 plus on two average posts over how eva many months i spent over 100 on a easton vice with good warrenty the right set back(for me)two bolts and nice in sturdy,each to there own,who gives a f$$k really,as long as it works 4 you and your happy


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

*Really.....*

......Obviously you haven't been biking too long if that's what you think the weight savings can be :???: Between the el cheapos and high end it can be a double the difference thing or more - _I have some cheap seatposts and when I compare them to even my cheapish WTB or Easton they're about double the weight_. Then there's the build quality and durability to think about and adjustability - _most cheapie seatposts come with a single bolt setup which is not very easy to adjust, most decent ones comes with a dual bolt setup._



Kaba Klaus said:


> ..................................Maybe weight (-0.001 ounces) or something...
> 
> Seriously I can only see a few reasons to change the stock seatpost: You brake the stock seatpost. The stock seatpost is too short or you need another design for a better fit (seat postition). But none of the reasons justifies $100+.


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## moontz (Aug 13, 2007)

Thanks for all the replies. 

Funny thing... soon after I posted this question, my seat starts squeaking.... Must be karma or something. I have got the clamp pretty much as tight as it can be holding onto the seat (maybe too tight?). If I take a decent drop or hit the brakes hard I get some definite looseness where the seat clamps on. Its a generic 2-bolt post stock on kona. Its a no-name with kona branding on it. 

I'll probably try a buddies, see if it solves a problem, eat crow and buy a new post


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## KevinB (Oct 5, 2004)

moontz said:


> Funny thing... soon after I posted this question, my seat starts squeaking....


Try some grease on the seat rails at the location of the clamp. Also grease the portion of the seatpost that goes into the seat tube on your bike. (Even a Thomson post needs grease in those locations in order to be quiet...)


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

I kept breaking bolts in my stock seatpost.

It was a single bolt design.

Went to a titec 4 bolt design and I've had zero issues since.
Was about $35-$40.

If you want your seatpost to stop creaking you have to get one of those large pipe cleaners, put some oil on it and go to town.
Wipe everything down and it will be good for another 500 miles or so.


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

The seatpost is a classic spot for bike companies to hide crap - like the bottom bracket.

They'll often use a generic post that may be either heavy, unreliable, or both. 

Some people like to alter the reach on a frame by changing to a zero setback post or from a zero setback post to a post with an inch or so of setback.

Some folks find that the standard 350mm post on most bikes puts them dangerously close to the minimum insertion mark - so look for a 400mm or longer.

Some folks hate single bolt seatposts as they can slip and all of a sudden you find your seat is either pointing up your a$$ or pointing to the ground. Once the little teeth are stripped they are trash - and all this usually happens miles from home of course....

There are the different ride characteristics of the different posts too - I run carbon posts on my alloy hardtails as they seem to give a little compliance. And of course they look good too.


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