Is there any dfference in using an Aluminum or Carbon seatpost other than the slight weight savings . This will be used on an all carbon Tarmac frame. I thought I read once that carbon seatposts were hype,no difference in ride quality.
Aluminum or Carbon seatpost?
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
Depending on the post -of course, it will save some weight and you definetely will realize a differnce.
The carbon post will flex a little side-to-side, a metal-post won´t.
I still makes me wonder, if I l like it, but I think I do.
When you´re into your ride you will forget about it, which in my book means, there´s nothing negative about it.
I can only tell from the differnce of a Look Ergopost and a cheap 15$, 25mm Noname seatpost.
The carbon post will flex a little side-to-side, a metal-post won´t.
I still makes me wonder, if I l like it, but I think I do.
When you´re into your ride you will forget about it, which in my book means, there´s nothing negative about it.
I can only tell from the differnce of a Look Ergopost and a cheap 15$, 25mm Noname seatpost.
Joined
·
73 Posts
No Difference
I have a bike with an aluminium seatpost and one with carbon. I can't tell any difference except with cosmetics. If your seatpost determines whether your bike rides comfortably, your frame and wheels are probably way too stiff.
The most important thing with seatposts is the seat clamp. If this doesn't work properly (i.e., won't stay tight, difficult to adjust) you have a serious issue with the post, whether it's carbon, aluminium, titanium or steel.
I have a bike with an aluminium seatpost and one with carbon. I can't tell any difference except with cosmetics. If your seatpost determines whether your bike rides comfortably, your frame and wheels are probably way too stiff.
The most important thing with seatposts is the seat clamp. If this doesn't work properly (i.e., won't stay tight, difficult to adjust) you have a serious issue with the post, whether it's carbon, aluminium, titanium or steel.
This is complete BS. You can't make absolute statements like this. CF can be stiff or noodly, just like any metal product can.psi_co said:
Unless you get a suspension post, your best bet would be to play with the air pressure in your tires to get a better ride...or change tire sizes so you can run lower pressure.
That´s why I said " it depends on the post".alienator said:
of course there´re stiff and noodly carbon and metal posts out there, but I def. realize and see the flex of my Ergopost.
Agree with the seatclamp.
Wasted two of the seat adapters on my old post.
Ritchey WCS carbon or Auminum
I was going to get a Ritchey WCS CAabon or Aluminum. If you look at the specs, the AL require less insertion than the carbon so you can get away with a shorter AL post which means very little difference in weight savings with the carbon at half the cost.
I was going to get a Ritchey WCS CAabon or Aluminum. If you look at the specs, the AL require less insertion than the carbon so you can get away with a shorter AL post which means very little difference in weight savings with the carbon at half the cost.
Go with Aluminum!
I used to use CF posts, but now I use Al exclusively. I had the CF Alien Aero post on my race bike, but when I changed saddles it was a serious PITA to adjust the clamp. So, I got rid of the damn thing and went with an old-school, reliable Thomson Masterpiece. I can discern no difference in ride quality and the Thomson is infinitely more user friendly. Also, a friend of mine, last year's national master's RR champion, who rides about 13K a year, experienced a catastrophic failure of her CF post clamp. The clamp broke where it attaches to the post. As a result, her saddle simply fell to the pavement during a training ride. She weighs about 100 lbs. Luckily she wasn't hurt. It was an CF Alien post. She too now eschews all CF posts. She now uses a Thomson. Additionally, many CF post manufacturers recommend you replace their posts every year.
I used to use CF posts, but now I use Al exclusively. I had the CF Alien Aero post on my race bike, but when I changed saddles it was a serious PITA to adjust the clamp. So, I got rid of the damn thing and went with an old-school, reliable Thomson Masterpiece. I can discern no difference in ride quality and the Thomson is infinitely more user friendly. Also, a friend of mine, last year's national master's RR champion, who rides about 13K a year, experienced a catastrophic failure of her CF post clamp. The clamp broke where it attaches to the post. As a result, her saddle simply fell to the pavement during a training ride. She weighs about 100 lbs. Luckily she wasn't hurt. It was an CF Alien post. She too now eschews all CF posts. She now uses a Thomson. Additionally, many CF post manufacturers recommend you replace their posts every year.
Exactly which manufacturers recommend replacing their CF posts every year? I'd say that's a load of crap, because it makes no sense to do so. The Alien failure was either a manufacturing flaw or a design flaw.mmercier said:
I saw, this summer, a girl's Al seatpost fail, and she was sent to the ground. I guess that happened because she didn't replace her Al seatpost every year!
No difference
I have tried an aluminum ultegra, ritchey, titanium american classic, CF USE alien on a Cannondale CAD 3 and 5, steel 853 schwinn, and a colnago masterlite....Yes too much time on my hands. I didn't notice much difference in the ride quality. Ride quality changed more when i used different saddles , switched to 32 3x open pros with less PSI. The USE is a drag, too much work to set up correctly.
The capman
I have tried an aluminum ultegra, ritchey, titanium american classic, CF USE alien on a Cannondale CAD 3 and 5, steel 853 schwinn, and a colnago masterlite....Yes too much time on my hands. I didn't notice much difference in the ride quality. Ride quality changed more when i used different saddles , switched to 32 3x open pros with less PSI. The USE is a drag, too much work to set up correctly.
The capman
the right post can make a difference
i recently replaced an old Al seatpost on a cannondale CAAD 2.8 with a specialized pave seatpost with the zert insert. this made a huge difference in comfort on a stiff frame. on a frame that has comfort features built in like the specialized tarmac this will make less of a difference, however if your body is more sensitive to vibration every little bit helps.
i recently replaced an old Al seatpost on a cannondale CAAD 2.8 with a specialized pave seatpost with the zert insert. this made a huge difference in comfort on a stiff frame. on a frame that has comfort features built in like the specialized tarmac this will make less of a difference, however if your body is more sensitive to vibration every little bit helps.
Joined
·
2,201 Posts
I'm not a fan of carbon posts.
Early versions of carbon posts had quite a few failures. I really haven't heard of many carbon post failures lately, the same was heard from early carbon bars and now they and the posts are very mainstream. No matter how well made there will be failures. I sure even Thomsons fail. I still prefer aluminum since there are a very few that are extremely light as carbon posts. I have two New Ultimate seatpost, aluminum, with one weighing 93 grams and the other 94 grams. Carbon is more sensitive to proper torque of the seatpost clamp and I don't mind torquing bike parts but with the availability to get aluminum in the same weight range why go carbon?
A seat post will do absolutely nothing for comfort. I have yet to tell the difference between seatposts in over 35 years of riding roadbikes.
Early versions of carbon posts had quite a few failures. I really haven't heard of many carbon post failures lately, the same was heard from early carbon bars and now they and the posts are very mainstream. No matter how well made there will be failures. I sure even Thomsons fail. I still prefer aluminum since there are a very few that are extremely light as carbon posts. I have two New Ultimate seatpost, aluminum, with one weighing 93 grams and the other 94 grams. Carbon is more sensitive to proper torque of the seatpost clamp and I don't mind torquing bike parts but with the availability to get aluminum in the same weight range why go carbon?
A seat post will do absolutely nothing for comfort. I have yet to tell the difference between seatposts in over 35 years of riding roadbikes.
I used USE alien ti and cf posts on my Giant TCR. if there was a difference, it was a pretty small one. on my ti frame, I definitely can't tell any difference between ti and aluminum posts. on a really stiff frame, though, I imagine that Specialized post with the inserts would make a noticeable difference, all else equal.jhenry4 said:
at some point, someone (usually one of the old retro-grouches) is obligated to say that going to 25 or 28c tires and dropping the pressure a little is going to make more of a difference than any seatpost.
Joined
·
2,302 Posts
what are you thinking ?!?!
simply running bigger tires (25-28C) and lowering tire pressure a bit will make more difference than any seatpost!!!!
(sorry but I couldn't resist the bait
)
simply running bigger tires (25-28C) and lowering tire pressure a bit will make more difference than any seatpost!!!!
(sorry but I couldn't resist the bait
)1 - 14 of 14 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!