Classic & Vintage - Record vs Gran Sport seat post: What's the diff?

I looked at the number 18 cat and I can't figger out the diff between the two. I have one of these posts and don't really see how the other model may differ. They both share the same clamping bits. The only difference has to be the post. But they look the same to me. Any hints? I really don't know which I have.

Steve, I noticed that also. I think some of the latter models had G.S. stamped into them, but my 78 looks almost identical to a record seat post (to me at least)

Gran Sport is thicker maybe? (I'm guessing)

I reckon the finish on the tube is different. The Record is more highly polished. I was also told, many years ago, that the position of the Campagnolo world logo stamped into the tube differed between Record and Gran Sport. Personally, I don't thing that is correct. I have noticed a difference in finish though.

I reckon the finish on the tube is different. The Record is more highly polished. I was also told, many years ago, that the position of the Campagnolo world logo stamped into the tube differed between Record and Gran Sport. Personally, I don't thing that is correct. I have noticed a difference in finish though.

Gran Sport seat posts are sometimes the same as Record. Sometimes they got G.S. stamped on them, a little secret a bike shop could use to save a few bucks and assemble a full Campagnolo Nuovo Record bike was to use one of these posts.

Now, the differences when they do show up:

The finish on the head and sometimes the shaft are rougher, faster machining, and coarser blast finish to the head.

The fixing nuts (barrels) will be the older style, the Record at this point migrated to barrels where the end was countersunk deeply. And some point the Record posts around this time went to alloy lower hardware for the cradle, as first seen on the two bolt Super Record posts, maybe left over to when the single bolt Super Record arrived. These parts are hard to date, importers often did not rotate stock, so we even got white box seat posts into the mid late 70's.

All Gran Sport posts I have seen have the minimum insertion marks, not to say there were some without, but for what it is worth.

The ultimate coolio stealth lightweight seatpost is the superleggera, I have bought a few of them when unknown by the seller or other bidders, match those up to the alloy lower cradle parts and you have a post lighter than Super Record and with no flutes. When known, they go for more than all but NOS Super Record posts.

Gran Sport seat posts are sometimes the same as Record. Sometimes they got G.S. stamped on them, a little secret a bike shop could use to save a few bucks and assemble a full Campagnolo Nuovo Record bike was to use one of these posts.

Now, the differences when they do show up:

The finish on the head and sometimes the shaft are rougher, faster machining, and coarser blast finish to the head.

The fixing nuts (barrels) will be the older style, the Record at this point migrated to barrels where the end was countersunk deeply. And some point the Record posts around this time went to alloy lower hardware for the cradle, as first seen on the two bolt Super Record posts, maybe left over to when the single bolt Super Record arrived. These parts are hard to date, importers often did not rotate stock, so we even got white box seat posts into the mid late 70's.

All Gran Sport posts I have seen have the minimum insertion marks, not to say there were some without, but for what it is worth.

The ultimate coolio stealth lightweight seatpost is the superleggera, I have bought a few of them when unknown by the seller or other bidders, match those up to the alloy lower cradle parts and you have a post lighter than Super Record and with no flutes. When known, they go for more than all but NOS Super Record posts.

If you would be so kind as to divulge your valuable information.. Please let us in on how to ID the SL seatpost... lord knows how many have passed through my hands already!

Please let us in on how to ID the SL seatpost... lord knows how many have passed through my hands already!

http://www.jaysmarine.com/campy_SL_seatpost.jpg

Insertion line indicators, from what I can see + aluminum rail supports.

-Kurt