Seat posts...

A super thin, super light aluminium job came with my hybrid. To use a very popular phrase, it was a jarring experience for my rear. The clamp bust after about 5000miles. New post required

So I went to my LBS and purchased a carbon number. In fact it was a carbon wrap post but what it really was was a heavier guage of tubing. So where the tubing on the original piece was very very thin (and not very comfortable) the tubing on the new piece was substabtially thicker and probably the real reason it was infinitely more comfortable.

The new piece lasted about three weeks when the clamp (allegedly milled from forged alloy ingots) failed in spectacular fashion. In fact if I wasn't on the ball i would've been in the hospital receiving reconstructive surgery to an area where you'd want it least.

I returned the failed unit to the LBS and cut a good deal on a Thomson Elite which seems to be living up to it's reputation as a tough unit. Excellent clamp assembly, sturdy and comfortable. The tubing features some interesting butting where the tubing is substantially thicker at the front and rear than it is at the sides. It is expensive but the money spent seems to have bought a very good quality component

As far as carbon is concerned...I'm not a fan..especially on a commuter. They really are disposable items when you have an accident. Even if they look OK the general concensus is, post incident, they can't be trusted as the damage to a carbon unit may not be apparent.