Hello,

I am very over weight and just learning how to ride a bike. I have a specialized crossroads from last year, and as I am gaining more confidence in remaining balanced, I would like to raise the saddle up so that that I can actually put my feet on the pedals.

Where the saddle is now, all the way down, I cannot actually get my foot on the top pedal. Regardless of how tight I attempt to clamp the saddle post, the moment I sit on the saddle, it slides all the way down.

Is there different clamp that I can get that might be able to support my weight?

Thanks!!!

Well, yeah, you should be able to enjoy your bike. You can try a couple homemade solutions before you spend any money. If you have some sandpaper, you can scuff the area on the seatpost and the inside of the seat tube collar, where you want to clamp, so that it has more "bite". If you haven't already, tighten the lock nut so that the seatpost "quick release" style clamp grabs the post firmer. Finally, make sure you are using the right size seatpost. There are common sizes but enough different ones to make mention worthwhile.

there is a forum on this site called "clydesdales"
It is specifically for overweight riders.
there may be some folks on there with experience who can
offer some help

Make sure that the clamp bolt or quick release mechanism is greased, it will clamp better. You could also apply some carbon assembly paste to the post to increase the friction.

This is about as "beefie" as they come. Small Parts | Parts and Accessories | Surly Bikes

First of all, make sure that the seatpost is the right diameter by inspecting the notch/groove in the seat tube under the clamp. Are the sides of the notch/groove parallel to each other, and not touching or badly bent in towards each other? This could be a sign of a improper size set post (measure the inside diameter of the seat post to determine the correct diametter for the seatpost).

How about adding a worm-screw type stainless steel hose clamp right at the top of the seat tube on the seatpost? That should keep the seatpost from sliding down.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the feedback. I'll try the sandpaper thing first. Is there a particular grit of sandpaper you would suggest? I'll also cross post in the clydesdales section to see if they have any ideas.

Thanks again!