lhwj

I just bought a hybrid from eBay, it arrived this morning. The bike is fine and I've got everything tuned up but there is a problem with the suspension seatpost. The seat can twist a bit even though it's securely fastened in the seatpost. It's just the top part, the bottom goes in fine into the seatpost. I've tried locking the suspension using the nut at the bottom but the seat still twists. Any ideas? I want to avoid buying another seatpost, I've spent enough money on bikes, tools, parts and acessories already :S

Thanks.

joejack951

It's an issue with many suspension seatposts. As they get cheaper, the problem gets worse. You can find new, non-suspension seatposts for less than $15. Look for the brand Kalloy.

lhwj

The irony is that this current seatpost is a Kalloy

Anyway I'm assuming it can't be repaired?

This is the cheapest one that will fit. There is a 27.2 on the post itself so I assume it's mm. If no one objects I shall buy this one

My regular bike also has a suspension seatpost but as I bought it new it doesn't have this problem. Let's hope it doesn't happen

joejack951

If it could be repaired, it wouldn't be worth it. Just get a rigid seatpost and be done with it.

bikinfool

Probably just inherent slop in the particular post you've got. Does that slight twist actually interfere when riding?

DieselDan

The wiggle cannot be repaired, as it isn't broken. The wiggle is there so it goes up and down. Best to swap it out with a normal seatpost and HTFU.

lhwj

Yes it does a little, but the bike is still quite ridable. It's more of an annoyance than a safety issue. I rode about 5 miles with it like that tonight. I'd still like to get it fixed though, I bought this bike so that I could have a riding partner (have been riding alone all my life :|) and I certainly wouldn't want my friends to have any accidents because of that.

I shall buy that post linked to above. eBay has great stuff

bikinfool

Can't imagine that causing an accident or your description of the problem is lacking. Just curious, we talking side to side play or up and down play? I'd be more concerned with up and down play...

lhwj

I think it's my description that's lacking. It's exactly the same problem with this (saw it only after I started this thread), only that my problem is with the suspension mechanism rather than the seat clamp. I'm still kinda new to biking terms so please bear with me.

I just had a look, both of my bikes have 27.2mm seatposts. So I guess I'll buy two of them so that I can lower the seat further for my friends to ride. It's not a problem with me, but my friends are a lot shorter

bikinfool

In that thread I'm thinking the friction of some clamp designs (the clamp that fixes angle up and down) is poor. I've even had some high end ones suffer from that (older Moots). From your post initially I thought side to side play (which I'd figure is just inherent from the construction of a cheap suspension post for the inner/outer post tubes that allow the suspension, same thing that affects some adjustable posts such as the Joplin). Still wondering where your specific play is....

lhwj

It twists or rotates slightly, by a few degrees. Not tilting up/down/left/right, but clockwise and anticlockwise, in both directions.

Anyway I've ordered the rigid seatpost. Never really understood the point of suspension ones.

bikinfool

Uh, if it's not rotating up or down or left to right yet rotates still...am really confused now. Am a fan of real suspension rather than one in the seatpost but....

lhwj

Lol, I'll try this one more time

When you look at the seat vertically from the top, it can spin a little to the left or right. It doesn't tilt in any direction, it just rotates, in the same way as if your seatpost clamp was loose.

bikinfool

If my seat post clamp was loose, it would simply slide down under weight. So you're saying it does rotate right to left? You can't have it not moving top/bottom/right/left all at the same time.

PS Boy what a useless post on review. You are saying it moves right to left, but not because the seat post clamp is loose, just some inherent play elsewhere...doh. I'd say it's inherent unless there's a built in adjustment for it, but not having any idea of what suspension post you have...

wrk101

+1 Its normal.

I personally hate suspension seat posts. I would spend about $10 on a standard rigid replacement. I have done this on all of my hybrids.

AndrewP

If you need suspension you could fit a saddle that has a couple of springs at the back and put it on that plain post.