Hi everyone,

I'm looking to replace my seatpost. I want something where the seat angle is more easily and precisely adjustable. The one I have now is a PITA, not least because the clamp can move around on the seatpost. It takes me several tries to get it back to where it was if I have to mess with it (grrr).

But before I pick one, I want to know what's out there, in general. What're the basic kinds of interfaces between saddle and seatpost? (If it's even possible to categorize them, and not too much variation.)

FIRST IMAGE: Here's what I have now (same basic kind on both my bikes).

SECOND IMAGE: There's also this one called a two-bolt seatpost, with bolts fore and aft. Apparently to move the nose up or down, you tighten one bolt and loosen the other?

THIRD AND FOURTH IMAGES: And there's this other kind, also called two-bolt, but with the bolts to either side. The whole thing slides along a curve to change pitch.

What else is out there? Thanks.

My favorite is the single-bolt type, bolt accessible from below. Called a Laprade type after the original. Most of what you'll find out there are like this, I think, but they can vary with ease of adjustment.

Brompton's pentaclip is superior to the saddle clip in that upper right corner picture



It has 1 bolt, and a multi-plate friction plate angle adjustment (reminds me of dry plate race motorcycle clutches)

you keep the seat post, its fine , functional, right size, etc. just upgrade the saddle clip.. I like mine.. I'm in the 200# range..





....

a classic .. perfect with my Brooks team Pro

their 1 bolt from the 80's

Classics : Simplex

Thanks for highlighting that. That's an interesting piece. Here's a claimed exploded view: https://www.vlerickfietsen.be/brompto.../pentaclip.pdf


Same here.

That seems like an archetypal design, important to know about.

A little more about the Laprade type here: SR Bike Seatposts - the Buyer's Guide, 2015

These old Nuovo Record seatposts were a PITA to adjust back in the day. But now, if you have a seat with a cutout, they are simply perfect.

Campagnolo single-bolt Super Record, C-Record aero, or SP-10RE. The later posts were 210mm only, although early examples also came in shorter lengths.

There are no splines, so you can set your saddle at any angle. A tap on the saddle tip or tail will do it with the clamp loosened enough.

Unlike other single-bolt posts, the wedge-shaped post to cradle interface provides most of the holding power so you don't need to crank it down.

The shafts run true to size so you don't risk damaging your seat post clamp ears from over-tightening.

I used to think seatposts were no big deal until I rode home without a saddle after breaking one Campagnolo titanium post cradle and two front screws on Velo Orange 2-bolt posts. The Velo Oranges also required a tighter seatpost clamp. Then I tried a Nitto S65 figuring it was a quality piece that would work like C-Record, although it kept slipping until I adjusted the saddle clamp to 16Nm which was excessive. So I gave up and bought a SP10-RE that just works like my old trouble-free C-Record post.

1978-1987 Super Record:


1986-1994 C-Record as Record plus a couple years as Chorus at least some sans Campagnolo Shield logos:


1995-1996 SP10-RE Record

1997 SP10-RE Record (final year of production)

1995-1996 SP10-RE Record (road)/Record Pista (track). 80s would be Super Record with flutes and may not be fully polished. Early 90s would be aero C-record. 1997 had a logo change. Then came posts with steel, titanium, and finally carbon fiber shafts; although the early 1 degree toothed heads don't allow fine enough adjustments and the cradles aren't as durable.

I have the single bolt, infinitely adjustable type (Laprade?)on my road bike. It's been on that bike for over 30 years. Never had a problem with it of any sort.
Jon

<C> tool # 771 makes that simple, it is their saddle spanner

I got a fluted 25.0 in the 80's for my AlAn, from Mel Pinto Imports.




..

Specialized one-bolt side load. I always thought this was a simple and elegant design.



I've used these for years. Very easy to install and infinitely adjustable. You could even turn it around as a forward seat post for your bargain bin TT machine.

I read somewhere in the 1800s the US patent office was divided into 2 parts; bicycles and everything else. Sometimes wonder if still true. Even stranger I really enjoyed different seatposts posted

Another,

Check out Fizik cyrano seatposts.. which uses a single bolt, plus a thumbwheel adjuster for angle. You set the angle with the thumbwheel, then tighten against this setting with the single bolt. Very precise and easy.

You definitely want the side-by-side bolts (not, fore and aft) which is why you want the Ritchie Comp setback post ...

The kind with 2 bolts fore and aft (like #2) are the most precisely adjustable. Tighten them both down, then to get the right angle loosen one bolt one turn, then tighten the other bolt one turn. For tiny adjustments loosen one bolt 1/4 turn, then tighten the other 1/4 turn

(Make sure both bolts are accessible from the bottom - some have one bolt accessible from the bottom and the second bolt accessible via thumb wheel - THESE AREN'T AS EASY TO ADJUST)