slynkie

I'm certainly a newbie but I thought I had at least a little more sense than this - the other day without thinking I started adjusting my carbon seatpost, without fully loosening the bolt, and then clamped it too tight. The post splintered a bit -



Now, I realize it may be unsafe to ride this, and i'm definitely bringing it in to my LBS, but I wanted to get BF's opinion because I honestly don't have very high regard for my LBS. It's from a 2007 Trek 1000, bought last august, but I imagine the warranty is voided by my stupidity in adjusting it myself.

Anyway, assuming I need to replace it, I'm thinking of either an Easton EC70 or a Thomson Masterpiece setback (which seems to be hard to find) - Does anyone think I'll notice a less comfortable ride on the non-carbon Thomson? People seem to have a very high opinion of it, I know, but has anyone gone from carbon -> thomson?

Thanks!

LowCel 

Yup, warranty void. How much seatpost do you have exposed? If you have a lot then you may notice the thomson being a little stiffer. If you only have a few inches exposed you will probably never notice the difference.

unbelievably

Forte Precision at Performance,on sale $19.99

markwebb

That's why I don't use plastic seat posts

jimbud

that explode and or melt.

barba

Thomson makes very nice posts. I would just get the Elite, though. The Masterpiece is just a few grams lighter (40, I think) and they are functionally the same.

SkyeC

I have an Easton EC70 and while it's a great post, I found the 2 bolt seat bracket to be a huge pain to get set-up nicely.

texascyclist

Here we go again.

Before this post scares the mess out of people getting into this sport:
Carbon rules:
1. Do not grease seat post.
2. Use paste instead of grease that is designed for carbon or none at all.
3. Tighten only enough to keep the seat post from slipping.

I use the Thompson straight seat post and am very happy with it. It has a very precision aerospace look to it. It also puts my saddle more aft of the seat post which gives the saddle more flex and comfort over a setup where my butt is closer to being directly over the clamp. As on any bike part, it is best to measure the fastener torque.

GuitarWizard

While I like carbon bikes a lot, seatposts and handlebars (and to a degree, stems) made of carbon are not my ideal material choices - and Thomson makes the best seatposts and stems, hands down.

aballas

yup...definitely looks trashed...I'd get the thomson...

I've actually been on a bit of an anti-carbon kick lately...I recently replaced my carbon stem and bars with (lighter & stiffer) alloy ones ony my Fuji....i'm happy with it..

aballas

+1 I HATE HATE HATE the two bolt clamp on my ritchey comp seatpost for my MTB...(but i'm too cheap to buy another )

joshalope

I actually just went from a carbon post (FSA SLK) to a Thomson Elite. I definately noticed that I feel the road a little more, but I can't say that I'm not comfortable. It's somewhat like driving around in a Honda, and then getting behind the wheel of a BMW, you feel more in touch with the road and the bike becomes more performance oriented. If you're looking to cruise around town, and plush comfort is your main goal, then the Thompson probably isn't for you. However, if you like to ride somewhat aggressive, and go for performance/racing, I find the added tactility of the aluminum Thomson a good fit. Again, it's not that the Thompson gives a bone jarring ride, or is uncomfortable in anyway, you just feel the road more compared to carbon.

Chucklehead

carbon frames - yes.

carbon steer tube - sometimes.

carbon bars/stem/post - NO.

ViperZ

Looks trashed.

slynkie

Actually I was hoping someone would say that! I'd much rather pay for the Elite. Thanks!

slynkie

obviously it was rule #3 that i violated, though if my LBS had used rule #2 when assembling it in the first place, the damage may have been less severe?

So this begs the question, why don't LBS' use paste when assembling carbon components...or do they, typically, and this is more confirmation that my LBS in particular is cheap?...

slynkie

just ordered the thomson elite (w/setback) through the LBS...their price was decent ($85 - 10% club discount).

thanks everyone!

texascyclist

They probably just don't know what they are doing.

You can buy tacx carbon paste at competitive cyclist.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...MODE=&TFC=TRUE

Grease/nogrease is a controversial subject. You can't go wrong though with paste designed for carbon. The general consensus among manufacturers is no grease. This makes sense to me because as you have seen, greasing requires much more clamping force to acheive the same friction force as without grease or with paste.

I think the risk of using nothing at all is getting your seatpost stuck.

Ernesto Schwein

If you check the fine print on many CF seatposts they won't warranty them at the clamp area at all so adjusting it yourself is a moot point, this is certainly true with FSA where I have had a spec-torqued K-force post do the same thing. I've started rotating the clamp binder 180 degrees so it is on the opposite side of the seat tube split, I've seen this on a lot of pro-bikes before they all started going postless.

I also recommend the carbon wrapped ITM posts, they are lighter than most of the full CF versions and very durable.

slynkie

hmm, do you mean there's more pressure applied by the clamp where the bolt is, so rotating it to the side opposite the split avoids some pressure there? but then, wouldn't you have to bolt it somewhat tighter to make up for lost grip?

Ernesto Schwein

In my experience I have not had to tighten the clamp more using this arrangement in fact on the two frames I've used this on I was able to go under the factory torque spec without slipping. Both frames were aluminum and the posts were FSA and Ritchey.

garysol1 

Did someone say Thomson Masterpiece..... Here is my work of art.

slynkie

luscious!

kenny!

I'm curious to what extent your findings apply to aluminum frames like the CAAD8?

joshalope

My findings are based on actually riding a 2005 CAAD8 frame.