While riding late Friday afternoon - going up a hill, @ 17ish mph while seated the aluminum seat post broke. And yes it was inserted well past the minimum insert line. Basically broke off right @ the top of the seat. tube.

photoseat.jpg

Now, I've replaced it with a Velo Orange post - but honestly I'm a bit queasy over the aluminum....

Would Carbon Fiber or Ti be any better? Or do I just need to change the post out from time to time. Also using a Brooks Team Pro saddle, so I need all the set back possible. The max Velo Orange set back isn't quite what I'm used to - but workable.

Now I'm a big guy and tend to push back on the seat as I'm pedaling up hills (when I'm not standing) for the leverage. So - maybe I need to change that...

Anyway, just looking for recommendations.

Didn't get hurt, which is good, because I had to ride 13 miles back to the truck w/o a seat - but have a incredible right cheek bruise...

marc

i dont understand why you push back on the saddle while pedaling up hill :S I don'think i do this, i just sit on it and spin up the hills, if your pushing back on the saddle, my guess is your mashing too high of a gear, but that still shouldnt lead to a failure like this in your post, it was possibly just due to a faulty seat post, but if i were you, i'd stick with the alu until u learn to go up hills spinning

Thomson seatpost... overengineered and super tough. They are pretty much standard fare on a mountain bike so should be just fine for your road bike.

make sure not to overtighten the seatpost clamp. if you dimple the post that will absolutely create a weak point and lead to failures like this.

that said, this location is the most likely place to break even when installed properly.

What's the warranty on that seatpost?

Proof that those Brooks saddles too freakin' heavy.

way out of warranty

chances would be better of welding it... ROTFL

marc

The Brooks isn't the heaviest thing on my bike...

marc

being "back on the rivets" or the back of any seat is normal imo. Im a small guy on Brooks as well and I do it when climbing, I cant see changing that. When I am doing this, I do pull alternately on the top bars, but I weigh 140 so not the same force going to the seat post as you.

I would agree that you must have done some damage to the seat post and/or misread the min insert line, and/or this had been done in the past and/or something along those lines to have created a weak area.

darn good thing you were not hurt in any areas that any of us would not want to be hurt....

Nope, 'twas well in past the the min insert line....

Of course, of no surprise, there is some deformation around circumference the break. But none more than .125" away from the break. I also am very glad of no octave changing injuries. However, I literally flew off of the bike, so I don't think it was that "close".

I've got just over 6500 miles on this post in the past two yrs - and it was used, as was the bike when I purchased it.

marc

5000k + per year, pas mal, but perhaps there had been something in its past...who knows. I certainly dont have the knowledge of metals to know more, but one would think that something had weakened it at some point. I say just from the angle that (to my knowledge) this is not a common occurance.

octave changing indeed. rather disconcerting.

depending on your weight, you could ask in the section for heavy riders, or at least for some suggestions for posts from folks who weigh more than you, just for your piece of mind in buying another.

I've broken about everything on a bike, including six frames, but I have never even considered the possibility of the seatpost snapping off. I'm impressed.