Integrated Seatposts
 

Is it just me, or did anybody else notice that most bikes being ridden by TdF pros are regular seatpost bikes, as compared to the recent fad of top of the line bicycles coming with ISPs?

Of course, it makes sense, in that there is more flexibility for team members to share bikes (in case of mechanical problems) if the bike has a regular seatpost as opposed to one with an ISP.

Comments?

Regardless of what is said about the ISP system (edit: from the manufacturers, I mean), I haven't seen what the 'perks' of the system are meant to be, but I'm guessing weight and stiffness? I've never had my saddle feel flexy. And bikes are made heavier (to meet weight limits) from the pro's perspective, so they wouldn't care for the weight, too much... Right?

From my perspective, it just makes the resale aspect of the bike near impossible, the next guy must have the same or lower saddle height than you.

Thought the ISP fad was over a couple years ago.

I'm guessing standard diameter posts allow the riders to choose the stiffness of seatpost they like for certain races.
Of course the resale thing is important too.

I would have said only a year or two, but yeah... seemed like 2009-2011-ish the top models of several brands all either were ISP or had ISP options, but the 2012-2013 models aren't. I figured the uptake wasn't as high as the manufacturers hoped and they stopped bothering.

Hard to transport, just as heavy if not heavier, if damaged the frame is toast, etc.

... who needs a stiffer frame, if you cut it off too much or need to resell it the new owner may need a mast-topper which kills the weight advantage and then some...

See my username for my feelings on that.

I'm glad that dumb fad seems to be going away.

It's a design feature with some advantages and disadvantages. For the large majority, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

I like my ISP. Just looks cool.

Stupid. Would not buy a bike with one.

IMHO, the disadvantages are a bit over stated. I had a Giant TCR Team Advanced. It was slightly lighter than the comparable non ISP model, and the frame designer has more freedom to dial in the flex of the frame at the juncture of the seat tube, top tube, and chain stays.

Transporting, my M/L fit in a standard travel case. I took it overseas on a couple of occassions without any problem.

As for damaging the mast, there's no reason that the mast would be any more susceptible to breakage than any other part of the frame, and if you crash a bike hard enough to snap off your seatpost, that frame may well be toast too.

As for resale, I had no problem selling mine. It had 2cm of adjustment up ( now 4cm) And I hardly cut any post off to fit me. So the bike would fit anyone needing to raise the seat 2cm, or lower it up to 10-15cm. If you were very short for the given frame size and you lopped off a bunch of mast, you would be limiting your options.

Personally, I don't think its a big deal either way. I wouldn't be deterred from buying another frame with ISP, if it otherwise fit my wants.

I like what Trek does on their higher end bikes, kind of an ISP but without the significant drawbacks.

stupid fads come round that solve no problems, improve bugger all and just are all round stupid ideas. I notice compct geometry has gone. stupid ugly fad.

Compact geometry is gone?

Cannondale and maybe BMC are the only tour bikes that are NOT compact.

I kept the ring chunks I sawed off. I figure if I ever sell my bike and the guy is a little taller, he can just slip one of the rings on and be just fine.

Same with me. I took the post down in 2 increments, so I have 2 ~3-4mm rings that can be placed on top of the mast.

I see none of the drawbacks that everyone seems to pile on. You think an ISP is ugly? Fine. Most of us riding bikes of all kinds are ugly too, so it keeps the focus off the bike.

ISP is dead from the manufacturer side of things.

There are performance advantages but I would never own one.

Makes sense on a TT bike but on a RR bike not so much.

No one chooses a seatpost before a race. Seriously.

One of the rare times we disagree. I would never buy a framset with an ISP...ever. Most are uber stiff. There is no adjustability in saddle rotation if that is a preference. Biggest reason? You are stuck with the factory seat post clamp. Expanding the thread a bit more, unless the bike had a proper fore/aft 2 bolt seat post clamp, for proprietary seat post bikes, I would never buy the frame. The frame is only as good as the seat post and many seat posts on the market...and say Look framesets with ISP or proprietary posts are junk in my opinion...and their framesets are among the best...but their seatposts are garbage. Then there is the offset issue...if you are hemmed in on what setback you can run with ISP or proprietary post.
So to me, the seat post design is an over riding feature of the frame and btw, one of the reasons I like Specialized frames...most will accommodate a std. 27.2mm dia post. In my experience, most frameset makers including Specialized do not make best in class seat posts. I ride with a FSA Kforce light 2 bolt post on my Roubaix and it is outstanding...available in 3 setbacks and one of the most popular posts in the pro peloton for good reason.

Giant at least has the seatpost clamp covered. You can choose the amount of offset, 10mm or 23 mm, and you can angle the seat as you like. On my 2007, it was not the easiest seat post clamp to adjust, but you could set it up as you wanted, and once done it stayed where you put it.

I'm not advocating for ISP's here. There's a small advantage and some tradeoffs. I just think the downsides tend to be oversold, and I wouldn't rule out buying a bike like a Giant Propel Advanced SL, or TCR Advanced SL because of the ISP.

That said, I didn't replace my TCR Team Advanced with a bike with ISP.

Edit: after I posted, it dawned on me about your point on saddle rotation. If you want your seat off line, that would be an issue. However, I thinky you've got the same issue on any aero seatpost frame. I know you can't rotate the seat on my P2.

Points taken and tech continues to evolve and believe the engineers at large companies are stepping up with good 2 bolt seat post clamps on TT bike ISP's in particular. Giant has a pretty good seat post clamp...same with Cervelo if stuck with a proprietary 'aero' seat post.

It is just a peeve of mine being an initial fan of early carbon Look bikes...Look being a pioneer of carbon and offered some of the best carbon bikes in the world. Other companies now have stepped up if not passed Look in their technology. To me and btw, not unlike BB30, the downside exceeds the upside with ISP. I see this as almost a parallel. Both have each without question and why ISP's came into being. But the trend away is telling. I also believe there will be a trend over time away from BB30 as we know it. Tech will continue to evolve and we are all the beneficiaries.