Whilst a seatpost can seem like a simple tube that’s just there to hold your bike seat in place, it actually plays a vital role in the comfort and setup of your bicycle. When looking to replace or upgrade a seatpost there are a few considerations to take on board such as; your riding discipline, diameter, materials used and your budget.
Seatposts Explained
Searching for a seat-post can be a daunting task due to the sheer volume of options available. Your riding discipline and style of bike will usually best dictate which seatpost you end up with.
Whatever your riding style, it’s important to know what diameter seatpost best suits your bicycle. The measurements are usually printed at the base of the seatpost if not, this can be measured with a set of calipers, or by looking at the spec sheet for your bicycle. The norm diameters for modern road and mountain bikes are typically 27.2, 30.9 or 31.6mm, however, it’s common that other diameters are used too.
Seatposts are commonly made of aluminum, with more expensive options typically in carbon fiber. For those riding off road, dropper seatposts have quickly become the popular choice – these offer saddle height adjustment at the flick of a switch for greater maneuverability when descending.
Seatpost clamps
The seatpost clamp, also known as a collar, is a clamp that squeezes the frame against the seatpost. It’s a required part to hold the seatpost in place. The clamp will usually close, either via a quick release lever or allen bolt. Similar to the seatposts themselves, they’re available in different diameters, so be sure to check what diameter is suitable for your frame.
