MalvernStar0101
Squid
Hi, I'm new to the site and mountain biking riding for that matter and I just was wondering wether a carbon seat post would be worthwise and safe 2 buy. Thnx.
Is a carbon seat post worth it?
- Thread starter MalvernStar0101
- Start date
Fifteen.Hundred
Likes Dirt
they are safe and plenty of people use them.
Good idea to stick with a well known brand name and pay particular attention to how much you torque the seat clamp.
Why are you interested in a carbon seat post?
Good idea to stick with a well known brand name and pay particular attention to how much you torque the seat clamp.
Why are you interested in a carbon seat post?
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Yes, they are fine.
Easton are very good. Had one of these for years, never had any probs at all.
EC70
Easton are very good. Had one of these for years, never had any probs at all.
EC70
MalvernStar0101
Squid
thnx 4 for the info, just thought of getting one because i heard that they absorb much over the vibrations through the seat nd the fact my bike is a hardtail, it seems pretty logical. Ill look into the brands, thnx again
MalvernStar0101
Squid
On second thought, wat do u guys think are the best type of seat posts for beginners. The fact that a carbon seatpost is very expensive for a good quality brand, maybe I would be better off if i get something more or less expensive.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
And this is why I got mine.thnx 4 for the info, just thought of getting one because i heard that they absorb much over the vibrations through the seat nd the fact my bike is a hardtail, it seems pretty logical. Ill look into the brands, thnx again
I was using the hardtail as an allrounder and spending a lot of time on the tarmac and chattery gravel roads and it actually made a noticeable difference over my old alloy one. It really was more comfortable on the longer rides (50kms+).
Keep in mind, if you want a more comfy ride there are other options as well.
Get some big tyres and try a few less PSI in your tyres, get some bike knicks to wear under your shorts (or get some padded shorts), get a seat that fits really well.
They will all make a difference to your comfort and fine/fast chatter absorbtion.
I can run my full rigid MTB with a set of big bagged tyres and run the psi really low with big thick tubes and be really comfy on the trail even with an alloy seatpost (which I have now).
Just watch out for pinch flats if you try it.
As for beginners and carbon, if you are going to crash, which you will, stuff will break. It's just part of the package so don't worry too much about it.
When a beginner crashes it's usually small crashes anyway, it's the more experienced guys that have bags of speed that are gonna do more damage to their bikes, so just get one and see how you like it.
If you want a good post that looks the biz, that helps with comfort, that is light and strong, has a bit of bling and makes you feel like it's Christmas day every time you ride then get some carbon like the Easton.
If you want a bomb proof post that will never die and be just about as light (or maybe lighter than some), that you will never ever have to think about, and probably outlast your bike, get a Thomson alloy.
Hope this helps.
BTW - What is your seat post diameter? If it's 30.9 lemme know.
Last edited:
MalvernStar0101
Squid
Thnx for the info, i do have 26 inch rims and I'm not sure if that is big enough, they are a good quality rim. The bike is a malvern star 5.0 xlc or something. Ill just check later on the diameter on the post im just not sure why?
Is also a different seat itself better because I just have the seat that came with it, it is very wide and not very good for racing.
Is also a different seat itself better because I just have the seat that came with it, it is very wide and not very good for racing.
MalvernStar0101
Squid
I do have some padded shorts but I am saving up for some mountain shorts and posibbly shirt.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Cause if it's 30.9mm I may be able to help you out with a carbon post.
MalvernStar0101
Squid
alright ill check for u and get back 2 u tomorrow after my ride up to brokers nose. Is it labelled on the post? or will it be somewhere else?
MalvernStar0101
Squid
Just some photos of my proudfull rig.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Bodin
GMBC
Vibration vs Flex
Vibration damping is more of a necessity for road riders, where carbon "filters out" the high-frequency vibrations of the road surface better than aluminium. This is why I'm happy to have a full-carbon road bike with a carbon post.
Some will argue with me, but I don't think there's as much of this type of vibration in mountainbiking. You're using bigger tyres which absorb more vibration and generally in and out of the saddle much more, so what you're really after on a seatpost for a hardtail is some flex.
Some carbon posts are stupid stiff, which I don't think works that well for MTB hardtails. When you hit a bump, you want it to "give" a bit in order to stop the jolt going straight up in to your coit. So I personally use a lightweight, flexy aluminium post on my hardtail. Was very comfy over 7 hours during this year's Otway Odyssey (which my GPS told me was 91km) and I don't think I would have been any better off with a more expensive carbon post.
You can get KCNC seatposts like mine for a reasonable deal if you look around enough. I was worried about the toughness when I first got it, but it's lasted me for years and many kilometres now. And I'm 80+kg, so I'm no lightweight. Give it a look.
Speaking of cost, you can also find cheap carbon posts, but I tend to be very suspicious of cheap carbon. It's often just an aluminium post wrapped in carbon to make it look good and will basically be crap, so if your heart is set on carbon, make sure you buy something quality like the EC70 posted above.
But for hardtail MTB, I vote lightweight, flexy aluminium. Best mix of cost/weight/comfort in my opinion.
Vibration damping is more of a necessity for road riders, where carbon "filters out" the high-frequency vibrations of the road surface better than aluminium. This is why I'm happy to have a full-carbon road bike with a carbon post.
Some will argue with me, but I don't think there's as much of this type of vibration in mountainbiking. You're using bigger tyres which absorb more vibration and generally in and out of the saddle much more, so what you're really after on a seatpost for a hardtail is some flex.
Some carbon posts are stupid stiff, which I don't think works that well for MTB hardtails. When you hit a bump, you want it to "give" a bit in order to stop the jolt going straight up in to your coit. So I personally use a lightweight, flexy aluminium post on my hardtail. Was very comfy over 7 hours during this year's Otway Odyssey (which my GPS told me was 91km) and I don't think I would have been any better off with a more expensive carbon post.
You can get KCNC seatposts like mine for a reasonable deal if you look around enough. I was worried about the toughness when I first got it, but it's lasted me for years and many kilometres now. And I'm 80+kg, so I'm no lightweight. Give it a look.
Speaking of cost, you can also find cheap carbon posts, but I tend to be very suspicious of cheap carbon. It's often just an aluminium post wrapped in carbon to make it look good and will basically be crap, so if your heart is set on carbon, make sure you buy something quality like the EC70 posted above.
But for hardtail MTB, I vote lightweight, flexy aluminium. Best mix of cost/weight/comfort in my opinion.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
^^^ Great advice. Bodin is so right. He has a lot more experience than me, and his advice is always good.
I went to carbon when I was seeing a lot of tarmac and smooth but chattery gravel roads in Tassie, running about 65psi in semi slicks. And it helped.
But I ended up going for an alloy post over carbon in the long run because of the reasons he states above.
When I moved to NSW I ended up spending about 80% of my riding time on the trails with big tyres at 30psi instead of the tarmac, and on the trail you may not notice the difference.
I went to carbon when I was seeing a lot of tarmac and smooth but chattery gravel roads in Tassie, running about 65psi in semi slicks. And it helped.
But I ended up going for an alloy post over carbon in the long run because of the reasons he states above.
When I moved to NSW I ended up spending about 80% of my riding time on the trails with big tyres at 30psi instead of the tarmac, and on the trail you may not notice the difference.
MalvernStar0101
Squid
alright cool, just came back froma ride up towards brokers nose, it killed me. Came back down on the DH trail and fell off 3 times. By then i just walked the rest down.
MalvernStar0101
Squid
Ill have a check with my post 2, and wat he was saying about cheap carbonj, I found that will one of the mounatin bikes i was interested in, it was full carbon, seat and frame and was 1700. It seems like a real good deal but my dad just said if anything its shit quality and it would by very brittle and possibly dangerous to ride on trails. Im still interest in a post, maybe carbon cause im guessing the one u showed me was a good quality.
MalvernStar0101
Squid
found it!
I says 30.8mm
I says 30.8mm
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Check your PM's
MalvernStar0101
Squid
?
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Your personal messages (PM's). Just sent you one about a carbon post if you want one.