Bicycle seatposts have started to get the attention that they deserve recently thanks to the never-ending drive to squeeze out ever more marginal gains.
No longer a mere connection between the saddle and the frame, improved seatpost design can aid performance and comfort on the bike.
Most riders won’t give the seatpost a second thought, perhaps only noticing it when they dial in the perfect saddle height. With performance and comfort at stake, we should be paying much more attention to the humble seatpost.
To help get to know the seatpost better, this article puts the seatpost in the spotlight. We’ll look at everything from bicycle seatpost sizes to materials, and even some of the more exotic innovations that have started to creep into the professional peloton and local loops.
What Is A Bicycle Seatpost?
As the name suggests, the seatpost connects the saddle to the bike’s frame.
In conventional seatpost designs, the shaft of the seatpost slips inside the frame, held tight by a seatpost clamp once the correct saddle height has been dialed in.
The rails of the saddle rest on the top of the seatpost allowing the lateral position of the saddle to be adjusted, along with its angle.
In terms of getting the right bike fit for a particular rider, the seatpost is a hugely important component.
Until recently, the vast majority of seatposts had a circular cross-section, but as we will see, seatposts have been undergoing a major redesign in the pursuit of more comfort and performance.
Seatpost Materials
Just like bike frames in general, seatposts are usually either made of carbon or aluminum. You can also find titanium seatposts, although these are far less common.
Carbon is lighter and typically more expensive than its heavier aluminum equivalent. Carbon tends to be favored for high-end road bikes and gravel bikes.
Given that it is a primary contact point with the bike, the material of the seatpost can have a major bearing on the comfort of the ride. A carbon seatpost has more compliance than an aluminum seatpost, which can help dampen out the small imperfections on the road.
Some bikes with aluminum frames still use a carbon seatpost as an easy way to bring a little extra comfort and shave off a few extra grams.
The advantages of carbon seatposts are clear, but they are not so good at holding loads as I found out on a long ride with a heavy saddle bag. Luckily I noticed a creeping problem before a catastrophic failure occurred miles from civilization.
If you are planning to carry loads on your seatpost you would be well advised to opt for something stronger like aluminum or even titanium.
You also need to be extra careful when tightening a clamp on a carbon seatpost, as they’re easier to damage by crushing. The best way is to use a torque wrench and ensure you don’t exceed manufacturer specifications.
Are There Compatibility Issues If Your Seatpost Is A Different Material To Your Frame?
In general, it shouldn’t be a problem to use a seatpost that’s a different material from your bike frame.
This applies across steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium. However, there are still a few points to be aware of.
Firstly, be extra careful of overtightening or crushing, especially when using a carbon seatpost in a metal frame.
Secondly, if either part is carbon fiber, avoid using grease. Grease used between metal and carbon fiber can cause a chemical reaction that fuses the seatpost to the frame, leaving it stuck.
Instead, use carbon assembly paste. This has the added benefit of making it more difficult for the seatpost to slide down, meaning you don’t have to tighten the clamp as far and reducing the chances of crushing damage.
Seatpost Heads
The seatpost head features a clamp that connects to the rails of the saddle. Given the stresses between the saddle and seatpost, the head is typically made of high-strength metal, even if the seatpost shaft is constructed from carbon.
Aside from holding the saddle in place, the seatpost head also controls the saddle angle and its forward and aft position relative to the seatpost.
These adjustments are hugely important during a proper bike fitting as they influence everything from comfort to pedaling efficiency and power transfer to the pedals.
Seatpost Length
The length of most seatposts falls between 300 mm and 400 mm, though you can find some as short as 75 mm.
The amount of seatpost exposed above the frame will come down to the geometry of the frame, the size of the bike, and the saddle height. Mountain bikes tend to have shorter seat tubes, so require longer seatposts to get the saddle to the correct height.
More important than the length of the seatpost is the minimum insertion limit.
This is simply the absolute minimum amount of the seatpost that must remain slotted in the frame to ensure that the post can be held in place and is not acted upon by excessive bending forces.
This limit will be marked on the seatpost itself.
Seatpost Diameter Size Guide (27.2 mm, 30.9 mm, 31.6 mm, and 34.9 mm)
Seatpost diameter is the biggest compatibility issue beginner cyclists run into when trying to replace a seatpost. Thankfully, there is some standardization around seatpost diameter in the bike industry.
In general, narrower seat posts provide a little more compliance and comfort over bumps, and are marginally lighter, while wider seatposts are more rigid, durable, and robust.
27.2 mm Seatposts
Most modern road and gravel bikes are fitted with 27.2 mm seatposts.
Because the exposed seatpost length tends to be shorter on these bike styles, it’s even more important that they’re narrower to provide more compliance.
30.9 mm Seatposts
30.9 mm seatposts are common on mountain bikes but rarely found on road bikes.
31.6 mm Seatposts
31.6 mm was long the standard seatpost size for road bikes, but has now been superseded by 27.2 mm.
It remains common on mountain bikes, and is usually what you’ll find on a vintage steel racing bike too.
34.9 mm Seatposts
34.9 mm seatposts are becoming increasingly popular on modern high-end mountain bikes.
Aside from the extra strength and durability, the wider seatpost provides more space for moving parts in dropper posts (and batteries for wireless systems).
Compatibility Issues Between Different Seatpost Sizes
If you want to fit a seatpost that’s narrower than your frame is designed for, you can use a shim to make it work.
However, there’s no way to fit a seatpost that’s wider than your bike is designed for.
Aero Seatposts (Non-Round)
As road bikes designers increasingly shift their attention from weight to aerodynamics, the humble seatpost has had something of a makeover.
The trend towards a more aerofoil-shaped seatpost that can cut through the air more efficiently than standard round seatposts has been rapid to the point that most high-performance road bikes are fitted with aero seatposts these days.
The tech is impressive, but the proprietary aspect makes aftermarket upgrades increasingly difficult as they don’t stick to standardized shapes or diameters.
The sleek aerofoil shape can also negatively impact the compliance of the seatpost and the overall comfort of the ride.
Even many modern road bikes and gravel bikes that are not focussed on aerodynamics usually have a D-shaped seatpost cross-section that provides better ride compliance.
Another area of recent development has been to have large cut-outs towards the rear of the seatpost to reduce weight and boost compliance using elastomer inserts.
Seatpost Setback Explained
The seatpost setback is the distance between the middle of the seatpost to the point where the saddle is mounted.
Most seatposts, especially on mountain bikes, have a zero offset meaning that the saddle is directly in line with the very center of the seatpost.
The seatpost head on road bikes is typically set a little aft of the seatpost itself. This setback can help with bike fitting and delivering power more efficiently, as well as taking some strain off the hands and wrists.
However, the trend in road cycling recently has been towards moving the rider forward into a position more akin to time-trialing.
This didn’t go unnoticed in the UCI and they quickly implemented the rule that the nose of the saddle must be at least 5 cm behind the center of the bottom bracket if you drew a vertical line.
This rule change propelled the use of short-nosed saddles that still allowed riders to tuck in without coming foul of the UCI.
Dropper Seatposts
Dropper seatposts might seem like a bit of a whacky invention, but they are incredibly useful for mountain biking.
A dropper seatpost can be quickly lowered into the frame using a button mounted on the handlebars, then reset to a pre-determined position.
This makes descending easier since you can move the bike underneath you with more flexibility and ride with a lower center of gravity, without the saddle getting in the way.
The feeling of extra control that comes from a lower center of gravity on a descent makes them a potential great upgrade for the more nervous descenders. I very much include myself in that category.
The benefit isn’t entirely restricted to mountain biking, however.
Following the UCI’s ban of the “supertuck” position, Matej Mohorič found an ingenious workaround by using a dropper post on the descent of the Poggio at Milan-San Remo to get into a more aerodynamic position, effectively sat on the top tube.
Combined with his daredevil descending skills, the dropper post helped him escape to a famous victory. Might we see more road cyclists adopting the dropper seatpost in future?
Suspension Seatposts
Suspension seatposts are a quick fix if you need a bit of extra comfort on the bike but don’t want to compromise too much speed.
Only a few years ago there was a lot of buzz around some of the suspension seatpost designs lining up to battle the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.
In a race where fatigue from fighting the cobbled roads can be the difference between winning and even reaching the famous Roubaix velodrome, extra compliance can make a huge difference.
Suspension seatposts come in two main forms; active and passive.
Active suspension seatposts rely on features like springs and elastomers, the same features that you might find on regular fork suspension systems.
Passive seatpost suspension systems rely more on split-shaft designs that help to dissipate the vibrations.
Active suspension works better but usually comes with a hefty weight penalty compared to more passive systems. There are also arguably more effective ways to gain more comfort on the bike by using wider tires at lower running pressures.
For cyclists covering a lot of miles, suspension seatposts can create more problems than they solve. They’ll make your pedaling less efficient, and the constantly shifting saddle height can increase the risk of injury.
However, for casual cyclists looking for a little extra comfort on bumpy roads, they can be a useful quick fix.
