A reliable seat post - a guarantee of a comfortable ride

The seat post is a part of a bicycle that acts as a connecting link between the frame and the seat of a two-wheeled vehicle. Depending on the design, the element can be fixed with a bolt or eccentric clamp. The upper part of the seat post contains a lock, which serves as a means for fixing the seat guide.

Materials of manufacture

The seat post can be made of the following materials:

• Aluminum alloys - are now actively used to produce a wide variety of pin models, from the lowest level products to the top products;
• Steel is the simplest option, which can be seen on cheap bicycles;
• Carbon plastic - a strong and light material that is used in the manufacture of seatpads for modern highway and cross-country bicycles ;
• Titanium - an effective solution for the production of structures that are installed on high-level bikes (due to high costs, it often becomes the choice of professional athletes);
• Scandium - an unrivaled, but at the same time, high-strength and lightweight material, from which the seat pins of the highest class are made.

Hard Pin

A typical solution for most bicycles. Presented as a thin-walled pipe with a lock in the upper part. Such seat post has low weight, budget value, durability and reliability. The main disadvantage is the limited functionality.

Integrated pin

It is a monolithic construction connected to the bicycle frame. Most often, the material used is carbon.

Often an integrated seat post is cast once, specifically in accordance with the parameters of the body of the owner of a two-wheeled vehicle. Therefore, this design does not allow you to adjust the height of the landing.

Specific in nature, the technology is designed primarily to ease the bicycle. In operation, functionality and convenience are somewhat affected.

Pin with automatic height adjustment

This solution makes it possible to change the landing directly during the movement of the bike. Adjustment is carried out by means of a special arm or lever located on the steering column of the bicycle.

The adjustable seat post is useful, first of all, to the owners of the downhill bikes, who need a quick change of the saddle position with extreme, high-speed off-road driving.

Seatpost with shock absorber

It is based on the use of a mechanism that provides softening of blows when the cyclist performs jumping tricks and overcoming difficult sections of the trails. A seat post with a shock absorber enables extreme sportsmen to feel more comfortable when traveling.

According to the design, it can be lever or telescopic. The main production material is lightweight aluminum alloys.

Types of locks

The lock is an element of the seat post that serves to connect the upper base of the structure with the seat, adjust its longitudinal displacement and tilt. Can be presented as a separate part, which is suitable for installation on various variants of pins or to make a single unit with a sub-unit.

According to the design features, the locks are divided into the following types:

1. Single-bolt - provide the possibility of a fairly rough adjustment of the seat.
2. Two-bolt - allows you to fine-tune the slope and displacement of the platform for a cyclist landing.
3. Locks of the original design - patented, complex products of individual manufacturers. They differ in specific assembly and functionality.

Service

It would seem that the seat post is a fairly straightforward design. However, the component, as well as other parts of the bicycle, need care and timely maintenance.

Lubricate the seat post is recommended at least once in the off-season. First, the retaining eccentric is loosened or the bolted connection is released. The seat post for the bicycle is released from the frame opening. Later, the old grease is removed and a new one is applied. Before performing the procedure, the surfaces are pre-cleaned of accumulated contaminants.

Finally, the pin is installed back into the bicycle frame. Adjustment of the seat position is made, the eccentric or bolted fastening is securely fixed.

Finally

There are several bicycle components, which should not be saved. These include steering columns, braking systems, fasteners. The seat pin, which plays the role of a vital detail, is not an exception. The latter should be selected depending on the type and purpose of the bike, the riding style, needs, goals and tasks of the owner of the bike. Unexpected damage to the component can cause serious consequences in the form of injury or creating a potentially dangerous situation on the road.