Creaky post in my Moots

[Matthew]

Recently developed a creaky seatpost in my Compact. Post is an aluminum Ritchey WCS. Started to develop maybe a season or two ago. Pulled it out and lubed it and no issues for months usually. This season I 've had to lube it a few times. Creaked like crazy on my group ride yesterday, lubed it last night and rode today. Quiet for first dozen miles or so and came back. It's kind of frustrating. Love this freaking bike. Got over 21,000 miles on it. Have tried carbon paste too with no luck. Anyone had this issue with their older Moots? Mines a 2009. Has the welded insert of course and doubt it's the culprit. Will remove saddle and clean the rails and put a light coat of grease on them but I really think it's the post. Should I try a carbon post? Any thoughts are appreciated. Matthew

[R3awak3n]

Recently developed a creaky seatpost in my Compact. Post is an aluminum Ritchey WCS. Started to develop maybe a season or two ago. Pulled it out and lubed it and no issues for months usually. This season I 've had to lube it a few times. Creaked like crazy on my group ride yesterday, lubed it last night and rode today. Quiet for first dozen miles or so and came back. It's kind of frustrating. Love this freaking bike. Got over 21,000 miles on it. Have tried carbon paste too with no luck. Anyone had this issue with their older Moots? Mines a 2009. Has the welded insert of course and doubt it's the culprit. Will remove saddle and clean the rails and put a light coat of grease on them but I really think it's the post. Should I try a carbon post? Any thoughts are appreciated. Matthew

could it be something else?

I am having a creaky post or saddle problem too. Greased it and was gone and now its back. Similar to this. My post is carbon though

[dmurphey]

is your seat post very long?, if so then cut it to medium length and it should be quiet. Just my 2 pesos.

[Matthew]

Yeah it's the post and or saddle for sure. Stop pedaling, rock back and forth and it makes the noise. Even unclipped from my pedals. Fizik Arione saddle. Forgot to mention that in my first post. Just seems odd that a post that was quiet for so long would now be creaky but I guess that happens to bars and stems too. Just hope it's not the insert that's welded in by Moots.

[Matthew]

I never cut this post down as the frame is sloping and needs a bit more post length. Could look into doing that. Might be worth a shot. I was thinking maybe a longer post would help but since it has the insert in the frame the bottom portion of the post would not contact anything anyway.

[happycampyer]

In 2009, Moots didn't use inserts. Are you sure it's a 2009 model? I would try a different seatpost. It could be that the seatpost is ever-so-slightly undersized, which is causing it to squeak.

[Matthew]

It has the little weld bead on the seat tube and can feel the sleeve inside the tube. Pretty sure its an insert. Weird thing is the noise didn't appear until years later. Can try a different post.

[Matthew]

Definitely a 2009. Original owner, warranty card etc. Post seems to fit as it should. Snug on insertion but goes in smoothly.

[happycampyer]

Never mind, I was thinking about the newer frames that have a larger seat tube and use an insert to reduce the inside diameter to 27.2mm. You are referring to the fusion welded ti tube at the top of the seat tube. I forgot that that is also referred to as an insert.

[hokoman]

Could it be your bolt? I don't think there is a collar on this year, so maybe pull it out and grease it?

[doomridesout]

Sadly, also check all the welds at the seattube cluster for cracks if nothing else works. Highly unlikely but even good bikes break.

[beeatnik]

Put the thing in dry or use copper paste/anti-seize if you're hyper concerned about galvanic corrosion.

[DRietz]

The Ritchey two-bolt seatposts can be really noisy, in my experience. I would remove it, remove the saddle, then clean and lube all the hardware up top before reassembly. Furthermore, check the saddle - rails can work their way loose in the shell over time, and it might be time to treat your rear to a new one, anyway.

An aluminum seatpost in a titanium frame does not require anti-seize, beeatnik. In fact, neither does a titanium post in a titanium frame. A good waterproof grease will prevent galvanic corrosion in the Al/Ti application and, in combination with attention to torque, galling in the Ti/Ti application. Putting an aluminum seatpost in a titanium frame with no barrier between the metals, on the other hand, IS a great set up for galvanic corrosion.

[phcollard]

As Dan said above it could be the saddle. I had a similar issue with a WCS one bolt seatpost which was driving me nuts. I disassembled the whole thing, put grease wherever I could, still creaking... Then I thought I should try the saddle : I put one drop of Triflow where the rails attach to the shell. Creaking gone!

[oldpotatoe]

In 2009, Moots didn't use inserts. Are you sure it's a 2009 model? I would try a different seatpost. It could be that the seatpost is ever-so-slightly undersized, which is causing it to squeak.

I'd try a different post as well..'Moots post are pretty dern sweet!!

[Matthew]

Thanks folks. Will disassemble the clamping area and lube all of it. Already lubed the binder bolt so that's not it. Will look for cracks etc. If that doesn't work will try a different post. Would love a Moots post Peter, but ain't got that kind of cash!!!

[beeatnik]

An aluminum seatpost in a titanium frame does not require anti-seize, beeatnik. In fact, neither does a titanium post in a titanium frame. A good waterproof grease will prevent galvanic corrosion in the Al/Ti application and, in combination with attention to torque, galling in the Ti/Ti application. Putting an aluminum seatpost in a titanium frame with no barrier between the metals, on the other hand, IS a great set up for galvanic corrosion.

I used carbon paste on 2 Moots with Thomson posts. Both creaked. Dry installation solved the creak and I made sure to periodically pull the posts. My pal used grease on his Thomson and his RSL creaked for months. He must have reinstalled his crankset 3x. He was about to reinstall the headset when it occurred to me to have him check his post. His wrench slathered it in anti-seize and the creak disappeared. In fact, the reason they were going to pull the headset is that they were sure it was installed without copper paste.

[DRietz]

I used carbon paste on 2 Moots with Thomson posts. Both creaked. Dry installation solved the creak and I made sure to periodically pull the posts. My pal used grease on his Thomson and his RSL creaked for months. He must have reinstalled his crankset 3x. He was about to reinstall the headset when it occurred to me to have him check his post. His wrench slathered it in anti-seize and the creak disappeared. In fact, the reason they were going to pull the headset is that they were sure it was installed without copper paste.

Anecdotal evidence related to creaking doesn’t make your previous statement about corrosion factual.

The idea that anti-seize has metal flake in it means that it could act as a space-filler in situations where tolerances are off, solving, albeit probably still temporarily, a creak. So I’ll give you that.

[Matthew]

DRietz was correct!!! Pulled the saddle clamp apart this morning. Grimy and gritty. Cleaned all of it, light coat of Park grease on everything and got out for 25 glorious, creak free miles!!!! Didn't know Ritchey posts may have this issue. Appreciate the heads up and tips from all of you. Now I know what to look for in the future as I have similar two bolt design posts on my other bikes. Love this place. Matthew

[Butch]

In my experience at Moots etc we used a thin layer of grease for all surfaces except small fine threads including binder bolts where anti seize is used. As far as seatpost issues what I found is that Thompson's are often not in spec with what we considered the correct diameter. Many were too small and then they had a time where they over corrected and made some too big. Other posts may vary but the ideal size of the post for a Moots is 27.13 - 27.18 mm and it helps if it is round. the ream of the seattube should be 27.2 and is pretty much impossible to measure except with a go/no-go gauge.
One common place I have found creaks that are Ti related is with Ti stems and Ti headset spacers especially on mountain bikes. Occasionally they need to be pulled apart and apply a thin layer of grease between contact areas.