Poll (just for grins): straight or setback?

[cgolvin]

After a long search for a ti post for my Ottrott, two fell into my lap last week: a straight Moots and a setback Eriksen. I can make the setup work with either and I'm 94.7% certain which I'll go with, but I thought just for fun I'd let the Paceline weigh in with their opinions. Photos below, though in both cases the saddle is a placeholder (kinda like the Italian flag theme with the red Fizik though…).

Moots
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138741971_c8ee4327e0_b.jpg
Eriksen
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138199208_f1ca160c56_b.jpg

[AngryScientist]

oh man 100% on the setback!

[reuben]

The clear water bottle. Definitely the clear.

[thirdgenbird]

oh man 100% on the setback!

But with the all white saddle

[robt57]

Which ever one gives you the right setback you require with the saddle you are using.... :confused::confused:

[cgolvin]

But with the all white saddle

Agreed, hence this (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=254360) thread (like I said, they're both placeholders).
Help a brother out.

[mcteague]

I prefer setback but it’s all about fit. Some saddles, such as SMP, are best setup further forward than other saddles. For them, straight posts seem to work better.

Tim

[paredown]

Generally I prefer setback when I can use one. Straight seatposts migrated from the mountain bike world, and should migrate back.:banana:

[colker]

SEtback because:
1_ every test i have seen rates setback posts as more comfortable than straight.
2_ setback post curve matches seatstay creating a nice visual simmetry on your bike.

[philhan89]

on this bike setback, b/c well, aesthetics.

straight ONLY if your body allows, otherwise setback most of the time because most folks require it for optimum fit/less injury.

[572cv]

I'm a complete sucker for an Eriksen sweetpost with a setback. Done for me. It also fits the sweep of the bike stays. OTOH, the fit is the thing for your riding, so you have to go with the one that gives you the best fit.
But if you keep the sweetpost, you can change the color of the fitting covers easy peasy.
So many options....:)

[fijichf]

Dario Pegoretti quote on VSalon from about 9 years ago...gotta love it. Love your Serotta too.

ciao Enrico,
If I design a geometry for a frame following the old rules, using the experience and knowledge that comes from the past, I will determine the correct seat angle for this frame and the seat will be placed in the middle position of the saddle rails, now if you replace the seatpost with a straight post you cannot find the same correct position relative to bb because the clamp on the seatpost is about 45 mm long and the linear part of rails is about 75 mm, so you can move back and foward with the saddle for +-17 mm, but the classic post have a seatback of 25 mm.

The correct way, if you want to use a straight post, is to change the seat angle to compensate the lack of setback post but at this point is necessary to redesign all the frame geometry. And last thing, maybe someone understand that I do not like the straight post, my eyes refuse to watch them, maybe I'm too old?
d

[jlwdm]

I don't see how you can make both posts work. You need to use the post that puts you in the right place over the cranks. But also the two posts are going to give different effective top tube lengths which mean different stem lengths to be equal.

Use the one that gives you the correct fit - assuming one does.

Jeff

[Louis]

Setback looks better to me, but I'd use the one that puts the saddle clamp closest to the middle of the rails when the saddle fore-aft location is correct for you. Hopefully that's the one with the setback.

[Dino Suegiù]

White seatpost, setback or not, whatever fits you better.

Or, whatever titanium seatpost of those two fits you better, and then a titanium stem.

[vincenz]

I don't like straight posts on drop bar bikes. They belong on MTBs.

If you're riding the right-sized bike, a setback post with your saddle basically centered on the rails should work.

[mhespenheide]

Setback unless the seat tube angle is slack enough that a straight post is proper.

(And personally, I'd go with a Ti stem, a black Flite and black bar tape. But you didn't ask that, so I'll keep my other opinions to myself. ;) )

[happycampyer]

Definitely the Eriksen post. My Ottrott, with a similar paint scheme but with silver accents:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-mcM6qrC/0/XL/i-mcM6qrC-XL.jpg

Although a ti PMP post with a matching finish looks good too:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-V5Dw2pN/0/e98c4c31/XL/i-V5Dw2pN-XL.jpg

[homagesilkhope]

It's a road bike. Setback, full stop.

Lucky for you, both of those posts have setback, the Moots maybe 10mm. So, which ever one serves you best (and best will have the clamp near the middle of the rails).

[weisan]

I prefer the look of Straight.

Set back is already built into my butt, I don't need no stinkin' setback post to do that for me.

[54ny77]

whatever fits you better. both look great. and are great.

but more importantly, pls. remove those big ol' decals from the wheels unless shimano is paying you for advertising.

thank you.

sincerely,

the white & ti ottrott appreciation society

;)

[ColonelJLloyd]

I do not understand why there are so many posts saying "choose the one that gives the right setback" when the OP explicitly said either one will achieve the right setback. Saddle rails don't have a singular clamping spot.

I think they both look pretty good, but the Eriksen is best.

Not really a fan of the white stem even though it pretty much works.

[Louis]

Saddle rails don't have a singular clamping spot.

Perhaps, but aesthetically and structurally they do. A saddle that's slammed either all the way fwd or aft won't look good, and in general the distribution of the bending and shear forces will be better if it isn't at the end. It won't be the end of the world, but middle is better than not.

[Dino Suegiù]

White seatpost, setback or not, whatever fits you better.

Or, whatever titanium seatpost of those two fits you better, and then a titanium stem.

aka:

Definitely the eriksen post. My ottrott, with a similar paint scheme but with silver accents:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-mcm6qrc/0/xl/i-mcm6qrc-xl.jpg

Although a ti pmp post with a matching finish looks good too:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-v5dw2pn/0/e98c4c31/xl/i-v5dw2pn-xl.jpg
https://forums.thepaceline.net/images/icons/icon14.gif

[54ny77]

This is the official benchmark of the White & Ti Ottrott Appreciation Society.

Listen to what he says.

:cool:

Definitely the Eriksen post. My Ottrott, with a similar paint scheme but with silver accents:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-mcM6qrC/0/XL/i-mcM6qrC-XL.jpg

Although a ti PMP post with a matching finish looks good too:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-V5Dw2pN/0/e98c4c31/XL/i-V5Dw2pN-XL.jpg

[geordanh]

Wow no love for the straight post haha. I think nothing looks cooler than a straight post, 10-15cm of drop and a 130-140mm slammed stem.

Straight post all the way.

I run the ti PMP pictured above and that strikes a nice balance. Has the pose of a straight post but gives the perfect amount of setback for me.

Aesthetically, despite the somewhat ugly sloping top tube, I think Cervelo absolutely nailed it with the R5ca. Slacker seat angle mandating a straight post. So clean. gorgeous.

Also that legend ti above is just stunning...

[Alaska Mike]

I’ve moved to straight posts on a lot of my bikes. I like the way they look and fit. YMMV.

That said, given where the saddle is mounted in each picture and the models of the seatposts, I’d say setback.

[weiwentg]

...

That said, given where the saddle is mounted in each picture and the models of the seatposts, I’d say setback.

I was going to say that if both pics have the saddle in the correct position, then with the straight post, it looks a bit odd to have the clamp so far forward on the saddle rails.

Aesthetically, I do prefer straight posts, but all my bikes have straight tubes. Curved tubes would definitely go with a setback post.

[charliedid]

This sounds like a setup.

[Davist]

go with Happy Camper's aesthetic, OP, your bike is a crayon box regardless of post(s).. :)

[rain dogs]

Please clarify:

Are you solely choosing between these two seatposts based on aesthetics and not fit?

[benb]

Really hard to tell on these two seat posts, is the bike set up to fit the same way in both pictures based on where your knee ends up in relation to the pedal spindle? (to compensate for your sitbones ending up in different places on the two saddles.)

I'm not actually crazy about the gently bent Ti seatpost with the setback.

It's kind of ugly the same way a Thomson bent stem is ugly IMO.

But one of these ought to fit more correctly with the saddle more centered.

I think your pictures make it harder to tell by having two different saddles as well.

[cmbicycles]

For the setups you have shown, the saddle is almost slammed all the way back on the straight post, a no go. The setback post has the saddle well balanced in the middle of the rails, as it should be. You have two basic choices, both of them with good outcomes:
1- Use the setback post, as it fits the setup the best
2- Send the setback post to me as it will fit my setup the best.

I didnt say both outcomes were best for you. [emoji14]

[benb]

For the setups you have shown, the saddle is almost slammed all the way back on the straight post, a no go. The setback post has the saddle well balanced in the middle of the rails, as it should be.

This is hard to tell due to the two different models of saddle.. the one he's got on the setback post appears to have a larger adjustment range.

I mostly agree though.

These two saddles are so different.. it's hard for me to believe they both work equally well for the same person.. the bottom one is definitely an Arione of some type, is the top an Aliante?

[mhespenheide]

I'm sorry that my tongue-in-cheek comment appears to have opened the floodgates of other critique.

Guys, Charlie asked for a vote on "setback versus straight", not "what do you think of all of my aesthetic choices".

[cgolvin]

These two saddles are so different.. it's hard for me to believe they both work equally well for the same person.. the bottom one is definitely an Arione of some type, is the top an Aliante?

Bottom is an Antares, top is a Fabric.
As stated, both are placeholders.
I am apparently at the opposite end of the spectrum from the princess and the pea.

[cgolvin]

Well, I should have known that my specific request for aesthetic opinions on a single component would expand to other elements of the build. Y'all are some picky-a$$ MFers and, in general, thanks for your opinions -- now go pound sand. That said, a few random thoughts spurred by your comments:


Happycampyer's build is indeed the ne plus ultra, made even more so by the level top tube. Wish mine had it.

A ti stem would look great but I'm not about to plunk down that coin for a stem, that just seems stupid. Donations invited.

I don't like the DuraAce logos on the wheels either, but I'd much rather spend my time riding my bike than stripping decals. I tend not to notice them when I'm in the saddle.

Ride quality and value trump aesthetics, so I'll live with a great deal on Vittoria Paves, green be damned.

Moots post for sale…most likely on eBay.

Thanks for playing!

[herb5998]

Love the setback, and dig the Pave’s, don’t worry about all the other stuff.

Have the same dilemma with my No22, saddle position can work on straight and setback.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[benb]

Bottom is an Antares, top is a Fabric.
As stated, both are placeholders.
I am apparently at the opposite end of the spectrum from the princess and the pea.

Makes sense.. Antares is wider than an Arione and the Fabric is narrower than an Aliante.

Not nearly the big difference between an Arione & Aliante.

[benb]

Well, I should have known that my specific request for aesthetic opinions on a single component would expand to other elements of the build. Y'all are some picky-a$$ MFers and, in general, thanks for your opinions -- now go pound sand. That said, a few random thoughts spurred by your comments:



LOL this was a poll perfectly formulated to draw out pick-a$$ MFers and it worked. ;)

I am not anywhere near this picky with my own bikes FWIW.

[Marvinlungwitz]

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