Do I need a carbon post for a carbon frame?

[d_douglas]

I have recently decided to venture into the world of carbon frames and am left wondering what contact point parts to use for this bike.

Aside from a very limited budget, I am wondering whether it is necessary to use a carbon seatpost for this frame? Does it defeat the purpose of carbon to use a super stiff aluminum post? Or is it overkill to use a carbon post on top of a carbon frame?

For the bar, I will probably just use aluminum stuff, but I suppose the same question applies here.

It is a super nice carbon frame/fork and I am using a Kium railed Aliante, FYI.-

Any thoughts on this?

[AngryScientist]

nope.

any quality post will do. period.

i challenge anyone to a blind test of carbon seatpost vs a good alu post like thomson to tell me which is which. anyone who tells you they can "feel" the difference is lying to you and themselves.

aside from weight, alu trumps carbon every time, IMO for a seatpost.

[Bob Ross]

(astute & definitive reply snipped for brevity)


/thread

[Joachim]

nope.

any quality post will do. period.



+1. I use both carbon (Enve) and alloy seatposts (Deda, Fizik) and cannot tell the difference. Go alloy..

[BCS]

You will unlikely appreciate any difference in ride quality. The choice is largely based on aesthetics assuming you have the appropriate amount of setback.

[dave thompson]

Aluminum posts on my carbon bikes.

[MattTuck]

I understand that cost is an issue, but if you're gonna go the carbon route... why not go whole hog? (nothing to do with the merits of the alu vs. cf posts)

Not saying that alu is bad, or that you should go with CF. Just wondering, why if you thought so highly of carbon that you'd get a "super nice carbon frame/fork" and then not drop the extra $80 for a carbon post?

Then again... I'd be more inclined to buy a solid post with an attachment mechanism I had confidence in, to avoid pulling a 'Kurt' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIoZ6mT54CQ)

[d_douglas]

I understand that cost is an issue, but if you're gonna go the carbon route... why not go whole hog? (nothing to do with the merits of the alu vs. cf posts)

Not saying that alu is bad, or that you should go with CF. Just wondering, why if you thought so highly of carbon that you'd get a "super nice carbon frame/fork" and then not drop the extra $80 for a carbon post?

Then again... I'd be more inclined to buy a solid post with an attachment mechanism I had confidence in, to avoid pulling a 'Kurt' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIoZ6mT54CQ)



Good feedback, y'all. I like affirmation!

Mr Matt: well, it's a long story and it is not my sole bike, so a) I am strapped for cash to put Edge everything on it and b) I have my 'A' bike already and this one isn't it, YET.

Thirdly, mix n match carbon finishes always look ugly. I am an aesthete.

[FlashUNC]

Not to start a whole carbon vs. alloy debate about bars/seatposts, I do have one personal experience that's steered me away from carbon bars.

Was on a mountain ride with a good friend a few years back, and heading up the steepest part of the first mountain pass, he tips over at about 4 mph while standing. Shears the carbon bars right below the shifter hood, and the only thing left holding on the remaining bits below the shifter is the bar tape. Proceeds to finish the ride with that bit flopping about, more or less on the tops one-handed the rest of the ride.

Not saying allow stuff never breaks, but seeing that kind of impact swore me off carbon bars.

[atanz]

I'm using a Dura Ace 7410 alloy post on my LOOK carbon. imho it looks great when it matches the 7800 group and its lighter than most carbon! its about 180gr with Ti bolts.

[gearguywb]

Either works, but lately I have seen a few different posts (both carbon and aluminum) with broken bolts. No fun. Buy a quality post and handlebar.

[sbparker31]

Not to start a whole carbon vs. alloy debate about bars/seatposts, I do have one personal experience that's steered me away from carbon bars.

Was on a mountain ride with a good friend a few years back, and heading up the steepest part of the first mountain pass, he tips over at about 4 mph while standing. Shears the carbon bars right below the shifter hood, and the only thing left holding on the remaining bits below the shifter is the bar tape. Proceeds to finish the ride with that bit flopping about, more or less on the tops one-handed the rest of the ride.

Not saying allow stuff never breaks, but seeing that kind of impact swore me off carbon bars.

First off, I have two mountain bikes, I will not put carbon on them for the reason stated above. I have seen this happen as well. I dump my bike often enough that good old fashioned alu alloy and (ti on one of the bikes) give a nice feeling of comfort.

This does not apply to road bikes. Carbon or Alu (or Ti) are perfectly fine, in any combination. My road bike is a steel Serotta, and just for consistency sake, I have gone with Ti seatpost, alu stem and alu handlebars. Carbon would have worked just as well, but I can say the bike is all "metal".

On the other hand, I built a road bike for my wife all carbon -- carbon frame, carbon seatpost, carbon stem and carbon handlebars. Works great, and I can say that is the "carbon bike".

Really, it's a big "whatever"

[John M]

The only seatpost that you should use is a Schmolke TLO carbon. Anything less will be an inferior, overweight piece of junk that will make your carbon frame ride like a $20 garage sale Huffy. At 490 euro for a 78 gram seatpost, you and your bike DESERVE it..... ;)

(I have always used Al posts on all my frames, whether they are carbon, Ti, Steel, or Al). Nothing wrong with carbon or Ti, but the best cost/performance value for bars, seatposts, and stems is still aluminum.

[Bradford]

i challenge anyone to a blind test of carbon seatpost vs a good alu post like thomson to tell me which is which. anyone who tells you they can "feel" the difference is lying to you and themselves.
I bought a bike with a carbon post once and was so focused on the other parts of the bike I didn't even notice it was carbon. I certainly could feel the difference and I really didn't like it at all. When I got home I took a look at it and realized that it wasn't black aluminum, it was carbon...I swapped it out for a Thompson that night. It wasn't in my head because I wasn't even thinking about the seat post one way or another.

I'm sure all seat posts are different, and I'm sure rider size is a factor, but for that one data point, it was a very clear difference.

[d_douglas]

Does anyone have opinions on Zipp aluminum bars, stems and posts? I am pretty convinced by this thread to go alu, so the carbon debate is 'over'.

I wish Thomson made a Moots-like curved seatpost and I would have needed to post this question ;)

[djg21]

I have recently decided to venture into the world of carbon frames and am left wondering what contact point parts to use for this bike.

Aside from a very limited budget, I am wondering whether it is necessary to use a carbon seatpost for this frame? Does it defeat the purpose of carbon to use a super stiff aluminum post? Or is it overkill to use a carbon post on top of a carbon frame?

For the bar, I will probably just use aluminum stuff, but I suppose the same question applies here.

It is a super nice carbon frame/fork and I am using a Kium railed Aliante, FYI.-

Any thoughts on this?


I personally think carbon posts are silly, and less reliable. Buy a Thomson. Light and bombproof.

[Don49]

On my Calfee I replaced the Record Carbon post with a Thomson Elite, but it kept slipping. Next I bought a Campy titanium post from this forum and it has been completely solid plus looking good against the clear coated carbon frame.

[djg21]

On my Calfee I replaced the Record Carbon post with a Thomson Elite, but it kept slipping. Next I bought a Campy titanium post from this forum and it has been completely solid plus looking good against the clear coated carbon frame.

It may be too late, but IME, but this frquently can be remedied with carbon assembly paste. I've encountered this problem when trying to use a carbon post in a Ti frame. I use the stuff now instead of grease on the seatposts on all of my bikes, despite the fact that only one is carbon. I've also found the Thomson posts less apt to slip due to the ribbing on their surfaces (no prurient comments please ;) ).

[FixedNotBroken]

Carbon/Aluminum posts..all do the same thing. I honest only ride a carbon post/bars because the matching 3T Team stuff matches my frame perfectly and it looks hot :) other than that..a waste of money :D

[Louis]

Buy a Thomson. Light and bombproof.

Unless you over-torque the two attach screws, which I've done, causing the post to fail. Happily it happened just as rolled out my driveway into the street.

[djg21]

Unless you over-torque the two attach screws, which I've done, causing the post to fail. Happily it happened just as rolled out my driveway into the street.

I'm ham-fisted too. Buy a little torque wrench if you do a decent amount of wrenching. I use the giustaforza. http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5772
I use it all the time.

I've destroyed both a carbon post and a seatpost collar lug on a nice steel frame from overtightening when the post was constantly slipping. On reflection, my operator failure brings to mind the maxim that if you make something idiot proof, someone will make a bigger idiot! Tony Mezzatesta (see the other post) replaced the lug for me, and I swore off carbon posts forever.

[soulspinner]

If you dont need 5 inches of setback how about one of those sexy PMP posts?

[d_douglas]

Those PMPs don't do much for me. Am I the only one?

I don't really like the look of an aluminum head/clamp and just about any 300mm carbon tube jammed on the bottom.

I think they could do alot better :cool:

[oldpotatoe]

I have recently decided to venture into the world of carbon frames and am left wondering what contact point parts to use for this bike.

Aside from a very limited budget, I am wondering whether it is necessary to use a carbon seatpost for this frame? Does it defeat the purpose of carbon to use a super stiff aluminum post? Or is it overkill to use a carbon post on top of a carbon frame?

For the bar, I will probably just use aluminum stuff, but I suppose the same question applies here.

It is a super nice carbon frame/fork and I am using a Kium railed Aliante, FYI.-

Any thoughts on this?


Sorry but carbon seatposts and handlebars make little to no difference in terms of ride quality when compared to aluminum, samo for stems.

Fit, tire size, pressure and type, saddle, those things make a difference, carbon bars, stems and SP really don't.