Some education please: What seat post is easiest to micro-adjust?

[RWL2222]

Is there a particular seat post clamp that is easiest to fine adjust
seat angle, and front-to-back on the rails independently?

I am playing with new road/cross bike setup--including new saddles, etc. With my current seat posts, it's hard to make tiny, incremental changes--very hit or miss.

For example, this one looks complicated and fiddly

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

Is there a particular seat post clamp that is easiest to fine adjust
seat angle, and front-to-back on the rails independently?

I am playing with new road/cross bike setup--including new saddles, etc. With my current seat posts, it's hard to make tiny, incremental changes--very hit or miss.

to my knowledge,, the only post that offers independent tilt and fore/aft adjust is the Moots cinch.

short of that, then my go to would be a thomson since the cradle has markings on it so you can exactly reference the tilt change from a previous setting. you would use the saddle rail markings to reference the fore-aft.

if the saddle has no markings, put a piece of tape on the rails where they touch the clamp so you have reference point.

for me, there is no tilt. If Arione CX is flat/level it disappears.

[Ken Robb]

Yep, a Thomson will probably work and they are easy to find. A Salsa is another possibility along with some Nitto models.

[R3awak3n]

Nitto s83. 2 bolts, beautiful seatpost too. I am convinced that nitto makes the best products in the world now, functional, beautiful, still made in japan in the same factory but skilled workers and actually not that expensive. I am now a fanboy. But yeah the s83 is probably the best seatpost in the world and soooo easy to micro adjust its worth the extra grams.... but yah you want a 2 bolt seatpost.

[jkbrwn]

The eriksen sweet post I have does this. Top tip. Buy a really really beat up one on ebay and send it to Bingham. They'll restore it for you for $40 and it'll be like a brand new post.

[Mark McM]

Two bolt saddle clamps usually provide easy tilt adjustment. Some replace one of the bolts with a knob, which makes it easier to control tilt. For example, the Cyrano Fizik:



Forward-rear adjustment is also easy to control by simply sliding the saddle rails in the clamp cradle. Many saddles have position marks printed on the rails to keep track of fore-aft saddle position in the rails.

[dave thompson]

IMO the Salsa Shaft seatpost is the best for adjustments. The fore/aft and tilt adjustments are completely independent from each other and each can be adjusted without affecting the other. The only tools needed for adjusting are a 5mm and 6mm hex. A multi-tool works great.

It’s the only bike component I hoard.

[572cv]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

The eriksen sweet post I have does this. Top tip. Buy a really really beat up one on ebay and send it to Bingham. They'll restore it for you for $40 and it'll be like a brand new post.

The sweetpost is one of the most elegant designs ever. I bought my Eriksen so the bike could match the sweetpost ...

[BdaGhisallo]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Two bolt saddle clamps usually provide easy tilt adjustment. Some replace one of the bolts with a knob, which makes it easier to control tilt. For example, the Cyrano Fizik:



Forward-rear adjustment is also easy to control by simply sliding the saddle rails in the clamp cradle. Many saddles have position marks printed on the rails to keep track of fore-aft saddle position in the rails.

I am currently using the Cyrano post after years of using Thomson Elite posts. I needed just a bit more setback than the Thomson offered and longed for a straight post.

Any way, one benefit with the Thomson clamp over the Cyrano and other two bolt, fore-aft clamp designs I have tried, is that you can micro adjust the Thomson when it is fully tightened. By that I mean that when it is fully torqued front and back, you can loosen one bolt a tiny smidge and tighten the other the same smidge to adjust the tilt.

With the Cyrano I can't do that. I have to loosen the rear bolt a few turns before I can get the front bolt to budge. It's not a big deal but it does increase the risk that you might accidently knock it around mid adjustment and mess up the setback.

And while the Cyrano clamp can make the odd creaking noise if you don't really cinch it down well, I have never had a Thomson clamp mechanism make a peep.


And one tip for anyone using the Cyrano. The bolt head on the rear bolt is like butter and after a few adjustments the risk of rounding out the head is quite high. Go and get an M6 x 30mm socket head machine screw from your local hardware store and switch it in. It'll hold up much better if you need to adjust the seat more than a few times over the life of the post.

[TheseGoTo11]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

to my knowledge,, the only post that offers independent tilt and fore/aft adjust is the Moots cinch.

This. And it does it well. It's eye-wateringly expensive, but it works as advertised. Keep an eye out and you can find used ones for much less now and then.

The Eriksen Sweetpost is also really nice (and less expensive) but tilt and fore/aft isn't independently adjustable. Also, the infinite adjustability claim isn't completely accurate, IME. The tilt is limited to where the knurls on the interior of the post line up. Granted, they're very fine and it's likely all but a few will find a setting that works. But for those oddballs really picky about perfect tilt (like me), there is a chance you may not find it on this post.

[cgolvin]

+1 for the Eriksen, but bear in mind they only work with round rails.

(Note: this endorsement from someone at the other end of the 'princess & the pea' spectrum from @TheseGoTo11.)

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

Is there a particular seat post clamp that is easiest to fine adjust
seat angle, and front-to-back on the rails independently?

I am playing with new road/cross bike setup--including new saddles, etc. With my current seat posts, it's hard to make tiny, incremental changes--very hit or miss.

For example, this one looks complicated and fiddly

The Moots cinch post does this exactly.

[SlowPokePete]

Can't go wrong with Thomson.

SPP

[Peter P.]

Another vote for the Salsa Shaft but unfortunately they are no longer available.
Tilt and fore/aft are independently adjustable.

I have two, nyah nyah!

Among other two bolt setback posts, I recommend the Zipp Service Course. I have one on a road bike (only because I couldn't get a Salsa Shaft!). The bolts have easy access from the underside with a 5mm allen wrench. I loosen the rear bolt, and either slide it on the rails or, to adjust the tilt, tweak the front bolt, then tighten the rear bolt.

The seatpost also comes with an angle scale on the drive side of the post.

[slowgoing]

Great thread!