Orbea Press Launch 2016 – Digit seatpost – VIDEO

by 12

Well this was an unexpected surprise.

Instead of a pricey dropper post, on some of their slightly less spendy models Orbea are speccing this really rather nifty seatpost, the Digit.

DSC_0107

Old Trails, New Tools - Singletrack...
Latest Singletrack Videos

Essentially, it’s a normal seatpost with a groove in the back of it. As well as keeping it in line, there are a couple of recessed bolts in there, which you use to limit upper and lower height – as they lock into a plastic tongue which is attached to the seatclamp. The clamp also has a cam action, which tightens and releases with a pleasing ‘snap’.

DSC_0106
Pleasing ‘snap’ not pictured

It looks like it might be pretty easy to drop (and even raise) your seatpost on the fly – of course, Orbea in no way condones this sort of behaviour, but it’s the sort of thing many people without droppers do in any event.

DSC_0108
The demo post came with a cutaway seat tube – it’s potentially completely retro-fittable

If you can’t stretch to a dropper for whatever reason (or you don’t fancy the weight – these are *much* lighter) this could be the way to go. At the moment they’ll only available on Orbea bikes later this year at a diameter of 31.6mm, but I’ll be very surprised indeed if some aftermarket ones in a range of sizes didn’t appear in the future. It’s potentially completely retro-fittable to any frame with a rear-facing clamp. That is, most of them.

Regardless, we really like the idea. We could see this replacing the regular seatpost on a lot people’s bikes in the future.

Barney had a chat in Spain to Orbea Creative Director, the awesome Jordan Hukee, who chatted us through it:

What do you think – is this for you? Let us know in the comments!

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

More posts from Barney

Comments (12)

Leave Reply