Love riding my hardtail (Soul) but my back does suffer a bit on longer rides, so thinking about getting a decent (Easton CNT) seatpost to absorb some of the trail buzz. Had a titanium seatpost a few years ago, but it had way too much layback so I sold it on.

I need a long (400mm) straight post and was looking at some of the cheaper ones, like FSA carbon posts, but they're too short – so I'm looking at the Easton EC70 – about £80. The price of Ti posts seems to have rocketed over the last few years.

Any comments on the absorption of the Easton, or other, carbon seatposts?

Ta.

These are great posts, strong, compliant and you can move it up and down without it looking tatty in a short while:

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=FKSP006/Van_Nicholas_27.2mm_Titanium_Straight_Seat_Post_with_Zero_Setback

Thanks, bigdugsbaws – it was the layback version of that post I had a few years ago and it was half the price then!!! I did find the clamp a real PITA, and the clamp halves a poor finish; snapped a few saddle rails which is not something that happened before or since.

I've used both the EC90 and EC70's and found them very comfortable and I was using them on stiff ally frames. The saddle rail clamps work perfectly too so no worries there. I did have an FSA carbon seatpost on my On One SS but comparing the finish/workmanship the Eastons are far superior but do cost a lot more.

Stand up more?

got a carbon ec70 post and its been brilliant. no problems with it at all except it sliding down while riding due to being in a carbon frame but a bit of carbon grip and all is good. feels solid and looks smart.

Stand up more?

And how long can you stand up for then, Brant..?!

Thanks all.

Don't buy a cheap FSA one, most of them are alloy posts with a carbon wrap for finishing. The I beam Kore ones are very good, but then again I swapped that to my road bike, and put a regular alloy I beam post in, and haven't suffered because of it, and this is on a Chameleon. Did have a Ti post in a bike for a while, don't really know if it made that much difference.

It's a bit of a placebo anyway, do some core strengthening exercises over the winter would be time better spent I reckon.

I don't think you need to stand up for the whole ride, but certainly a degree of "moving about" and "stretching" and stuff helps. I have only slight experience of endurance riding, but moving on the bike and having a bit of a stretch will help more than a component choice.

That said, I have a ti (Van Nicholas) seatpost on my Blue Pig, which I like a lot (so long as I don't have to change a saddle).

My ti post made by USE snapped cleanly, my EC70 didn't. No ti for me at the moment.

I've just invested in a pricey Ti post to go with my Dialled Prince Albert so far it's been worth the investment, it's 400mm and straight, but added with the more "twangier" as Mike put it with the new 753 tubes makes for a very comfortable ride.

At the moment can't get enough of riding the PA with the Ti post, never ridden carbon but very happy with the ti. It replaced a Yeti ASR 5 that didn't work out and is equally as comfortable as that, and is a better ride.

The GF has a EC70 on her 853 PA and loves it. She says that the HT now doesn't feel too different to her Blur LT2 (?) which I find a little worrying – Maybe we should all ride HT with carbon posts as it apparently feels like a 6" FS 😀

Saying that though she has started to do gnarlier stuff on her HT recently – Friday she cleared the 3x steps of doom drops at lee quarry on the HT (never does it on the FS) and yesterday she perfected a 2.5ft drop to loose rock garden on the HT which she has never attempted on the FS!