What’s the best way to mark my seatpost to show ideal height and orientation so I can reset it to the correct high position after having it in a lower position for riding techy sections?

It needs not to rub off with the tube being repetedly inserted into and withdrawn from the frame, both tube and frame are black.

Don’t want to use a centre punch or similar as I don;t want to weaken the post.

I know a dropper could solve this issue but funds won’t allow at present (will be asking Father Christmas nicely though).

I used to use a paint marker pen and drew a line around the post. It wore off after a few weeks but I just re did it as and when.
Glad of droppers now though

On an aluminium post, one centrepunched mark isn’t going to weaken it.

Stand next to the bike and smack your pelvis or hip (or whatever height your saddle is in “ideal position”) with the saddle few times – you’ll remember where it hurts the most… 😆

bit of fishing line between the seat post clamp and the saddle rails, tie it so taught when post at ideal height, then every time you raise the seat just pull it up until the line is taught again, reversible, and no need to mark post, seems a lot of faff though, you could just sand a little mark in the finish of the post?

you could just sand a little mark in the finish of the post

This is what I’ve done. Tape* to protect the clamp/collar then couple of passes round with a fine needle file.

*or not…

Red China marker works for me

I just put sctatches in mine wth a knife

Be careful with centre punching it, i’ve seen pictures on here of where posts have failed right where the centre punch mark is.

Something non destructive would be better.

edit: this thread…

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/could-have-been-curtains-tonight-seat-post-failure

scribe a mark in.

If its anodised black then in the past I’ve masked the ideal height mark off with duct tape and used a very dilute caustic solution to remove the ano. Hopefully this will do less to weaken the post / cause a stress riser than filing it or scribing it etc.
On another bike I just raise it back up to the obvious greasy high tide mark.

run a hacksaw blade across it once.

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

*waves*

matt_outandabout – Member

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

*waves*

*waves as well*

Have marked it with a gentle scriber mark.

Have also put a vertical line so I can get the saddle straight 1st time too 8)

Am I the only one who runs a dropper for the occasional undulating ride, but for normal duties takes it out and puts a standard post in?

I use a dropper for most riding but if I’m doing an ITT or going bikepacking then I swap it out for a standard post.

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

Me.

Am I the only one who runs a dropper for the occasional undulating ride, but for normal duties takes it out and puts a standard post in?

Probably, yes, as I can’t see how that doesn’t defeat the point of a dropper 😕

nope. all my bikes have standard seatposts with saddles fitted ready to replace the dropper and my remote dropped cables clipped in place for easy/fast removal/fitting.

slammed for me is 11 inches lower than climbing height. on long ride up and sledging down days or jumping days I’d rather not have a dropper.

buy a seatpost with a graded marking?

I scratch a mark in the anodising, or use the graded marking, depending on the bike. I rarely move the seatpost though.

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

Me. I had one once and sold it.

I like the fishing line idea

OP I do it by eye, I also find keeping the seat tube clean and lubed means adjusting is easy. My concern with a hole punch would be deforming the post so it no longer sits properly in the seat tube. A scratch would work well I think, that’s a simple suggestion above.

But seriously who isn’t running a dropper

Almost everyone I ride with including me. Absolutely cannot see the value in spending the money. Add to that those that have them seem to spend a lot of time riding with them broken. I rode mostly in places where it’s either xc so saddle doesn’t move or sustained climbs of 20-30 mins at least then descending so saddle up/down or somewhere in the middle for undulating trails. I’m happy to have an excuse to stop at top and bottom of a trail, frankly I need the rest usually.