And I’m not even very fat… just a bit podgy 😳

I have broken:
1) truvativ thing that came with my ss duster…
2) SLK carbon thingy….! poo!
3) superstar heavy as mud thing!!!

What is it???
What do I need???

when do they break? where do they break – tube or head? same on all of them? How long a post are you running? full suss or hardtail? how many pies per day?

Break just as they leave the frame!
Running 400mm now..
Same on all………

& maybe too many ciders (pies are a rare treat!)

Oh and when.. Last night, flat gravel bit 😳

I’ve yet to break a Thomson

Standard answer = Thomson

Got them on all my bikes, wouldn’t buy anything else. The quality/durability of the finish and availability of spares are further reasons to buy, should you need them.

Edit: Billy beat me to it

just out of interest, do you descend sitting down? ride rough terrain sitting down etc? just wonder if thats whats stressing the posts? how tight do you do the seatpost clamp?

Raceface Atlas is pretty damn strong. Pro Koryak seems to be as well. Haven’t seen many broken Thomsons but I’ve seen a few bent ones.

It’s on my duster ss that I ride in a very flat national park in Hampshire 😳

I am thinking Thomson… unless there is a cheap alternative!!

ps. anyone selling a 27.2 410mm thomson layback for very little 😉

Seatposts & bars are one place I would spend a fair amount of money, especially on something that you would think would just plain ‘ole do the job.

Only broken the post part of a post, and I’m lucky to still have a leg. Must have been damaged on an earlier ride, then it just decided to give way, tough altura baggy shorts saved the day stopping the jaggered section of post from entering my leg.

post was an OE kona post in my marin frame (only thing I could get that was 30.0mm).

Currently use a thomson, race face XY/XYO’s, shimano ultegra (roadie) and misc. Ti post on time trial bike. Though main reason for splashing the cash is not fear of another breakage, but to get posts with clamps that ACTUALLY WORK.

essentially SHIT POSTS ARE SHIT

If its a long post (400mm) and you’re running any kind of layback/setback then it’s no wonder they are breaking. More than likely, the frame is actually too small for you

Try standing up too?

Get a full suspension MTB, you wont have any more broken seatposts.

I’m a complete fat chunker and have never bent a seat post let alone break one. What are you doing to break them?

Sounds like your frame’s too wee, and you need to lay off the pies

Syntace P6 (10 year warranty) http://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=1615

or Thomson

Ok.. could run a 350mm but choose a longer one..
It’s on my ss, so stand up loads..

FS – no need – it’s **** flat! (and sandy!)

rainbow – Member

Get a full suspension MTB, you wont have any more broken seatposts.

Rubbish.

I would tend to agree, if you’re breaking posts you’ve probably either got into a habit of sitting on the saddle too much during large impacts or you have too much layback/too far back a seat positioning on the super extended post (too small a frame).

Seatposts should not break… I think you have just been unlucky and had crap ones.

Back in the early nineties I broke a few until I stumped up the cash for a decent one (Bontrager at that time). Thomson are strong but I have seen a few break.

For a very long and really strong post I reccomend a BlackSpire Shore like this.

I ran one on my tiny 14″ Balfa Minuteman frame, and I’m 6ft… the post outlasted the frame – the post I have is 26.8mm unfortunately.

I have to question the “if your running setback/layback seatpost the frame is probably the wrong size for you” response that seems to be a STW favourite. The Setback/layback of a seatpost should have nothing to do with getting the right distance to the bars, yes people do, do this but it doesn’t automatically mean, when you read they they need a setback post, that they are on the wrong size of bike.

I would like to see these people argue with 99% of the pro road peleton or a very large proportion of the world cup xc racers that they are on the wrong size of bike. Would you tell Jaroslav kulhavy or Abslon or Cadel Evans they they are riding the wrong size of bike?

I run a setback post and the saddle set fairly far back on the rails because I have long femurs and need it far back to be in the right position, and this is no me just deciding this but clearly confirmed by professional bike fitting.

Also as the OP has used 350 post, as the SLK one is, it’s unlikely that he’s too big for the bike, assuming that he did not run it above the max extension line.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhhh sorry for the rant but it really annoys me this stock responce because it make little sense or certainly is not a definite answer you can throw out there with out seeing the guy/girl on the bike or at least the bike it’s self.

As for posts, yup thomson is probably your best bet.

Rob I’m these guys will have something to suit 😉

Thomson for me, I’ve managed to bend every other post I’ve tried but the thomson seems solid.

I’ve bent several posts in the past. I found that the ones that lasted were Thomson, Race Face XY and Syncros (though I have very slightly bent a Thomson).

Blackspire+1

Have you checked the seat tube for burrs or scratches that may be causing the failures.

If I’d broken 3 different brand seatposts, I’d be looking at what is causing the failure before just replacing with another post as that one will probably go too.

Have you looked closely at the damaged posts? Do they all seem to have failed in the same manner?

I would also look at the clamp you are using and the frame.

Maybe you have elongated the seat tube? Maybe you are clamping too tight (try using some fibre grip paste and backing it off) or one thing I am thinking is that the top of your clamp is biting into the post and causing distortion.

As for posts definitely look for the bigger makes and their DH posts eg Easton (Haven, Havoc. Vice), Thomson, Raceface (Atlas) etc. tbh even a cheaper Easton post might be okay as cheaper normally means less optimised so thicker in places which may be better.

An old On-One Twelfty post I used to have had the same ovalised cross-section that Thomsons have, although I have no idea if there are as strong. Might be worth a try as they were cheap as chips.

i agree with Messiah, like him i went through loads of different seat posts and had the same results, but although i never broke one they all ended up shaped like bananas.
i then stumbled across a Blackspire Shore and i’ve never looked back. its super strong albeit a bit weighty and comes in a whopping 490mm length which makes it perfect for my hardtail.
i think it only comes in one size though so you will probably need to use a shim with it.

My bikes have lots of seatpost on show with layback and the saddle way back in it’s rails, have only managed to snap 2, a no name that came with my kona but that still lasted 7years and a lightweight xlite one. Also managed to damage a clamp on a kalloy in a crash (with a car), kinda still works ok but occasionally saddle will end up pointing up/down if you land hard on it.
From experience Easton E(A/C)70 and raceface deus are pretty damn strong, good clamps too.