Got a merlin malt with a seat post which doesn’t like to stay up. Its got a hope QR collar, but unless I tighten it as tight as possible by hand, the post will slip down. Ideally, I’d like to be able to flick it to drop it a bit where necessary, but that’s just not happening.

Am I asking the impossible, or is it worth trying a different collar or something else?

carbon assembly paste should help

but unless I tighten it as tight as possible by hand, the post will slip down.

Sounds about right.

Different collar as the hope ones aren’t the greatest at clamping should we say..
Try carbon assembly paste, it could well help, but not sure if it’ll do enough.
Salsa clamps are great, but as with all qr clamps, make sure it’s lubed properly or it won’t work as it should

I’ll give the carbon paste a go, ta.

As it stands, I’d be easier using a bolt-up collar than the QR.

Only became an issue when I realised dropping the post a bit helped me on tricky steep bits.

Only became an issue when I realised dropping the post a bit helped me on tricky steep bits.

Then get a real dropper post! 😕

JoeG – Member
Only became an issue when I realised dropping the post a bit helped me on tricky steep bits.
Then get a real dropper post!

Ultimately that’s what I’ll probably do, but this was my first build with little experience, and I’m still deciding which bits will stay and which will go. the frame was a cheap one in case it didn’t fit me and I had to replace it. So I wouldn’t be buying a dropper post until I’m certain I’m keeping that frame.

Carbon paste will fix it,though I found too much made it creak worse than my knees.

I had a similar problem and tried different clamps and carbon paste. Neither worked particularly well.

Later I changed the OE post to a Thomson – that slipped too. In the end I bought a Truvativ carbon post, couldn’t be happier – much better than the Thomson in every aspect and never slips. Even with very light clamping force.

I have the same frame and experience the same issue.
After tightening the seat clamp to the point where my weedy hands were almost unable to open it, the problem remained.
Started to suspect that the seatpost (obtained from a friend) might be slightly smaller than 27.2mm, so tried one from another bike (which doesn’t experience slippage) and the situation improved a lot.
Still getting a tiny bit of slippage, so need to try a different seat clamp.
If that doesn’t work, it might be the internal diameter of the seat tube that’s slightly too big.

I’ve got a Rock Lobster 853 that had slippage issues from new.

Had the post and frame measured – slightly loose, but within limits according to my lbs.

Merlin provided a new, custom made Hope clamp and a Thomson post in an attempt to cure the issue, neither of which worked.

Took the bike back half a dozen times, but Merlin said there was nothing wrong.
They test rode it and said they couldn’t replicate the problem, but it still slipped when I used it.
Eventually gave up as they blamed me for not knowing how to do up a qr.
But the post still slipped, even after being tightened by them. 🙂
Carbon paste helped a little but didn’t cure it.

Eventually bought an On-One qr, which solved the problem immediately.

Hope qr’s are appalling:
They don’t work properly, then they break.

zippykona – Member
Carbon paste will fix it,though I found too much made it creak worse than my knees.

Hmmm, carbon assembly poaste definitely stopped mine slipping down, but it creaks now.. very annoyingly.. might try using a little less.