Identiti Alloy QR Seat Clamp

Identiti Alloy QR Seat Clamp
Price: £6.99
From: Ison Distribution 01223 213800 www.ison-distribution.com
Tested: 12 months

Are you a saddle dropper? If not, why not? The usual reply is “I can’t ride with my saddle down”. This confuses me greatly. What advantage to bike handling can there possibly be in having a saddle wedged up your crotch?

The problem saddledrophobes have is unlearning their saddle-up habits. Everyone knows the Golden Rule of keeping your weight back on descents. Unfortunately it’s wrong. Well, it’s not wrong (as it clearly helps) but it’s not the act of putting your weight backwards that is helping – it’s putting your weight lower that is helping most.

Getting your weight low by hanging off the back of a fully extended saddle means your weight is far too far back and your arms are locked-out (so you can no longer control the front of your bike), your legs are fairly locked-out as well (so you can’t use them to absorb bumps) and the bike can’t move laterally very far at all.

With the saddle dropped you can lower your centre of gravity whilst remaining in the “heart” of the bike. You can bend your arms (controlling the front). You can bend your legs (softening the rear). You can lean the bike from side to side (for better cornering).

Saddle-dropping is good. Of course it’s possible to ride all kinds of stuff with your saddle up but with the saddle down you can ride steeper, faster, rougher, and just generally more stuff. Don’t pretend you’re not interested in that. You ride mountain bikes after all. So why not just give it a try? Unless riding with a saddle up your jaxi is some sort of reactionary declaration of allegiance to the ways of roadie/XC fascism…?

Oh, by the way if you do want to lose your XC jeyboy shackles and be free(ride) this QR seat clamp from Identiti is a brilliant choice.

Overall: A great seat QR regardless of price tag. For the money it’s absolutely fantastic.
Benji