[Closed] Titanium Seatposts- worth the cost?

I've had stuff from that ebayer before, good service.

But I put a carbon post in my Ti frame, and it certainly gives me the comfort I was after.

In theory it should flex a bit as it is reasonably light.

Personally I hate seatposts with basic clamping arrangements and would save/wait for something nicer in that respect.

Yum

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Cynic-al- is that a basic clamping arrangement? What makes a complex one?8O
Br - that's good to know. Was considering carbon, but I'm not sure I trust myself with it, I'm a clumsy oaf, liable to overtighten it etc..

I'm a big fan, got a Moots a while ago to take the sting out of a surprisingly stiff steel frame.

Compared to the cheap, in line aluminium post I had before, I really noticed a difference (although to qualify, I may or may not have made the switch to tubeless at that point as well, so can't actually vouch for the rigorousness of that conclusion).

I managed to bend it using a cheap clamp which actually bit into the post, but have ran it since without any sign of the bend bending any more, despite have it almost fully extended.

Next move is to replace the decals, chop off the bent bit and 'retire' it to my road bike.

if you buy carbon, buy one of these:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ritchey/5nm-torque-key-for-carbon-bars-and-stems-ec017614?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

Compared to the cheap, in line aluminium post I had before, I really noticed a difference

Is there a significant difference in give between an inline and a layback post?

13thfloormonk- if you were thinking of 'selling' rather than 'retiring' that Moots, I hope you'd think of me 😆

Now off to perv some more on the Erikson Cycles site...

Being very shallow here, a ti frame really does need a ti seatpost. It just looks right. 🙂

My attitude tends to be that the ti is a bike for life so went for one from the frame manufacturer. Was ordered from the States at silly cost but do find the ti to be comfy.

I've got one of those seat posts from ebay - so far very happy with it though I've not had it long.

Eviljoe, apparently there is a difference in give between inline and layback, makes engineering sense at least, but then, there is also 'apparently' more give in steel frames, but I didn't notice any!

Either way, I felt an improvement with the Ti post, and its one of those bits of kit you'll keep hold of because they don't wear out or break (dodgy seatclamps excepted!).

And no, I'm not selling, they're almost twice the price since I bought mine! 8)

Being very shallow here, a ti frame really does need a ti seatpost. It just looks right.

Guilty as charged...

Ive got an Eriksen sweetpost.....on my Eriksen 😉 😛 and it is pretty damn sweet plus i think the minimalist look is best

IIRC titanium seatposts in titanium frames can seize

What would you lube it with then- copperslip?

it is very wise to regularly lube your post on any bike not just Ti but especially Ti....which minds me

but to answer the question anyway yes a Ti post is worth it

I've got a van nic Ti post. Seatclamp's a faff but it's certainly worth it on longer rides with a hardtail.

IIRC titanium seatposts in titanium frames can seize

Most quality Ti frames have either an aluminium or even cf insert so it's not a problem.

Just to voice some heresy, I had a Kent Eriksen sweetpost, now sold.

Very nice to look at on my Ti frame, but at the end of the day it's just there to keep a saddle in the right place and did the job no better (or worse) than a Thomson or other decent post. It certainly made no real world difference to the ride; a couple of psi difference in tyre pressure - possibly caused by different temperatures day-to-day - made as much difference.

So, if you do it, do it for the right reason which is that it looks nice ... which leads you to Kent Eriksen, Moots, Black Sheep etc.

Just playing Devils advocate:

Aesthetically I suppose a Blingy Ti frame “needs” a suitably Blingy Ti or CF seat post.

But Functionally is there any real advantage? If your Ti frame is already supposed to be taking the edge off of the trails, will a fancy post make that much difference?

IIRC I paid the eBay seller £45 for the post which included shipping from Taiwan - no more than an aluminium post....

Most quality Ti frames have either an aluminium or even cf insert so it's not a problem

Really? That's interesting. I would have expected different metals in contact to be more likely to produce galvanic corrosion.

that's what I thought, johnners

But Functionally is there any real advantage? If your Ti frame is already supposed to be taking the edge off of the trails, will a fancy post make that much difference?

I think that's what my original Q was aiming at asking 😀

But Functionally is there any real advantage?

Hell yeah. You wouldn't believe how much they can flex and absorb trail buzz.

hello
The titanium to titanium contact results in a process called
"gauling" apparently?

I bought a Kent seatpost it is lovely, I use it on a steel hardtail makes for a very compliant ride, if you can afford then enjoy it.

"significantly more comfortable ride from it"

Titanium to titanium can be very bad - put titanium in a vacuum and it will bond to itself. Near vacuum and heat is used to bond aero engine fan blades together.

all you need is some anti-seize like Shimanos or Park tools stuff. I wouldn't use copper slip. Loctite do a heavy use anti seize which is also suitable but hard to get hold of and possibly rebranded by a big bike park manufacturer 😉

"Titanium to titanium can be very bad"
in what way?
"- put titanium in a vacuum and it will bond to itself"
wow, have you done this?
. "Near vacuum and heat is used to bond aero engine fan blades together."
You might be thinking of diffusion bonding (or maybe activated DB) but the bonding surfaces need to be very clean, linished, considerable load to squeeze the two plates together etc and will not happen on a bike.

To prevent galling it is sufficient to use MoS2 on titanium (to prevent bonding is certain areas of the DB fan blade yttrium is used).

Titanium in contact with other metals eg aluminium can result in galvanic corrosion
http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/FAIL-102.html

Yup diffusion bonding. Didn't say it was going to happen to your seat post and frame - unless you ride in space of course so then there is no contamination on the surface! It just goes to show the potential for reaction.

But all it takes is for a bit of scratching from movement/wiggling and you can end up with 2 nice 'clean' contact patches with no oxide layer which can open you up to seizing problems.

Any dissimilar metal use is always the most worrying unless they are close in the galvanic series and aluminium is nearly always going to have problems.

Personally I would spend £5 on a little tube of suitable anti-seize and get a nice titanium post in that frame 🙂

Road bikes are the worst for any kind of seat post/frame seizing as the riders don't mess with the seats like mountain bikers.

oh and carbon should be fine too (you use titanium bolts on carbon fibre parts) but again you need to use something like a carbon assembly paste anyway so either way I would always use something instead of dry contact.

my Eriksen post definitely feels more compliant (comfortable) on a long ride than my Thomson...and it matches the frame so looks ace. The Eriksen saddle rails clamp is by far the easiest/best I've used, although for the price I guess it should be.

Have / had an Airborne Ti post on my Lucky Strike. Definatelys adds to the Ti "feel".

You do need to think about frame size though. If you like the frame to be on the small size, with a lot of post - then you will get more springyness. If you have a larger frame with less post showing, then the effect will be less.

Put a saddle on a seat post and what a difference that makes in comfort.

andyl
sticky titanium in a vacuum
Can you explain what happens in an electron beam welding chamber? in particular when the vacuum is created in the EBW chamber.

Can you explain what happens in an electron beam welding chamber? in particular when the vacuum is created in the EBW chamber

BRING IN THE NERDS! 😀

Enough of the beard stroking nerdyness. 😉

Here's a picture of my Black Sheep Ti post.

Oh and it's in a Black Sheep Ti frame which has an alloy insert and has never shown any sign of seazing even with minimum grease on it. 🙂

[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1279/1412749605_cd2d278182_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1279/1412749605_cd2d278182_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/1412749605/ ]2007_0920newsheep0029[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/stu-b/ ]singlespeedstu[/url], on Flickr

I had a Dean Ti post on my Ti DeKerf. It never got stuck, but it did bend a bit and then it snapped off during an XC race!! Before you ask I am only 72kg.

They did send me a new one but I sold it on, as I did not want a jagged piece of metal up my jacksie. Call me fussy....