25.4mm Carbon Seatpost – To Aliexpress or not?

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This topic has 18 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 3 days ago by larrydavid.

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25.4mm Carbon Seatpost – To Aliexpress or not?
woodster
Full Member

When you buy a bike and the seatpost has some tape on it to set the height just right it may also be hiding something that once seen can’t be ignored.

It turns out that 2.54mm seatposts aren’t exactly abundant on the used market, so are there any brands/models on Aliexpress that would be recommended for someone with an aversion to getting shards of carbon fibre in the backside?

Cheers

Posted 5 days ago

steve_b77
Free Member

I’ve got Toseek UD carbon posts in both of my CX bikes and they take (well took) a right hammering when racing last year, I’ve also got them in on of the kids CX bikes and he’s less mechanically sympathetic than me, so I’d have absolutely no qualms about using one.

Posted 5 days ago

1

matt_outandabout
Free Member

2.54mm seatposts

Wow, skinny.

There are plenty of 25.4 seatposts new for around £10 in the UK.

I would avoid a Chinese post of unknown quality.

Posted 5 days ago

1

martymac
Full Member

I would avoid a Chinese post of unknown quality.

Regardless of material.

Posted 5 days ago

mrb123
Free Member

The Elita One seatposts on AliExpress are great for the money. Got one and would definitely buy again.

Posted 5 days ago

woodster
Full Member

Thanks all. i want carbon because it’s a light bike and alu might be a touch harsh. No 25.4 Toseeks sadly, but there are Elita Ones and they at least seem to have a brand and therefore a reputation compared to the keyboard-mashed alternatives. Cheap enough that if I buy it and it looks crap then I won’t be too disappointed.

Posted 5 days ago

1

matt_outandabout
Free Member

Thanks all. i want carbon because it’s a light bike and alu might be a touch harsh.

My experience of a cheap carbon post which came on a bike:

– the alu head meant it was heavier than a good alu post of same costs.
– carbon is a lot, lot more rigid in cheap flavour than a good alu post of same costs.

Posted 5 days ago

woodster
Full Member

My experience of a cheap carbon post which came on a bike:

– the alu head meant it was heavier than a good alu post of same costs.
– carbon is a lot, lot more rigid in cheap flavour than a good alu post of same costs.

Fair point, I’d take a used Thomson, but I’m not sure I want to spend nearly 3-figures and there aren’t many other decent options.

Posted 5 days ago

mert
Free Member

How long a seatpost? If it’s a shortish one, get yourself a decent Al one (or Ti if you can find one). The savings to cheap carbon simply aren’t worth it. I’ve got a couple in small dia that both weigh around 180-200g, even a high end carbon (at 3 times the price) was only 80g lighter.

If it’s a long one, i’d still look at decent Al instead of cheap CF. CF tubes in skinny dia with that sort of loading and clamping are not always the most reliable!

Posted 4 days ago

ogden
Free Member

Posted 4 days ago

ogden
Free Member

I would avoid a Chinese post of unknown quality. Regardless of material.

You do know what nearly every oem/generic/own brand western stuff is right….

Posted 4 days ago

cookeaa
Full Member

There are plenty of 25.4 seatposts new for around £10 in the UK.

I would avoid a Chinese post of unknown quality.

They’re essentially the same thing, but one gets posted to you from a UK address 😉

I’ve had cheap Chinese carbon posts last a good while, eventual failure was the aluminium head debonding from the post, but remaining attached such that my saddle would shift a bit side to side, but nothing fell off or stabbed me in the bum hole.

The replacement is a very obvious USE copy (I have two USE posts to compare it to).

I’d not have any qualms about a cheapo carbon post TBH, but don’t expect to be stunned by the finish…

Posted 4 days ago

2

jameso
Full Member

You do know what nearly every oem/generic/own brand western stuff is right….

If it’s branded and if that brand has any sense, they did some testing before selling a random catalogue item to the public. Don’t assume that every item on Aliexpress passes the relevant tests. ‘Buyer beware’.

Posted 4 days ago

Bazz
Full Member

I’ve got a few Aliexpress seatposts now, Elita-one, Toseek and OG-EVKN, all are fine and decent for the money. The Elita one that I have is exactly the same as the Exotic seatposts that I have on another bike.

Posted 4 days ago

Kahurangi
Full Member

I tried a cheap carbon post on the singlespeed (don’t spend much time sat down so thought it could be some economic weight saving).

It was terrible – heavy, poor clamp barely worked, fasteners rusted and was heavier than expected. I had no confidence I wouldn’t end up impaled.

Posted 4 days ago

PJay
Free Member

If you want carbon from a reputable brand, Sigma Sports have some Cannondale ones on sale (not sure how they compare pricewise to others).

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cannondale/HG-Save-Seatpost/T6HM

Posted 4 days ago

finbar
Free Member

Fair point, I’d take a used Thomson

Ironic, because I’d take a Toseek over a Thomson given they are consistently and deliberately undersized

Posted 4 days ago

jkomo
Full Member

From the vid, I’d be worried about the post being under weight though, by more than the stated tolerances, it’s missing some carbon from somewhere.

Posted 3 days ago

larrydavid
Free Member

Cannondale did a 25.4 carbon post for the caad12 and a few other bikes. Might be worth a look

Posted 3 days ago