Creaking Saddle…

I have a Specialized Phenom Expert saddle on my bike and while it is extremely comfortable it suffers from the most annoying creaking.

It seems that the paint on the rails is flaking off where the seatpost clamp grips the rails and this is allowing some slight movement and thus creaking. The way the clamp grips the rails and the place where the paint is flaking suggests that the load is concentrated at ether end of the clamp so rather than the rail fitting snugly along the curved clamp it is in fact sitting on the edges fore and aft. I have contacted Spesh and they are sending a replacement but I am not convinced it is going to be any better. The seatpost is this one in 31.6mm –  Deda Zero100 Seatpost | Seat Posts | Wiggle (it’s doubled in price since I bought mine mind you 😲)

So, a couple of questions…

Anyone care to recommend a seatpost with a better clamping system that will distribute the clamping load along the whole clamp?

If I switch to a Phenom saddle with carbon rails (no paint to flake off) what seatpost can I use to clamp the oversized 7 x 9 rails? Will my existing one work?

The Giant seat post clamp is unusual in that it clamps horizontally rather than vertically. This design should distribute the load on the rails. The downside of this is that you need to buy some new components if you switch from 7mm to 9mm X 7mm rails, but these aren’t expensive.

Edit: your first picture didn’t load when I first replied. That seatpost would be fine with carbon rails.

Have you tried…?
1) gently sanding off any flaking paint, and giving everything on the rails and clamp a good clean
2) spraying some light lube (e.g. GT85) into the points where the rails enter the saddle base

These actions have helped me in the past with a couple of very noisy Fabric saddles.

And it’s definitely not where the rails join the main body of the seat?

I’ve had a few that creak there.

Your existing post will work with 7×9 rail as it clamps from the top and bottom. It’s side clamping posts that tend to need different heads.

Personally I always liberally grease saddle rails (or carbon paste if carbon). I know some prefer not to as they think the saddle will slip back, but I’ve never had an issue.

Alternatively, just sand off all the paint before fitting?

And it’s definitely not where the rails join the main body of the seat?

I’ve had a few that creak there

I’d second this.  I has a saddle that used to creak in this area, squirt of WD40 every so often helped.

I also have a Speclalized saddle (Power) with flakey paint on the rails, it doesn’t creak though (hence checking the other areas).  I’ve been meaning to sand the rails for ages just to tidy them up.

I thought the first rule of creaky bikes is that it’s never the first thing you think it is.

So do grease your bolts, lube your rail fixing points etc.

I don’t see any harm in a smear of grease on the saddle rails too.

So it could be where the rails fit into the saddle itself and I haven’t ruled that out.

Sanding is an option but will make it look a bit shabby as I doubt I’ll be able to get all the paint off.

I have tried a bit of GT85 on he rails but it seemed to make it worse hence I suspect the rails. It’s done up to the correct torque too (and I have nipped it up to see if that helps). I get no noise when out of the saddle so again, pretty sure it’s coming from there. I haven’t put GT85 where the rails join the saddle though so will try that.

Sanding rails, I was going to try to mask off the rails and only sand off the section the post clamps to to keep it neater.