Has anyone else experianced the following…..

I’ve had 2 SDG I-Beam Seatposts fail in an identical manner in the past 4 weeks.

These all occured sub zero or near to zero conditions.

One failure occured at the start of a climb the other on a canal path.

The posts split at the rear with the crack running approx 60mm down the post, where the head is bonded into place

The 1st failure was to a 12 month old post which has been well used for XC (never jumped or crashed)

The second bought as a replacement (from a UK internet co and approved dealer by the importer!) has only been used on 4 local XC rides and probably been subject to less than 10hrs use.

One failure I would accept after 12 of continuous usage and some serious mileage…. however a second just seems to indicate a fundamental design flaw

On both occassions i’ve been lucky not to have been injured by the pastry cutteresque remains of the posts (and had to ride about 5 miles without a saddle/post)

(I’ve got photos of both failures and may post them later when i retrieve them from my phone)

I’ve had 2 break like that in the last few months. The first lasted about 3 months, and was replaced by the supplier, the second (the replacement) lasted about a month and is about to be sent back for a refund (fingers crossed). I’ve got 2 others that have lasted a good while though although I did have a saddle snap once which was also replaced foc.

I have had mine fail. Been in contact with silverfish because I dont have a receipt, THEY DID NOT WANT TO KNOW!

He also claimed :

“We see very few warranty returns on the I-Beam seatposts”

So basically they are a bunch of lying ****

I will post them this URL for them to read!

Ah ballbags. Just bought one. 😐

I was going to order a saddle / post combo, I thought the breakage problems with earlier posts had been resolved.

Obviously not, I won’t bother now.

Oops, I’ve got a few

It’s interesting that there’s HISTORY with IBEAM seat posts…….

I’ll be seeking to get a refund on the post and saddle I bought (have receipt) as I don’t fancy risking my life through using this product

I’ll ‘write off’ the remaining saddle I’ve got as like Dave P above I don’t have a receipt for it, as it looks like the attitude of the Importers ‘SILVERFISH’ is V poor and i wouldn’t get any help from them……

now to find a reputable product which i can trust….. Easton……Thomson maybe

Well, after saying i’ve had no problems with my i beam post/saddle, guess what happened on the way home 40 mins ago…..post failed in manner described above, i landed in the road on my arse, sort of sitting position i spose, bike carried on up the road for another ten meters until it hit the curb. A nice chap on a scooter behind me, picked up my bike, asked if i was ok and said it was “quite spectacular!”.

My back is’nt feeling to clever and i’m thinking a little email to silverfish and sdg wont go amiss…..thomson post me thinks…..

This issue does appear to be exactly that…

……….pops out to garage to check his SDG post and thanks the lord he was riding his Thomson during the cold weather.

always been a Thomson fan, but have fitted an SDG I beam and FX as I got it cheap off my mate. i only wanted it as the saddle is ultra comfy 🙁
KAK !

some things are just worth paying more money for – thomson is just one of those things

And my flat mate has just pointed out that i’ve shredded the arse on my shorts…they were on their way out anyway but thats not the point really is it, just hope my back does’nt present a problem…

some things are just worth paying more money for – thomson is just one of those things

True, but if you consider the rrp for the i beam, not much in it really, but after singing its praises, it is, now farking shiite….clearly not strong enough (i’m only a little over 9 stone, but have a history of busting posts and saddle rails).

The spare Easton ea50 post and bell air ti rail are on now, have snapped the bolt on the ea50 post twice already, so guess i need some thing more heavy duty to handle my vast bulk. Two bolts for a start…

i’m only a little over 9 stone, but have a history of busting posts and saddle rails).

I’ve never broken either, I’m 12 stone.

I’ve never broken either, I’m 12 stone.

Yeh wierd aye….One friend of mine has been as much as 19 stone and i’ve known him for 23/4 years or so and he has never ever had this problem, now he just destroys wheels instead, which i’ve never done…

anybody got a photo of the failure?

i’ll see what i can do..beer with me ha ha..

bust

not a great photo but you get the idea

I’ve got Kore I beam posts and SDG saddles. No issues so far (fingers crossed)

smurf

That insert doesn’t look long enough to me.

I’ll post photo’s of both failures later this evening

This exact thing happened to me on Saturday night at Glentress, split just like the photo that naokfreak posted, and it was in the carpark not even out on the trails.

I took it into the hub and the guys in there said they have never seen one do that, I ended up riding the loop with no saddle.

Are these failures carbon or alu posts?

Mine was alu, would never get a carbon one!

I’ve scoured the net for further examples of I-Beam seat post failure and this is the only evidence I can find, I wonder if it is confined to a UK batch.

Well I’ve got a carbon one on order from Alpine, I’m not that worried I’ve seen all types seat post failures both carbon and Alu, it happens.

Considering the thousands of these they must sell worldwide you’d expect to find more evidence on the net.

I’m guessing it was a rogue batch.

Bum. My post was making an ominous creaking sound last time I was out – time to give it a good check over. Rather than bin a perfectly good saddle, I could get a replacement Kore post – are these ok?

Kore posts have far more layback than SDG posts, that may be an issue for you.

I just wanted to clear some things up on the I-Beam seat posts. I have only had 3 seat posts come back for warranty and for some odd reason they are all from the UK for the same problem. I’ve had them analyzed through our manufacturer and the results came back as negative for any flaw in the Alloy. We’ve been making this seat post for a number of years and have only had this problem of late.

All our seat posts must pass CEN Testing Standards in order for us to be able to import the saddle to Europe, so it is very odd for us to see this type of failure. According to the regulations, it must pass a fatigue cycle test of at least 100,000 cycles with the saddle (in this case a metal beam which is offset onto the clamp). I personally have I-Beam’s on all but one bike and have never failed a seat post.

The Micro Ally seat post is even stronger, lighter and more adjustable. We also offer the best warranty in the industry as long as you have your proof of purchase.

Regards,
Chris from SDG

What good is a warranty when your in hospital getting a seatpost removed, I’ll stick with my Thomson thanks.

Nice comfy saddles btw, havent had reason to fault my bel air.

Thanks for taking the time to post on thread Chris, I’m sure you’ll have put some minds at rest (mine at least)

When I’ve had endura and hope stuff go back, they didn’t even ask for proof of purchase, they just sorted the problem; and I keep buying from them. I’m not sure I’d have a seatpost receipt for more than a couple of months of using it.

Chris many thanks for your post, I’m still rather concerned as I had 2 fail in under 1 month both in cold weather conditions

the post which was used on 4 local XC rides is in the post Back to the retailer.

As you’ve only had 3 others fail in a similar manner would you like the other one back for testing and maybe warrantee replacement?

Opps forgot to add the replacement post that broke after 4 weeks was the The Micro Ally seat post which you describe as being even stronger

Well i have a Micro Ally one, and have ridden it several times this week in sub zero temps, and im a bit of a bloater at the minute. All i can say is im loving it, FX saddle is very comfy, and post/saddle combo is silent, unlike my thomson.

Mate broke his last week on a cilly(ish) night ride. It looked like the bonding failed and then the movement caused the top rear or the post tube to split. It took it back to the LBS he got it from and the changed for another one. I’ll tell him about this thread tho’

hmmm, i’m slightly worried about this now…

i have 3 i beam posts – admitidely i’m only using one right now but i planb i plan to use the others again. Can i just ask, the people that have had problems, do you have a history of bending rails etc? I ask as in the 10 years or so i’ve been riding, i’ve never bent a a saddle on anything apart from a jump bike…

oh, and is the new fx saddle really that much more comfey than the old bel air type?

Chris – it is nice to see you replying here, it is appreciated.

However, I have a broken seatpost and the importers or being far from helpful! Reason I mention the importers are that I dont have a receipt. They say they have never heard of it happening and yet there are a (relatively small) number of failures being posted on here.

As a company who seem to be interested in their product are you willing to support a customer without a receipt? I am willing to post the post to you so that you can see in person the failure. I am VERY interested because I replaced it with….another SDG I beam…..

Lyons 1st bike was an Rockhopper in ’87’ with ‘U’ brake on the chainstay since then I’ve had one seatpost break in the early ’90’s a very light USE xc post (a rail carrier cracked and they replaced that out of warantee)

I make that 8 failures just posted on here?