I often move my saddle down for the car and some terrain. But I have no system fot getting it back to the correct height. As time goes on it gets worse as the wear zone is really long

Can i mark the seat post say with a punch. Or drill a small hole. This doesn’t appeal, but a pen mark won’t last.

Your thougts…..

Is it black?
If so wrap 2 lengths of tape around the shaft, with a small gap inbetween them (say 2mm) where you want the correct height mark to be, then rub the exposed shaft in the gap with T cut or metal polish, should take the black off, leaving the silver aluminium exposed, et voila one height mark. Less invasive than scratching or punching it.

Either tie a piece of string/fishing line to the saddle rail and cut so that it just touches the top of the seat clamp when your saddel is at the correct height or use one of these:

Fresh Goods

I made a tiny nick with a file on the side of my Thomson then went over that with marker pen. That was a few years ago, no probs since and I’m a fat biffer.

Is it black?
If so wrap 2 lengths of tape around the shaft, with a small gap inbetween them (say 2mm) where you want the correct height mark to be, then rub the exposed shaft in the gap with T cut or metal polish, should take the black off, leaving the silver aluminium exposed, et voila one height mark. Less invasive than scratching or punching it.

Will this work with the finish on a thomson?

You guys are genuises or geni

whats the plural of genuis

also relieved its knot just me that thought it was an issue

Not keen on putting nicks in metal things that could go up my bottom though, prob ok.
Im lucky I can usually just see the bottom of my post sticking out the seat tube.

Another tip I heard was thread a brake inner up through the gap in the seat clamp so the barrel on the end is trapped behind the bolt/QR shaft, then around the saddle rail and clamped back to itself, either with one of those bolts off old brakes with a hole through it with a pinch nut, or an uglier solution, an electrical choc block connector. At full post height the inner is tight.

Does it matter that much?

put a tape measure in the car. and make a note of what it should be. And yes black tape is probably a decent enough way of doing it.

Yes It does seem to matter.I keep setting it to heights I don’t feel comfortable with.

A tape is fine for the car. Less good for a quick blast (mince?) down the 4X course. I think I’m going to try polishing a line

I don’t think tape will work for dropping

mark it with a screwdriver and be done, until you have to do it again.

We have a laser etching machine at work, if you are near Oxford/Reading I can etch a small mark on it for you? Would be nice and neat and would not effective the integrity of the material
email in profile of I can help at all
Cheers Mat

Use a hacksaw and saw a line on the level you want. I would use a saw cutting guide or it will look scruffy.

This is another reason adjustable seatposts are brilliant. At some point you’re going to get one, accept that now and be happy.

I just scratch a mark on the seat post with a screwdriver. Not that I lower might seat for anything but certainly on my chameleon it does slip sometimes.
if the asthetics of such an action bother you, lift the post slightly higher, scratch the post just below the clamp and then slide it back in a bit.

I just use a junior hacksaw and very lightly mark the post. Ive not had one fail in 20 years or so of doing it.

The 2 pieces of tape with a slight gap method works great for me. I use fine sandpaper rather than Tcut to create a neat silver ring on my black seatposts (including my Thomson). Tcut just takes too long to wear through the paint.

Works a treat – seatpost set to correct height in seconds!

I just get my saddle about level with the top of my hip bone

On my last bike (a Cannondale) I used to be very particular about the saddle height. On my current one (Cotic Soul) I move it up and down all the time without even looking at it and strangely enough it doesn’t seem to matter a lot. Occasionally I have to get off and move it up/down a bit but not enough to worry about.

i went with the “two lines of tape, and fine sand paper” version.

i think in a stress test, it would be better than a hacksaw nick, but i dont think a hacksaw nick would a problem.

if i were to go for a hacksaw nick, i would do it on the side, rather than the front or back, as there is less strain that way.

im sorry, but those elastic strap things are ****.

you could get a tattoo on yourself that marks where the level is?

I’ve seen iDave set his saddle height. He leans over with the saddle nestling in his armpit and if his index finger can just touch the crank bolt he know it’s right.

I just scratch a mark on the seat post with a screwdriver.

+1

If you’re gentle, it just scraps a line in the anodising, certainly doesn’t gorge the metal.

I’m always a bit wary of scratching or drilling like this. I used to race Europe dinghies:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL7alkNNbK0[/video]

back when you could still get away with running an aluminium mast instead of a carbon job – so about 18 years ago. One problem with alu masts on the Europe was that, as they were unstayed (ie, no wires to hold the mast up – most singlehanders are unstayed like this) and because of the high loads (Europe dinghies have the same sail area as a Laser for less weight, as well as slightly bonkers arrangements for controlling the sail itself) mast failures tended to be quite a regular occurrence. The failures pretty much inevitably happened at a point where a hole had been drilled into the mast to fit a piece of hardware. Most people ended up keeping drillings to a minimum and using jubilee clips instead – ugly and heavy, but safer.

I’d say the bit of string / fishing line / etc idea is the best one – it’s non-invasive. Also bear in mind you can change the length of the bit of string should you change from one saddle type to another, or from a nice old broken in saddle to a new one with a bit more form.

HTH.

How about using some other part of your bike as a measure?

For example, if ride a hardtail, put dab of paint/nail varnish/tape/etc on the top tube so that you could remove the seatpost then measure it against the top tube, hold it with your thumb then insert to correct height.

Or, don’t want to mark your bike in any way?

Shove a bung up the inside of the seatpost with a length of knotted string/fishing line/whatever so that folded back on itself it gives you the height of the seat. Whip the seatpost out. Measure. Hold with thumb at max insertion point. Insert seatpost. Just let the string dangle.

Or, don’t want to mark your bike in any way?
Shave the inside of your thigh. Put the seat at the right height then put your heel on the pedal and mark the inside of your thigh with an indelible marker at the height of the top of the saddle. If you wanted to make it more permanent you could get your leg tatooed. This method would also be good as a conversation starter in the changing rooms.

I’ll get my coat!

🙂

This is another reason adjustable seatposts are brilliant. At some point you’re going to get one, accept that now and be happy.

Hmm, I like the idea, my saddles up and down like a bloody yo yo on an average ride. I Guess I could cope with the rather large pricetag, I guess I’d be ok with the weight too – tho my bikes are already portly enough – and I’ve put up with the odd bit of shonky componentry in the past.
But…
expensive AND heavy AND unreliable? I’ll pass – for now.

For saddle height I use the markers you normally get etched on the post, once these wear I use permanent marker before each ride.

expensive AND heavy AND unreliable

yes but…

expensive – ok i’ll give you that one

heavy – erm, not really, what’s the weight of a big poo compared to the convenience? unless of course your bike is a sub 22lb whippet machine it really doesn’t make much of a difference.

unreliable – maybe, but mine’s been fine and I dont even wash it, but obviously YRMV

scratch the anodising with a knife.

An uppy downy post would be ace

I’m holding out for reliable and not wildly expensize…..

Nice footage of the moth

I’d like to think my seat post was under less stress than an unstayed mast….