Seatposts

Mountain Bike Seatpost Buyer's Guide

Although not the most exciting component on a mountain bike, modern seatposts can improve the ride of any bike. Whether it be one of the increasingly popular telescoping (height-adjustable) models, a super lightweight aluminum post, a suspension post, or a model with an offset, the effect of a new seatpost on how a bike rides is not to be overlooked.

Types

Seatposts fall into three major categories: suspension posts, telescoping or dropper posts, and traditional aluminum posts.

Suspension Seatposts - As the name suggests, these offer between 1 and 3 inches of travel for the seat. They can greatly improve ride comfort and may be handy for longer rides. Note that they aren't very popular.

Height-Adjustable Seatposts (aka telescoping or dropper posts) - These make it possible to climb efficiently with a high saddle, then, with the flick of a switch, the seat can be dropped to a comfortable descending height. This is done either by a remote mounted on the handlebar or a lever on the seatpost itself.

Traditional Seatposts - The traditional aluminum post provides a stiff platform for a saddle; they are the lightest option and are the choice of most cross-country, downhill, freeride and slopestyle riders.

There are also three clamping systems: the standard dual rail, pivotal and single rail.

Dual Rail Seatposts use one or two bolts to secure the post to the seat's rails and is by far the most common style of seat clamp.

Pivotal Seatposts are a crossover from the world of BMX and are beginning to appear more frequently on slopestyle and dirt jump bikes. This system uses a seat with an integrated bolt that connects vertically into the top of the seatpost.

Single Rail Seatposts use one rail running front to back in the middle of the seat, made of either plastic or carbon fiber, as a clamping surface on the saddle. The required seatpost then clamps on either side of this one rail.

Sizes

Mountain bike seatpost sizing is done in terms of diameter. The diameter of a post is usually etched into it and is measured in millimeters. Post diameters range from 22 to 34.9 mm. Frame manufacturers provide seatpost diameter requirements for their frames on their websites.

Materials

Traditional seatposts are made entirely from aluminum, both the post and clamping mechanism. There are also carbon fiber models with aluminum saddle clamps.

Things To Look For

Choosing a seatpost can be quite simple, as all models serve the same purpose of attaching the seat to your bike while allowing for some adjustability. The first thing to is to be sure to verify the type that suits your riding style and current seat. Next, you need to decide whether or not a telescoping, or "dropper" seatpost is right for you. Posts that can be adjusted on the fly have come a long way recently and are becoming standard issue on many trail and all-mountain bikes. Another thing to look into are seatposts with an offset to place more of your weight over the rear wheel when in a seated position. This can help riders with long torsos get a more comfortable position on their bike. Finally, ensure that seat-tube diameter and seatpost diameter match up.

How Much To Spend

Seatposts range in price between $15 and $480.

The $15-$75 range includes aluminum posts in all three clamping styles. In this range, the higher the price of a post, the lower it's overall weight should be.

Moving up to models between $75 and $200, posts become increasingly lighter thanks to advanced designs, construction techniques, and the use of carbon fiber.

Seatposts costing over $200 are either dropper posts, extremely lightweight carbon fiber designs or models equipped with suspension.

Product Reviews

Before buying, be sure to do your research and read product reviews. Reviews are a great way to find out specifics about a particular model, user impressions, and things to watch out for. After you've purchased a product and had enough time to thoroughly test it, we encourage you to leave a review for other people to see when they are researching bikes and parts on the web.

We hope you've found this information to be helpful. If you have a question that isn't answered in this guide, our mountain bike forums are a great place to get advice from knowledgeable riders. Your local bike shop is also a great resource.