Seatpost for SMP Saddle
 

I currently have a SMP Well saddle and am going to be testing out a Forma or Dynamic soon as well. SMP has some lengthy rules for the seat post you use with their saddles. I can't post a link to the requirements but basically the seat post needs to be symmetrical where it rests on the rails, it's hard to explain. I'm looking for a seat post that would fit their requirements that is a 2 screw design. My current seat post is a single screw design and I can't adjust the angle as detailed as I'd like to. Also, on my ride this morning the seat post screw got loose and my saddle titled down a lot more than I wanted mid ride. Luckily I was on the trainer so it didn't cause a crash or anything. I don't want the same thing to happen in the future though. Please let me know what seat post you'd suggest or what seat post you use if you use a SMP saddle. Thanks

They just want the jaws that clamp onto the rails to clamp directly opposite of each other on the rail. Apparently some don't. As well you need to make certain that the profile of the grove in the clamp for the rails matches the shape and size of the rails. Carbon rails are sometimes a oval cross-section. So a clamp made for round rails will likely damage oval rails.

So it's possible your current seat post might be all you need.


Pages 10 - 13 as numbered on the pages or pdf pages 6 and 7 are what I think you are asking/talking about....

https://www.sellesmp.com/pub/media/w...ev_2020_01.pdf

Yea that's the document I was referring to. My current seat post isn't quite long enough, it says the clamps should be 32mm, mine aren't quite. Also, the main problem with mine is that it's only one screw and I can't do as fine of angle adjustments as I'd like. It's hard to see close up pictures of a lot seat posts I see online so I can't tell if the jaws will clamp directly opposite or not. SMP's are expensive and I don't want to get a seat post that will damage a new saddle. Hopefully some people use them and have had success with certain seat posts.

Thanks Iride for posting the pdf.

At last I can brag about my 'Arius' seat post, which I've used since 1982 with several saddles, including Selle SMP, with no problems. Here's a photo: https://www.velovilles.com/en/brands...New-Racer.html. It's a(nother) Campagnolo copy.

The name presumably harks back to the Visigoths who ruled Iberia from the withdrawal of Rome until the Muslim conquest and who were followers of Arius, whose ideas were rejected at the Council of Nicea in the year 325. I'm a history buff....

Saddles 'should' tilt up slightly. Dead level, if you must, but any downward tilt and you are not having a quality experience, no matter how much you think you are. There is a phenomenon called the bike parking area at OHSU (Oregon Health Sciences University) where over 1,000 bicycles can be seen at once and it never loses the visceral punch seeing so many different takes on bike fit at once! OMG. Saddles slammed to the top tube, saddles tilted up 45*, down 45*, canted 3* to the right. With the front section sawed away ... the mind boggles. I've digressed. Buy a two bolt seatpost of the right diameter. We can't help you. Although you 'might' have a 27.2mm seat tube inside diameter, you might not. Measure your present seatpost with calipers, and buy a two bolt seatpost. Any two bolt seatpost. You'll be good.

Steve Hogg states that almost all of the SMPs are meant to be ridden with a downward tilt of 2 - 5 degrees. Colby Pearce recommends getting the nose as far down as possible without sliding forward when pedaling with power. Hogg is pretty persuasive; I don't know Colby Pearce ... but my SMP tilts downwards.

If I'm kidding myself about the quality of my experience, well, I've ridden about 4,000 miles on my SMPs with virtually none of the numbness that comes from excess pressure on my pubic nerve. I get pretty numb after about 7 miles on my old Avocet, 12 on a Fizik Aliante, 15 on Brooks Imperial.

Old dogmas don't apply to Selle SMPs.

I’ve been happily using an FSA SLK carbon fiber seatpost for my SMP Dynamic…for almost 10 years. The current design appears unchanged from mine, apart from graphics.

The SLK two-bolt head is secure and easy to adjust as the bolts are outboard of the bike centerline, not inline.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Is it the SL-K SB0, I found that on their website, I can't post a link to it.

How do you have the Dynamic set up as far as tilt angle? I'm demoing the Forma now which seems to be pretty much the same as the Dynamic but without any padding. I haven't been able to find a setup that has the same cradling feeling I got with the Well. I don't know if it's because of the size difference or lack of padding. Thanks

I use the SB20, which is the 20mm set-back post, and while I don’t know if the clamps are the same between the 20 and zero setback posts, the amount of setback depends on how you’re fitting the bike. The SMP

I’ve only ridden the Dynamic, so cannot say much relative to other SMP saddles, but will say that the Dynamic doesn’t seem so heavily padded that there’s any kind of cradling feeling due to squish. It’s a very firm saddle.

I played with saddle position years ago and don’t recall how the position below is called within the SMP world; they’re so swoopy. Is “level” determined by the highest points on the saddle? Dunno, but you can see how it looks:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ce9011a4d.jpeg

Thanks for the info and the pic. My understanding is "level" is the back ramp highest part being level with the front part of the saddle that rises up. Most things I've read is that most people wouldn't want them level but with some angle down like your picture has. That's my understanding at least. It looks similar to how I had my Well Gel set up. The Forma isn't as comfortable in that position but that might be fore/aft changes as well. I've also read the Dynamic is one of the most popular SMP's. I might get one if I can get the Forma setup comfortably, a little padding is probably not a bad thing. Thanks again for the info and pic.

I’ve been using the Smp drakon since 2015 and have been using the Thomson seatpost with it.
I try different saddles, but none can compare with the Smp. I have mine set at 13mm nose down.
I may try a Dynamic, but this Drakon is so comfortable I’m afraid to try a different one.

Do you use a specific Thomson seat post? I was looking at the Thomson Elite which seems like it would work.
My understanding is the Drakon is basically the same as the Dynamic but with a little more padding. I'm curious if I would find the Drakon more comfortable because right now my Well is more comfortable than the Forma I'm trying. Maybe I'd be more comfortable with the extra padding, hard to tell. Might have to demo both and see. Thanks for the post.

Yes I’m using the Elite with no setback and it works just fine. I did try the Dynamic, but it was for a 30 mile ride and it was pretty hard compared to the Drakon. I played around with the tilt and the Drakon is very comfortable. After trying different things I’m thinking about trying out the Dynamic now. The smart thing would probably to stick with what I have now. We’ll see what happens. Lol.

Good looking bike chaad

Thank you, George!

That’s an old pic, and I’ve since moved on to silver bar tape after a years-long struggle trying to keep white bar tape fresh, but other than that, she’s held up well and looks pretty much the same today.

I tried white bar tape once and I had the same problem. It really looks good when clean though.