Late 80s Allez seat post question
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
Late 80s Allez seat post question
I have come into what I believe to be a 1989 Specialized Allez, based on UK catalogs, that came to me from BF member @tricky (Thanks !) . The bike came with a 27.0 seat post but we both believe it is a bit too big as the fit is very tight, my assumption is it probably should be a 26.8 post but I'm wondering if anyone out there has one or a US catalog from 89 that might indicate what the factory spec seat post size is. Thanks
equipped with SunTour GPX components
27.0 is very tight
equipped with SunTour GPX components
27.0 is very tight
Likes For ryansu:
#2
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 327
Bikes: Litespeed, O'Brien, Specialized, Fuji
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
9 Posts
I have an '88 Allez bought new, and it definitely has a 27mm seat post. HFT digital calipers show the post to be a bit oversize, even. The '88 brochure doesn't seem to list the seat post diameter ("Strong, 250mm, alloy")
Likes For Litespeedlouie:
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
Thanks I might see what some brake hone work in the seat tube and a well greased seat post results in.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 1,988
Bikes: ‘87 Marinoni SLX Sports Tourer, ‘79 Miyata 912 by Gugificazione
Mentioned: 166 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 464 Times
in
255 Posts
@ryansu,
I have several 26.8 seatposts you can try. Happy to get together for coffee this weekend for the handoff. Give me a text/call.
@RiddleOfSteel also has an Allez and surely the catalogs. I’ll let him weigh in on this thread.
I have several 26.8 seatposts you can try. Happy to get together for coffee this weekend for the handoff. Give me a text/call.
@RiddleOfSteel also has an Allez and surely the catalogs. I’ll let him weigh in on this thread.
Likes For Dfrost:
#5
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,005 Times
in
984 Posts
I somehow remember my '88 Sirrus having a 27.2mm seatpost, or at least not being inconvenienced by it. I could still be remembering incorrectly. Certainly the carbon Allez had 27.2. My '85 Allez SE, as it was built (likely) by Miyata, sports a 26.8mm seatpost.
Some "xx.x mm" seatposts are larger than they say, and sometimes the frame opening is smaller than it should be, so it looks like that's the case with yours. Good luck!
Some "xx.x mm" seatposts are larger than they say, and sometimes the frame opening is smaller than it should be, so it looks like that's the case with yours. Good luck!
Last edited by RiddleOfSteel; 10-10-19 at 12:39 PM.
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,099
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,296 Times
in
3,632 Posts
Likes For merziac:
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
@ryansu,
I have several 26.8 seatposts you can try. Happy to get together for coffee this weekend for the handoff. Give me a text/call.
@RiddleOfSteel also has an Allez and surely the catalogs. I’ll let him weigh in on this thread.
I have several 26.8 seatposts you can try. Happy to get together for coffee this weekend for the handoff. Give me a text/call.
@RiddleOfSteel also has an Allez and surely the catalogs. I’ll let him weigh in on this thread.
#9
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,930
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26243 Post(s)
Liked 10,227 Times
in
7,097 Posts
...FWIW, a fit that is "very tight" is usually about what I strive to achieve. It's kind of difficult to interpret what that means to different people. But something that slides easily in the seat tube is not my preference in fitting a seat post. I want it to be solid enough against the walls of the seat tube to not require a whole lot of tension on the seatpost bolt/clamp.
And if the 27 marked post is too tight for you at the interface you now have, but still inserts into the seat tube, you're usually better off sanding it down a little than going down to 26.8, which will slide in there nicely, but often end up as too loose a fit.
Clearly, this is only how I do it. I've already been involved on one long and pointless exchange on this topic with another regular contributor. I only offer it as something derived from practical experience.
And if the 27 marked post is too tight for you at the interface you now have, but still inserts into the seat tube, you're usually better off sanding it down a little than going down to 26.8, which will slide in there nicely, but often end up as too loose a fit.
Clearly, this is only how I do it. I've already been involved on one long and pointless exchange on this topic with another regular contributor. I only offer it as something derived from practical experience.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
Did not know about the Miyata connection @RiddleOfSteel that is good to know
@merziac and @nomadmax thanks for the info, since the 27.0 is tight I am pretty sure its not going to be 27.2 kinda odd that they may have changed sizes from one year to the next but what are you going to do?
@merziac and @nomadmax thanks for the info, since the 27.0 is tight I am pretty sure its not going to be 27.2 kinda odd that they may have changed sizes from one year to the next but what are you going to do?
Last edited by ryansu; 10-10-19 at 02:29 PM.
Likes For ryansu:
#11
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,005 Times
in
984 Posts
Dang! Wish mine was, but yearly evolution and change was Specialized in the early to mid '80s. Not like I'm crying about it at present because I was able to snag a gem of a Laprade seatpost and polish it up even further. Now if I could only find a 7-speed freewheel that went to 24T or 26T instead of only 21T...
#12
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,005 Times
in
984 Posts
Did not know about the Miyata connection @RiddleOfSteel that is good to know
@merziac and @nomadmax thanks for the info, since the 27.0 is tight I am pretty sure its not going to be 27.2 kinda odd that they may have changed sizes from one year to the next but what are you going to do?
@merziac and @nomadmax thanks for the info, since the 27.0 is tight I am pretty sure its not going to be 27.2 kinda odd that they may have changed sizes from one year to the next but what are you going to do?
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,099
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,296 Times
in
3,632 Posts
...FWIW, a fit that is "very tight" is usually about what I strive to achieve. It's kind of difficult to interpret what that means to different people. But something that slides easily in the seat tube is not my preference in fitting a seat post. I want it to be solid enough against the walls of the seat tube to not require a whole lot of tension on the seatpost bolt/clamp.
And if the 27 marked post is too tight for you at the interface you now have, but still inserts into the seat tube, you're usually better off sanding it down a little than going down to 26.8, which will slide in there nicely, but often end up as too loose a fit.
Clearly, this is only how I do it. I've already been involved on one long and pointless exchange on this topic with another regular contributor. I only offer it as something derived from practical experience.
And if the 27 marked post is too tight for you at the interface you now have, but still inserts into the seat tube, you're usually better off sanding it down a little than going down to 26.8, which will slide in there nicely, but often end up as too loose a fit.
Clearly, this is only how I do it. I've already been involved on one long and pointless exchange on this topic with another regular contributor. I only offer it as something derived from practical experience.
Snug without sticking is good, most of us lament the crappy Campy seapost binder bolt that breaks and while it is a crappy bolt, they will do their job if the seatube inside is round, free of burrs and snags and correctly sized.
I have had many bikes where the post was too tight and once I cleaned up the inside and got it round, the snug post slides in and out very nicely while being snug and allowing the binder to do it's job with out overtightening.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,872
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2350 Post(s)
Liked 1,727 Times
in
1,179 Posts
As another data point, my '90-ish (?) Sirrus takes a 27.0. I have no idea who built it.
#15
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 327
Bikes: Litespeed, O'Brien, Specialized, Fuji
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
9 Posts
My '88 post (Strong/OEM) measures about 27.05 front to back, but about 27.2 left-right! It varies at various heights. I might remove it tonight and see if it has a size stamped on it.
I removed all the original decals except the chain stay American flag with the script, "designed in the USA" but I recall it said made in Taiwan.
edit: I pulled it, and internal markings are mostly now obliterated by twist marks. I can make out part of the logo and a min. insertion mark, no diameter seen now. By measurement, I would probably call this a 27.2, although it's not very round. Similarly, the seat tube itself is not so uniform, either.
I removed all the original decals except the chain stay American flag with the script, "designed in the USA" but I recall it said made in Taiwan.
edit: I pulled it, and internal markings are mostly now obliterated by twist marks. I can make out part of the logo and a min. insertion mark, no diameter seen now. By measurement, I would probably call this a 27.2, although it's not very round. Similarly, the seat tube itself is not so uniform, either.
Last edited by Litespeedlouie; 10-11-19 at 09:35 PM.
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
I have done some clean up of the seat tube with a brake hone and the 27.0 post, while still tight, does seem to work, that said I am going to take up @Dfrost on his generous offer of a trial 26.8 post just to compare the fit. Its a bit academic as the bike is waiting on a 7 speed cassette spacer which is literally on the slow boat from china then I can mount the 7 speed cassette I just purchased to the 700c 9 spd mavic/ultegra wheels I found for this bike and give it a test run before it gets an overhaul.
Thanks everyone for the info and suggestions!
Thanks everyone for the info and suggestions!
Last edited by ryansu; 10-12-19 at 02:03 PM.
#17
Newbie
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 21
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I have come into what I believe to be a 1989 Specialized Allez, based on UK catalogs, that came to me from BF member @tricky (Thanks !) . The bike came with a 27.0 seat post but we both believe it is a bit too big as the fit is very tight, my assumption is it probably should be a 26.8 post but I'm wondering if anyone out there has one or a US catalog from 89 that might indicate what the factory spec seat post size is. Thanks
equipped with SunTour GPX components
27.0 is very tight
equipped with SunTour GPX components
27.0 is very tight
Likes For mml373:
#18
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,170
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1554 Post(s)
Liked 1,273 Times
in
845 Posts
I usually start by inspecting the clamp ears for symmetry and parallelism, followed by correcting that if needed.
I correct bent-in ears by fitting the post to 1" depth, then leaning rearward on it.
Then, if still tight, I use a half-round file to "probe" the inside of the seat tube looking for any bumps or burrs that the file may catch on. Correcting them usually requires only a few strokes of the file.
I correct bent-in ears by fitting the post to 1" depth, then leaning rearward on it.
Then, if still tight, I use a half-round file to "probe" the inside of the seat tube looking for any bumps or burrs that the file may catch on. Correcting them usually requires only a few strokes of the file.
#19
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,484
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times
in
3,183 Posts
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
I'm late to the game but 27.0 is stock for these bikes. I owned an ;'87 and no changes were made except paint/decals for '88. A lot of these older bikes had the seatposts tightened too tightly, or tightened with non-stock seatposts that were smaller, leading the problem you're having.