LittleGinseng

I'm working on a few projects at the moment. One is a Takara Tri-Series w/ Tange #1 tubes.

The date on the fork is November 1987. I bought the frame which included a 26.6 Laprade seat post and a Hatta bottom bracket.

My question is: Is 26.6 the proper seat post size? I can drop in a 26.8 seat post with a little effort, so both sizes work fine. Thanks!

Fahrenheit531 

Previous Tange1 post discussion:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-diameter.html

Looks like the short answer is calipers.

LittleGinseng

It seems the other short answer is 26.8 or 27.2. I'm gonna go with 26.8, but the caliper answer is good too.😜

Random Tandem

I found the statement above confusing: if a 26.8 seat post "drops in" (i.e., no effort, just gravity), then any smaller size is not the correct size. While a clamp may be able to tighten on a smaller seat post, it distorts the clamp and can lead to clamps that will not allow the proper size of seat post to fit in. On the other hand, if you have to work the too large seat post into the tube, you run the risk of distorting the clamp to be larger (and if the seat post is not actually fitting into the tube perhaps not enough insertion for safety for you and your seat clamp). I always try to find the seat post the is the largest that will fit into the actual seat tube (because most of my bikes have had difficult young lives of neglect and mistreatment by former owners who do not seem troubled by the wrong size seat post), I am always on the lookout for seat clamps that require love and remediation to be matched with their seat post of destiny. I suppose you have to also be concerned with seat tubes that have been reamed out in manufacturing to take a larger size seat post than the lower tube will allow. Good luck finding the perfect match for you bike's seat tube.

-Will

LittleGinseng

My question was specific to members who have or have had Takara bicycles with Tange 1 tubing. This ^ is no help to me. Thank you for the patronizing lecture.