Meek

I like riding closer to the crankset than behind it. If I bike comes with a 25 setback post I put a straight post on them so my saddle sits in the middle of the rails and not slammed forward as it would be on the 25. I just ordered a bike and it has pretty slack geometry and therefore it came with a zero setback straight post, but I have to slam the saddle fully forward and would like to get a post that puts me 25 closer. Because higher end posts are ‘tuned’ I don’t think just flipping a 25 layback one would be optimal. Thanks.

big john

Profile Design Fast Forward Alloy Seatpost [ACFW3D2] at BikeTiresDirect

chaadster

The Paul Tall & Handsome is 26mm setback, if that helps.

Koyote

79pmooney

I believe the Thompson posts can be flipped without issue. I've never owned one (for my bikes, I need a lot of setback) but I seem to recall those Thompsons regularly getting flipped for time trialists. (The Thompson clamp hardware is very good and a joy to own. I have two big setback custom posts with their hardware.)

DaveSSS 

For a road bike, their are no professional fitters who would recommend such a position. I've got a short torso. If I moved that far forward, I'd still need a 130-140mm stem and have too much weight on my hands. Forward seat posts might be used for a TT bike with aero bars, but a dedicated TT bike wouldn't need that either because the STA would be steep.

tomato coupe

It's not about you and your fit. The OP uses a zero-setback post with normal frame geometry (as do many people), and he's looking to get the same position on a frame with slack geometry.

Kontact 

Normal people shouldn't do that either. It causes saddle pressure and weight distribution issues.

As far as posts go, any of the newer posts that have a big loop on the top that the clamping mechanism runs through should be easy to mount backwards. Finding dedicated lean-forward posts might be hard since turning road bikes into triathlon bikes is no longer the fashion.

tomato coupe

Shouldn’t do what? Use a zero-setback post?

Kontact 

Yup. Zero set back plus standard 73-74 degree seat tube angles puts you so far over the pedals that the front of your pelvis has to tilt down into the saddle nose and your weight shifts onto your hands. The road bike position is over a century old and works well. Shifting all your weight forward doesn't accomplish anything positive for most people.

tangerineowl

https://kidsracing.co.uk/collections...at-post-27-2mm

Cheaper alu model available also.

tomato coupe

That depends on the person, doesn't it? Different people may need different seat posts to achieve a proper fit on a bike, just as different people may need different stem lengths, bar height, etc.

Koyote

Could go either way. OP could have very short femurs, or OP could prefer a very wonky fit. But at any rate, I can't see anyone needing -25 degrees of setback even with a very slack STA.

Kontact 

Not really. No one's anatomy is going to allow them to sit really far forward and not have their weight shifted forward as well. Even if you have short femurs, the point of set back is that it puts your hamstrings in a position to support your upper body weight.

There are lots of people who have to ride like that because of back problems or whatever, but it is a compromise position.

tomato coupe

Some people need to use a zero set back seat post to put them in the proper position, not because they want a weight forward position. To claim zero setback will always put you too far forward ignores the fact that people aren't all built the same.

Kontact 

I'm a professional fitter. There is no anatomy that makes your butt far enough back if your seat is forward.

You can call a forward shifted position "proper" if you want to, but there is no way you aren't sitting on the bike entirely different than it is designed if you are sitting on a zero set back seatpost on a road bike with standard seat tube angles. They were designed for mountain bikes, which have different geometry.

theblackbullet

Yes Thomsons can work. May need a longer bolt depending on the saddle angle, but otherwise no issues. I believe they're only 16mm setback though.

tomato coupe

I'm guessing your fitting philosophy falls in the Steve Hogg camp that favors a more rearward seat position. Is that correct?

chaadster

Provided the clamp mechanism allows secure adjustment at the desired angle in the forward, positive offset position, I don’t see why any seatpost couldn’t be reversed. I mean, shifting the center of weight closer to the centerline of the post should reduce leveraging on the post head from the negative offset position. Maybe a carbon post designed to flex for bump compliance might be an exception…

DangerousDanR

From the Thomson website:

Can I flip my set back post around to be a "set forward" to use my road bike for triathlon?Yes you may. You might need to turn the top clamp to face the front of the bike for saddle adjustment.

Kontact 

Not really. Steve Hogg's philosophy is reasonable, but the difference between a Hogg position and any other fitter is unlikely to be anywhere near the 25mm difference between a straight and setback seat post. Road bikes have a certain position, one that uses the BB as a balance point. Tri bikes have a different position, and one that's predicated on a flat lower back and actually leaning on your forearms. You can't mix and match the elements between them, no matter how outside the average your limb lengths are.

Not only is it not ultimately uncomfortable, but the steering geometry of road bikes doesn't work well with forward loads.

Kontact 

Standard set back seat posts usually can't get to that desired angle. The hardware bottoms out.

tomato coupe

Again, no one is advocating extreme forward positions.

chaadster

I dunno what the “standard setback post” is, but there are a whole bunch of clamp designs out there.

Kontact 

For many people, a proper position requires a 25mm setback seat post and the saddle scooted back until it is near the forward limit of the rails. So moving the saddle at least a full inch forward to accommodate a zero set back seat post strikes me as a fairly gross departure, even if it isn't as extreme as current tri positions.

When I'm adjusting someone's saddle set back, I'm making MM changes, not several centimeters.


And, you can always live with more than necessary set back - you just won't be able to lean over as far. Various set back fitting methods are there to find the minimum amount of set back so you can lean over more without falling toward the handlebar. I have one bike that I used a stem that is on the short side, so I just moved the saddle back and it has been very comfortable. The same can't be said about stems that are too long. The road position works by cantilevering the rider's upper body in a way that requires their butt act as a counterbalance.