How do I keep my seatpost from slipping?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 53
Bikes: Specialized Langster and Cannondale CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
How do I keep my seatpost from slipping?
I was doing my first track race of the season, the cool ass mike race at encino velodrome. We were seated by flying 200. Coming out of turn 2 my seatpost slips and the nose points severely downward, i finished in 12.1. Throughout the matches it continues to slip. It is annoying me since it already has red loctite on it. The seatpost is one from the langster pro. How can I keep it from slipping because this can't happen at nationals.
#2
aka mattio
Why is there loctite on it? Loctite is mainly for threading. Carbon installation paste would be a much better idea. Also, grease the bolts and torque them to spec. Try that and report back.
I have a Langster Pro. No issues with the post - though I'm a featherweight.
I have a Langster Pro. No issues with the post - though I'm a featherweight.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 261
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I was doing my first track race of the season, the cool ass mike race at encino velodrome. We were seated by flying 200. Coming out of turn 2 my seatpost slips and the nose points severely downward, i finished in 12.1. Throughout the matches it continues to slip. It is annoying me since it already has red loctite on it. The seatpost is one from the langster pro. How can I keep it from slipping because this can't happen at nationals.
Park Tool Co. » SAC-2 : SuperGrip? Carbon and Alloy Assembly Compound : Cleaning & Lube
JMR
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 53
Bikes: Specialized Langster and Cannondale CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Specialized Langster Pro. Venge seatpost. It's not the seatpost thats slipping downward its the nose of the saddle that is slipping. The problem is the single bolt holding it is not strong enough.
#6
Elitist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 15,965
Mentioned: 88 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1386 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times
in
77 Posts
I hate those 1-bolt seatposts. I don't know if there is a good solution, but here's something that's worth a try: It's my understanding that the seatpost is reversible. Maybe put it in the forward position then jam your saddle all the way back in the rails, this will decrease the leverage the saddle has which is making it tilt. Hopefully, you can achieve the same setback.
#7
aka mattio
Ah.
Well, in which case, I blame the loctite you put on it - it is supposed to add resistance to threads turning, and may make it hard to tighten adequately!
Disassemble the whole thing, and put carbon installation paste around the whole inner cylinder of the saddle clamp assembly.
Remove the loctite from the threads of the bolt. Replace with honest, old-fashioned grease.
Torque to spec.
Live happily ever after.
Well, in which case, I blame the loctite you put on it - it is supposed to add resistance to threads turning, and may make it hard to tighten adequately!
Disassemble the whole thing, and put carbon installation paste around the whole inner cylinder of the saddle clamp assembly.
Remove the loctite from the threads of the bolt. Replace with honest, old-fashioned grease.
Torque to spec.
Live happily ever after.
#8
Senior Member
Red loctite was a mistake. If you can get the bolt out again, find a new bolt and just use grease. Never use anything other than blue loctite if you ever want the bolt to move again.
__________________
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: England, Great Britain
Posts: 260
Bikes: Tarmac/LangsterPro/Epic
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You guys do know that the 'saddle holding part'* of the post is alloy, not carbon?
My Langster Pro slipped once, but after that (when I started tightening it properly), it's been fine. I was too gentle with it as I thought it looked a bit brittle.
*If that thing does have a name, I can't think of it. The closest I can think of is 'saddle clamp'.
My Langster Pro slipped once, but after that (when I started tightening it properly), it's been fine. I was too gentle with it as I thought it looked a bit brittle.
*If that thing does have a name, I can't think of it. The closest I can think of is 'saddle clamp'.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 53
Bikes: Specialized Langster and Cannondale CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I can still tighten the bolt super tight ie 50nm. I will try the carbon paste and flipping it though. Thanks everyone.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 261
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#13
Elitist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 15,965
Mentioned: 88 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1386 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times
in
77 Posts
By the way, this is a known issue with that type of seatpost. I've know the Felt TK1 (older Ritchey) seatposts and the Serenity seatposts to have that problem. I've seen this design tilt under the smallest of riders.
This is why I think Felt went with the 3T seatmast topper.
This is why I think Felt went with the 3T seatmast topper.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 485
Bikes: A little of each
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
2 Posts
Those one piece bolts do require a higher torque than normal (usually 12-16 N*m), but I'm going to venture a guess if it's been torqued up to 50Nm, you'll probably want to replace that bolt. It's also possible that the conical wedge(s) slipping a few times has worn or smoothed down the mating area on the seatpost, which is making problems worse. If your shop is nearby, I would try to get them to warranty the seatpost assembly, and the next go around re-assemble with friction paste on those two surfaces and grease on the bolt threads.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hollywood
Posts: 956
Bikes: Bianchi Pista, Bianchi Vigorelli
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Currently every bike I own is built up with a Thomson post- and it's for a very good reason. There is nothing more annoying than seat post/saddle issues, and once you think they are fixed its always in the back of your head that it still is going to happen.. And it probably will.
i wish more companies used standard post on track frames
i wish more companies used standard post on track frames
#16
Elitist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 15,965
Mentioned: 88 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1386 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times
in
77 Posts
Currently every bike I own is built up with a Thomson post- and it's for a very good reason. There is nothing more annoying than seat post/saddle issues, and once you think they are fixed its always in the back of your head that it still is going to happen.. And it probably will.
i wish more companies used standard post on track frames
i wish more companies used standard post on track frames
It pains me to see that Dolan went away from this with the DF4.
#17
Senior Member
The Dolan seatpost has a clamp based on the Thompson design. It is two bolts in a rocker pattern and doesn't rely on friction in any way. Since I got my Dolan Forza (similar seatpost as the new DF4 and identical clamp), I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the seatpost interface and the clamp. It is extremely well thought out. After two track sessions, no signs of slipping at all.
__________________
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
#18
Elitist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 15,965
Mentioned: 88 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1386 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times
in
77 Posts
The Dolan seatpost has a clamp based on the Thompson design. It is two bolts in a rocker pattern and doesn't rely on friction in any way. Since I got my Dolan Forza (similar seatpost as the new DF4 and identical clamp), I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the seatpost interface and the clamp. It is extremely well thought out. After two track sessions, no signs of slipping at all.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 261
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I know that they tend to work better, but seeing a beautifully shaped, aerodynamic track frame with a standard round seatpost just breaks my heart.
JMR
JMR
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: South Africa
Posts: 429
Bikes: S-1 :-D
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Are you sure you are actually tightening the bolt to that enormous torque,? Maybe the torque you are applying to the bolt is possibly still not actually moving/ tightening it, due to the red loctite? Your torque wrench will show as much torque as you apply..
Last edited by Velocirapture; 04-01-14 at 12:21 AM.
#21
aka mattio
that's why we use grease on bolts. when there's a greased interface it allows pieces to move against each other, which lets them get tight enough to hold.