Road Bike Seatpost Guide
Although it can be quite difficult to get excited about a new road bike seatpost, if you are looking to replace or upgrade the seatpost on your road bike - there are a number of different things to be aware of. Although at first glance road bike seatposts may look alike, they can make a big difference in the comfort, ride and performance of your bike.
Road Bike Seatpost Materials
The biggest consideration to make when buying a new seatpost, is what you would like it to be made from. The three main choices are carbon fibre, alloy/aluminium and titanium - all have their own characteristics and advantages.
Aluminium seatpost are lightweight and cheap to buy, but can provide a harsher ride compared to titanium and carbon fibre. As well as being more comfortable than alloy seatposts, titanium seatposts are also lighter than alloy. Carbon fibre seatposts are the ultimate seatposts to choose, they are the lightest and most comfortable seat posts on the market. The downside of carbon fibre seatposts is the cost - being the most expensive of the three material choices.
Bike Seatpost Diameter
The diameter of the seatpost you buy, will be dictated by the diameter of the road bike frame that you have. Typically, modern seatposts are manufactured in a number of different diameters - including 27.2mm, 30.9mm and 31.6mm wide posts.
The wider the post, the harsher and stiffer the ride is - with race bias bikes having a wider seatposts. Comfort and touring road bikes will have a 27.2mm post although different manufacturers and frames have different specifications.
Bike Seatpost Length
One of the most important aspects of any bike seatpost, is the length of the post. Seatposts vary from 280mm in length to 400mm in length - and you need to ensure that you do not ignore the minimum insertion mark on the seatpost. The easiest way to find the right length of seatpost for your bike, is to measure your current seatpost.
Bike Seatpost Ergonomics
Depending upon your riding requirements and preferences, you can purchase seatposts with varying degrees of layback. Layback angles provide a greater distance between the saddle and the bars of the bike, stretching you out into a more aerodynamic position.
Bike Seatpost Colours
Although the colour of the seatpost may be pretty far down the list of important qualities, it does matter to many people. Typical colour schemes include dark colours, although more elaborate designs are out there.
Road Bike Seatposts Online
You can view the complete range of road bike seatposts across our site, with seatposts designed to fit a massive range of road bikes. If you have any questions about the best road bike seatpost for your requirements - please do get in touch and we will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.