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For DH, is a Thomson seatpost really necessary?

Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
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I had one on my Sunday and had no issues.... But it's a part rarely used on a DH bike. Would I have issues with a Truvativ Stylo that I can get for $20? It's made of 6061 I think. The Hussefelt is 7075 I think. For a part that's not used that much, is the 7075 a necessity? Thanks.

PS. I got the Saint cranks and they look sweet!
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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No. All you really need is something that won't break in a crash or lose it's height setting (nothing worse than a little spill on a race run and finding that your saddle is now an amateur proctologist). I've never seen an aluminum seatpost disintegrate, so as long as it has a micro adjust head or something similar, you should be fine. I've used a raceface post, funn, and thomson all with the same success.
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
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I use to have this opinion until I went to sit down on my i beam post, and my saddle had fallen off.
Forced metal sodomy is a nice reminder that paying a bit more for a Thomson post is a swell idea.
Now, the places that I cut my budget are not places that may cut my starfish.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

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Aug 25, 2003
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Jeremy R said:
I use to have this opinion until I went to sit down on my i beam post, and my saddle had fallen off.
Forced metal sodomy is a nice reminder that paying a bit more for a Thomson post is a swell idea.
Now, the places that I cut my budget are not places that may cut my starfish.
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We're talking about seatposts, not lessons in monumentally retarded material engineering decisions.

I-beams belong on soft ride suspension bikes. The fun is in seeing which kills you first!

Speaking of light, I've had a woodman on my dirtjumper that I've surprisingly not broken.
 
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kidwoo

kidwoo

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Aug 25, 2003
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jonKranked said:
i-beams are fine.
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I've seen literally everyone I know who bought one of those break them off.

I know they're better than year 1 but 'fine' is relative. They're still unnecessarily sketchy even in their current incarnation which breaks too easily.

Edit: FWIW, I've broken thompsons too. Not 'broken' in the same way as a material fracture but landed on my balls and stripped out one of the brassy barrel things. It's a better method of failure because your seat stays there.
 
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jonKranked

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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kidwoo said:
I've seen literally everyone I know who bought one of those break them off.

I know they're better than year 1 but 'fine' is relative. They're still unnecessarily sketchy even in their current incarnation which breaks too easily.
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i've got 3. none are broken. including the one that was on my bike when i came up short on a step down and landed with all 200lbs of my fat ass on the saddle.
 
IH8Rice

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
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is it necessary? no. but every bike ive ever put together for the past 15+ years has had one. ive broken lots of other brands but never a thomson.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
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Are you guys riding DH or just doing bender hucks like kidwoo and landing on your seat?

I've been running i-beam since 2006 on all my bikes and have yet to break any. I've actually been wishing someone would re-upholster my old i-fly saddles since they don't seem to break but the covers tear after a year or two worth of crashes.

They're lighter and cheaper than Thomson and also much easier to install, I've been quite happy with them personally and most of the guys I ride with have been also.
 
ChrisRobin

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
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Vancouver
I've got a Thomson post only because it as cheap from chainreaction.... otherwise I can't tell the difference from the cheapo posts I've had in the past.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

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MmmBones said:
They are making a pivotal post for DH http://bikethomson.com/pivotal-seatpost/
I have had zero issues with the elite, been through 3 seats and still works as good as new.I have had less than positive results with every other post on my DH bike. Less expensive posts work... but everyone will make fun of you.
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as much as i love the pivotal interface, i'm not sure how viable it is for DH since it offers no fore/aft adjustment.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
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jonKranked said:
as much as i love the pivotal interface, i'm not sure how viable it is for DH since it offers no fore/aft adjustment.
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Coming in 2015: I-Beam Pivotal DH Specific interface that uses an I beam for fore/aft adjustment, combined with the Pivotal style angle adjustment.

:panic:
 
toodles

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,502
4,752
Australia
Those I-beam pics are scary. I've had the opposite experience. Numerous bent rails, broken seat post heads and one seat ripped off the rails. Changed to I-beam setup on the DH bike maybe 5 or 6 years ago and I'm still rocking the same seat without an issue.
 
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