GoatBoy Posted March 24, 2011 Share I have just completed my second ride with my new Ritchey Super Logic seatpost and the thing snapped whilst riding through a rough single track. Is this normal and should a heavy bloke like me (95kg) stay away from the carbon stuff? Views? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAD4 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Yes. I am almost your weight and even though my road bike is full carbon, my seat post and stem are not. My MTB's have no carbon parts either. I don't trust a skinny ass plastic pole under my butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amasendeinja Posted March 24, 2011 Share @Bokseun Being in your fighting weight class I stay far away from all things carbon, especially seatposts and stems. Would consider a carbon frame though... Just imagine now if that fine Superlogic post of yours had ended up in your doet when it broke? Methinks you'd be asking this question from your hospital bed whilst they rebuilt your ass'ole with bits they cut off elsewhere on your body. And they might have sent you home with a parting gift of a colostomy bag too. Getting the picture? I love Ritchey components; well priced, look damn good and perform extremely well. I've got the aluminium WCS seatpost, stem and handlebar (new ones) and have used the same (older ones) for years with no ill-effects... to them or me. Problem with carbon fibre is that whilst it is very light (generally), very strong (generally), when it breaks it does so catastrophically and with no warning. In my books this normally translates to much pain and leaking a lot of red stuff all over the nice clean trail you were riding on moments prior. For big guys like me who are more "float like a stone, and sting like a wombat" than Mohammed Ali's version, I would suggest sticking to things that are beneficiated, melted, rolled, drawn, extruded, etc. into their final form. Things that will at least provide you with some warning when they intend shuffling from their mortal coils. Things like aluminium, steel and best of all (in my books) titanium. Don't be offended, but do some reading in the Clydedale forum on mtbr.com and you'll get some idea of what I mean. If you don't know what a Clydesdale is, google it - but short verion: its a really big, strong, heavy ****off horse with legs like the support posts on the Gautrain viaducts. These are my opinions based on personal preference and experience, so just in case someone is planning on spouting off on the physical properties of carbon fibre vs. all other materials... just forget it bud, I've read it all before and I'm not interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoatBoy Posted March 24, 2011 Share Thanks - appreciate the feedback. I'll stick to the metal seatpost for the time being. Sticking with the weight issue - my racing wheels comprise Stans ZTR rims (29er 32 hole), DT Swiss spokes, American Classic hubs and Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres - Do you think I these too light for my size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoatBoy Posted March 24, 2011 Share I see the Ritchie website states that the seatposts and saddles are designed for max 110kg: http://www.ritcheylogic.com/media/File/4531_Ritchey_Saddle_Postengl_07_V2.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellow Posted March 24, 2011 Share Goatboy... alo bud. sorry to hear about the unfortunate end to your ride today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amasendeinja Posted March 24, 2011 Share Thanks - appreciate the feedback. I'll stick to the metal seatpost for the time being. Sticking with the weight issue - my racing wheels comprise Stans ZTR rims (29er 32 hole), DT Swiss spokes, American Classic hubs and Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres - Do you think I these too light for my size? I can't comment on the ZTR's as I've not used them, but the new Crest rims will likely be my next set of rims I get, and I'm comfortable they'll be fine for me. I'm sure they're fine - a lot to do with how wheel has been built too I'd think. Rest of your wheelset sounds find and I use Ralph's, but only on the back, Rocket Ron on the front. Take the UST ones, not worth the bother with the tubeless ready versions unless you never see a rock on your rides. Another note, it's not just about your weight but how aggressively you ride as well. There are big guys out there who really do just float over the trial and can thus get away with lighter kit. There are also 60kg guys who'll break anything just by how they ride. You're the only one who can answer this question though. If you just hit that rock garden and let the fork and tyre take care of it, vs. smoothly manualling over/through it, then stick to the stronger, heavier stuff. Quote by Tom Ritchey posted countless times on the Hub: Light, Strong, Cheap - pick any two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLuvsMtb Posted March 24, 2011 Share Please put a pic on showing where the seat post broke. I'm 92kg's and have carbon seat posts on both my bikes. Never had an issue. What torque did you tighten the seatpost to? Maybe you've overthightened the clamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoatBoy Posted March 24, 2011 Share Please put a pic on showing where the seat post broke. I'm 92kg's and have carbon seat posts on both my bikes. Never had an issue. What torque did you tighten the seatpost to? Maybe you've overthightened the clamp. Tightened the seatpost with a-key 5mm multitool not torque wrench, but consciously steered clear of too tight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted March 25, 2011 Share Diet maybe ? Seriously, though, what you may think is not over tightening, may indeed be over tightening, if you used just a multi tool. Torque wrench a safer option if you can afford it. Edited March 25, 2011 by headhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAD4 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Thanks - appreciate the feedback. I'll stick to the metal seatpost for the time being. Sticking with the weight issue - my racing wheels comprise Stans ZTR rims (29er 32 hole), DT Swiss spokes, American Classic hubs and Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres - Do you think I these too light for my size? I use 355's on my 26er and have had no hassles. They seem pretty tough to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted March 25, 2011 Share I'm 62kg's and I'll only ride Thompson seatposts and stems.Saving those few grams just isnt worth the risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Earp Posted March 25, 2011 Share I am rather heavy for a cyclist,but not quite near the weight of the OP, I do not ride with carbon seat posts on a mountainbike.I have seen this happen way too often, saying this, the carbon post on the Spesh bikes is actually quite awesome, but then again nowhere near the weight of the Ritchey hre.I use only Ritchey posts lately, the WCS alloy is awesome and I like the one bolt clamp at the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest coenie Posted March 25, 2011 Share I think that it might be a overtight problem, it is very important to torgue the seatpost. I am 95 and have been using a carbon seatpost on Road and mountain bike....even did the epic with carbon... In theory carbon is stronger than alu....search the hub and you will find many broken seatpost like this and handlebars etc that is not carbon. I honestly do not think that carbon is only for lighter people.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kosmonooit Posted March 25, 2011 Share That looks dodge, I would try get a warranty swop out if it was being used within specs. I bought a Ritchey carbon seat post here 2nd hand must say I wasn't impressed with the quality of it, could not tighten the saddle bolts properly. What a piece of rubbish. Fitted a Hope Eternity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Earp Posted March 25, 2011 Share That looks dodge, I would try get a warranty swop out if it was being used within specs. I bought a Ritchey carbon seat post here 2nd hand must say I wasn't impressed with the quality of it, could not tighten the saddle bolts properly. What a piece of rubbish. Fitted a Hope Eternity.And being 2nd. hand might not have been a contributing factor here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now