gummibear Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Why are so many manufacturers building them into the frames.Are they stiffer than a loose seat post.If a frame is listed at 890gr with intergrated seat post then that means it is closer to 800gr without.
Racer X Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Well one can argue that, beacuse of the 1 piece construction the setup will be stiffer, it also has aerodynamic advantages and looks pretty sweet. The weight factor is also big, no one makes a 90 gram seatpost, so you do save a few grams this way. Great if you have the doh but I don't reckon that it will make you any faster.
rock Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 problem with those designs is that you lose out on owning a Thompson seat post!
swift Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Stiffness, areodynamics and weight are the main reasons for it... Intergrated seat posts are very popular on the monocoque designs now, but 'tube-to-tube' tehcnology seems to be creeping into the market. Allowing frames to be as stiff with less weight...
Christie Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 It looks nice, agreed. Is stiffness something you want in a seat post? A BB & fork see sideways forces, but the seat not nearly as much. In the vertical direction, I would think that softer = better (thats why Look's ISP has a damper included) Some of the weight saved is given up at the seat clamp. The Scott Addict weighs 790 grams (claimed) without the seat clamp. The Ritchey seat clamp weighs 125 grams, so weight saving is not that big. I'm not a fan of ISP's, and it will definitely degrade your ability to sell the frame eventually.Christie2008-02-28 08:00:18
ewep Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 I'm not a fan of ISP's' date=' and it will definitely degrade your ability to sell the frame eventually.[/quote'] Think this is the BIGGEST problem for me.
Mr MacPhisto Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Re sale is not necessarily such a huge problem.1stly you dont buy a bike with selling it to someone else again in mind... But if you cut the seat post at its max limit - you are still given a good 2 - 4 cm play (depending on make) with regards to spacers and moving the saddle up. The initial set up can be a bit tricky, but with lots of measuring its not that bad. I got mine right, on the 1st cut. Cut on the upper most limit and no need for spacers. Got it perfect 1st time. Also if you ever sell the frame you will be selling it to someone of a similar size to you, so if I sell my frame the next buyer can increase the saddle height by a couple of cm's..... Its a personal choice - I really like it and think it looks great.
swift Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 It looks nice' date=' agreed. ? Is stiffness something you want in a seat post??A?BB & fork see sideways forces, but?the seat not nearly as much.?In the vertical direction, I would think that softer = better (thats why Look's ISP has a damper included) ? Some of the weight saved is given up at the seat clamp. The Scott Addict weighs 790 grams (claimed) without the seat clamp. The Ritchey seat clamp weighs 125 grams, so weight saving is not that big. ? I'm not a fan of ISP's,?and it will definitely?degrade?your ability to sell the frame eventually.[/quote'] BH had been doing ISP's for years now, and there is no problem related to re-sale. *Stiffness is improved in the entire frame with the ISP, not the actual seatpost stiffness. The fact of the matter in frames now is stiffness with comfort. Something needs to flex very little and put the power down while allowing you to still get through a 150km day in tha saddle. Aerodynamics - well the bike means very little in fact. Roughly 75-80% of aerodynamic drag is due to the rider and only 20-25% is due to the equipment (bike, wheels, helmet, etc)
GoLefty!! Posted February 29, 2008 Posted February 29, 2008 It looks nice' date=' agreed. Is stiffness something you want in a seat post? A BB & fork see sideways forces, but the seat not nearly as much. In the vertical direction, I would think that softer = better (thats why Look's ISP has a damper included) Some of the weight saved is given up at the seat clamp. The Scott Addict weighs 790 grams (claimed) without the seat clamp. The Ritchey seat clamp weighs 125 grams, so weight saving is not that big. I'm not a fan of ISP's, and it will definitely degrade your ability to sell the frame eventually.[/quote'] Huh???!! Surely you will be selling the ISP frame to someone of similar height, requiring a similar size...! With 2cm of adjustment theres plenty of range of adjustment to cater for small variations in body type.
ShortLegs Posted February 29, 2008 Posted February 29, 2008 I have an ISP as my race bike and my older non-ISP bike as my training/commuting bike (both Giant). The difference between the two is huge since the advances made from the non-ISP to ISP overall are huge in all areas. What I have found is that the ISP bike is a much harsher ride than the other. Both are carbon which does a great job of make the frame stiff while providing some vibration dampening, but the ISP bike transmits a lot more into your backside. As as result a more comfy saddle is a requisite and something like a SLR or Toupe would be unrideable for any extended time or on badly surfaced roads (unless you're a pro with a leather a$$). Also the ISP feel much stiffer when sprinting seated and climbing, but like everything else it'll come down to look/price/opinion.
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