[Closed] Chinese carbon seatposts on ebay; will I die content

I've had various seatposts and bars over the years and not had any issues. All of them have been direct from alliexpress and from reputable sellers.

All the pics I've seen on here of snapped cheap Chinese (insert part here) would put me off, for the sake of saving a few quid.

But hey, it's your bumhole...

(The emphasis being on cheap, rather than Chinese)

Got a cheapish Chinese Hylix carbon one off t'bay and it's been great so far - well made, ti bolts - I don't have a second bumhole yet.

Well since this thread will be riddled with anecdata in both directions I'll add mine...

[i]The only carbon posts I've ever broken have been genuine expensive branded ones (Easton, USE, Bontrager), the Chinese ones I have have not snapped (yet)[/i]

If you buy from a reputable seller selling their own brand posts (not fake branded ones) then you'll likely be OK, but that's not a guarantee, but then neither is buying posh posts...

ha, found my last similar post from a year ago:

my useless anecdote:

I have snapped* precisely 2 carbon seatposts

1 - A genuine USE Alien in the early 00's
3 - A genuine Bontrager jobbie, last week

*also cracked an Easton one but removed before the chance of bum splinters got too high.

Neither were over tightened or crashed or subject to any kind of excessive force, although both broke slightly above where they were clamped.

I have also got a couple of eBay carbon posts that have not broken (yet) despite one of them having been battered into the ground quite hard during an accidental 'exit through the front door to river' incident during a race last month.

As always, strength and longevity will be down to individual build quality, which may or may not be better on a branded part, *hopefully* decent testing and standards are followed whether generic or banded, but shoddy ones will slip through in both circumstances, but maybe more prevalent in cheaper options, especially if obvious 'fake' items made to look/stickered up as genuine, vs decent but own brand/unbranded.

In short, make your own mind up

There are however plenty of decent Alu posts at decent weights, and decent carbon posts in sales at major retailers so probably a better bet there than random chance on eBay.

What's your reason for wanting carbon, is it weight or ride feel?
Weight wise it's only really top end stuff that is any lighter than the decent Alu options, and ride feel is very much model dependant as some are quite stiff and others much more compliant so some research may be required if you're after something specific.

I've got the cheapest possible carbon post from ebay. Originally purchased for the workstand and out of curiosity. I've ended up running it on the Stooge for a while. It flexes like hell! Makes for a very comfy ride, but not sure how long it'll last. The Stooge is mainly my long-day-in-the-saddle bike, and being single speed, I'm often out of the saddle. I wouldn't trust it on anything but XC and light trail duties. I weigh 71kg and am 5'9'', so there's a fair amount in the frame too..

Got a cheapish Chinese Hylix carbon one off t'bay and it's been great so far - well made, ti bolts - I don't have a second bumhole yet.

Have one of these on my cyclocross race bike. Still going strong

I'm using 2 of these on my road bikes, so far so good:
http://www.flyxii.com/en/products/seatpost-seat-clamp.html

I have two hylix -still here
In fact one of them has sat in box as I sold my full sus and no longer required - so if anyone wants. 31.6 hylix post 400mm long in black with a very minor surface scratch - drop me an email

riddled with anecdata

Really? I'm all for less rules about language, but the plural is anecdotes, or at a push anecdota

As for seat posts how it's made us more important than who made it, and I think I'd trust a well known name a but more than a unknown firm who won't want to talk to you when it goes horribly wrong

riddled with anecdata

Really? I'm all for less rules about language, but the plural is anecdotes, or at a push anecdota

I guess you missed the tongue in cheek nature of the portmanteau then 🙁

What with the tendency on this (and other) internet forums to present anecdote as point of fact, and to present multiple anecdotes as proof, especially with regard to 'death by carbon fibre explosion' it seemed like an appropriate blend. I apologise if it rubbed you up the wrong way.

Ah, list in translation...

Apologies 😳

nah, my fault for trying to be clever and assuming people could see my wry smirk through the internet 😉

My mate had a 'Ritchey WCS/ from alliexpress ....it snapped .. he is only 70kgs...

I bought a bontrager replica once, ran it for a short while, looked OK, clamp was good, but noticed the thicker parts inside the post that were supposed to run front and back of the post, but they were quite a bit off centre, so I retuned it for a refund.

I've bent a few cheap aluminium china posts, bent one selcof road post, but had it offroad and a lot exposed, snapped a USE carbon post JRA.

had lots of USE alu posts, bontrager race lite, race X lite (carbon wrap) and race XXX lite posts no problems, easton CT2 carbons, no problems.

Think it'll be down to how it looks quality wise and how it feels when riding it. if it's mega flexy, best not use it.

Big difference between buying an obvious fake from a Chinese seller and an unbranded one from a reputable seller like Ican, Carbonsports etc etc. I've seen the same unbranded ones with 'expensive' stickers down my LBS - where do you think the bike companies get their seatposts from? Most bike companies sub-contract all component manufacture and very few actually make their own frames.

My Deng Fu frame came with one, It matched the frame, so I used it. Still using it now. Bolts and yokes are quite heavy, tempted to swap to some ti bolts and KCNC yokes, but it's been solid. No creaking, or movement, or things you don't want a seatpost to do.

IIRC it was 210g for a 27.2x350 (possibly 300mm).

What about Ti ones? Seen some for £50 ish that are either 2nd bum hole producers or not Ti surely 😉

mashiehood - Member
I have two hylix -still here
In fact one of them has sat in box as I sold my full sus and no longer required - so if anyone wants. 31.6 hylix post 400mm long in black with a very minor surface scratch - drop me an email

Email sent 🙂

My personal opinion.
If you buy a direct from China carbon part it does fail and you are seriously hurt, then you have no recourse for compensation. And there is enough evidence out there that this carbon stuff can fail.

For the same money you can buy a branded aluminium seatpost, which is far less likely to fail, and if it does fail then you have a real company to deal with. It will be a few grams heavier, but does that really matter for the kind of riding that you do?

Oh and will you 'die content', that depends on if you get knocked out quickly or bleed out slowly through a 2nd anus I guess 😆

Had two riding buddys recently buy Chinese carbon stuff (unknown source).

First mate bought Chinese carbon frame and carbon seatpost. Frame's headtube was ovalised so headset and forks wouldn't sit right. Went back and refunded via PayPal. The carbon seatpost was put in a different frame and snapped clean in half on it's first ride. Luckily at snails pace, otherwise it could have been BAD.

Second mate has not had a single issue with his frame and rides it hard/ fast.

If nothing else it tells me the quality control may not be as stringent as it could be, and for that reason alone I'd never put financial saving over peace of mind.