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I stupidly just bought a seatpost that is about 1cm too short for me at max extension. It's nice and niche enough that I would rather keep it if this can be solved with (1) a taller saddle or (2) some thinner shoes, as mine are wearing out anyway.
Problem with (1) is that my saddle (Sella Novus) already has quite some stack height, so not sure something with another 5-10mm exists. Any suggestions for 'tall' saddles?
Problem with (2) is that it may be a stupid (i.e. unfeasible) idea.
FYI, my cranks are already 175mm and I run Shimano spd's, so not opportunities there. Also, even though I'm 40kg or so under the post's weight limit, I can't really extend it more than a few mm beyond max extension without the bottom of the post coming up above the bottom weld of the seat-tube-top-tube junction, which seems a bad idea(?)
Edit - shorter cranks mean taller seat height right?
Yep, seat goes up with shorter cranks. You really don't want to be going up to 185 cranks!
I fear, other than finding some weirdly high railed saddle, or a leg transplant, you are out of options!
How fussy are you about weight distribution?
I think sliding the saddle back slightly would help maintain your leg extension (possibly changing muscle activation slightly though, more hamstring?). Moving cleats backwards (foot forward) would achieve similar?
I'm still mucking about with saddles fore/aft/up/down so can confirm the world doesn't come to an end for 1cm here or there, although you might end up needing to change stem for a shorter one to maintain reach...
Ya, I fear I am out of options. I can probably find a saddle with an extra 3-5mm of stack height if I looked hard enough, and I could handle some 180mm cranks (it is a single speed), which together would work. But the seatpost isn't worth buying two things...
So, I could just extend the post a little more... The problem is that my post (Cane Creek Thudbuster) has a minimum insertion limit of 100mm, which is very large for its length (345mm). If I ignored that recommendation and went to 90mm, all would be fine, and it would still have more insertion than normally recommended. Plus, I'm under 80kg, and the Thudbuster has a weight limit of 150kg!
What worries me is the frame. It looks like the below, so the top-tube is a fair distance from the top of the seatpost. Currently, my post is perhaps 5mm beyond the bottom weld of the top-tube. Is it OK for the frame to have any less insertion?
How fussy are you about weight distribution?
I think sliding the saddle back slightly would help maintain your leg extension (possibly changing muscle activation slightly though, more hamstring?). Moving cleats backwards (foot forward) would achieve similar?
I'm still mucking about with saddles fore/aft/up/down so can confirm the world doesn't come to an end for 1cm here or there, although you might end up needing to change stem for a shorter one to maintain reach...
@13thfloormonk, ah, I'm not a fan of layback posts, and can't really go shorter with the stem for various reasons, but moving the cleats may sort it. I hadn't thought of that, and it is certainly worth trying.
This may get you an extra half cm or so...
Would look good with that flash seatpost as well..
Ah, so I just need two of those covers, perfect!
double post
Ironically I had a Moots post until I bent it, I was above the minimum insertion mark but Moots still claimed it was installed too high 😭
Thinking about it, sliding cleats backward wouldn't work, it'd make your lower leg more vertical, effectively making it 'longer' from the perspective of your seat - pedal distance. That distance would have to go somewhere so would either push you backwards on the saddle or flex your knee even more. I guess you could try moving cleats forward which would have the opposite effect, but at the expense of your achilles tendon...
The problem is that my post (Cane Creek Thudbuster) has a minimum insertion limit of 100mm, which is very large for its length (345mm). If I ignored that recommendation and went to 90mm, all would be fine, and it would still have more insertion than normally recommended. Plus, I'm under 80kg, and the Thudbuster has a weight limit of 150kg!
That would be my solution. From the frames perspective if most posts are only 'give' it 80mm, 90mm should be ok.
I have always thought that any frame design needing huge seat posts is flawed. The amount of leverage that will apply to the frame at that length just feels wrong. Taller seat post IME.
Though my opinion may be coloured by the fact at 16-17 stone I have broken a couple of saddles and a seatpost over the years. I'd want to bottom of the post below the top tube.
As much as you like the post, surely Messing around with cleats and lay back is just going to lead to inefficiencies, compromises and possible injury?
Sell it and buy one that fits is by far your best option I'm afraid.
How much are you willing to spend to solve the problem?
A pricey solution is a switchgrade
Heavy boots and a chin up bar to hang off
Go up a frame size
Happy to help
keep your packed lunch in your shorts?
As much as you like the post, surely Messing around with cleats and lay back is just going to lead to inefficiencies, compromises and possible injury?
Sell it and buy one that fits is by far your best option I'm afraid.
Yea I realise this may be the solution, just wanting to try all other options first
I thought cleats could be a risk free option, but looking at mine it's not possible to move them back much further, which I think would be needed given the angle my ankles are at when riding
And shifting the saddle back is not something I want to do as that'll prob cause me back issues
I may just ignore the max extension though, unless anyone convinces me that I'm gonna snap my frame(?)
Cleat shims? My xtr spds came with a set of shims that are 1-2mm thick. It may be a combination of small things, maybe shoe.inserts.as well? How about a classic sprung brooks saddle 😂
The problem is that my post (Cane Creek Thudbuster) has a minimum insertion limit of 100mm
Main thing is that the end of the post is below the bottom of the junction of the top tube and seat tube.
Check around for cheaper, but there were black Selle SMP TRK on Amazon yesterday for ~£40.
Selle SMP saddles have a massive stack, like ~6cm+ (my Extra rail base to top of dip point), the TRK claims 8.2cm stack!
I have a white SMP Extra which I originally bought for £37 a few years ago to try and increase duration of turbo rides without discomfort.
Most find having the rear peak ~14mm higher than the front peak works well.
Yea, I don't think faffing with cleats or layback is going to work unfortunately.
However, I will probably move my seat up a cm and ignore the min insertion mark, unless someone can persuade me I'm going to snap my frame(?)
If there's more than 50mm in the frame and it's below the bottom weld of the top tube I'd just use it.*
(*assuming you aren't 18 stone!).
How about one of those things that let you tilt the saddle nose down for climbing?
Switchgrade, I think they’re called.
Cleat shims? My xtr spds came with a set of shims that are 1-2mm thick. It may be a combination of small things, maybe shoe.inserts.as well?
Some of you don't do sums gud. 😉
A thick pair of shorts.
Have Canyon released their saddle on top of a saddle, to match the similar bars, yet? 😉
Amputation?
So, I've raised it so the insertion is 90mm, rather than the recommended 100mm (which is still way more than the 63.5mm Thomson recommend for their 330mm x 27.2mm posts).
But... it is no longer below the bottom weld of the top-tube-seat-tube junction. It's just above it. It is, however, 5mm below the small internal hole in the seatube, which goes to the top-tube. I'm hoping that will be fine... It is 853 steel tubing, and I'm average weight.
But... it is no longer below the bottom weld of the top-tube-seat-tube junction.
Hmm - In which case I might backpedal on my previous advice.....
....and recommend taking an angle grinder to the soles of your feet.
I’ve got a Crank Bros saddle that has a decent amount of stack height compared to other saddles, it’s pretty comfy too. Can’t remember what it’s called though.
Here’s a pic
You need some of those flashy pedals @tomhoward showed off a few days ago. Moves your shoe sole down about half a pedal thickness. Obviously way more practical and economical than buying a longer seatpost 😉
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/bike-forum/something-a-little-different/#post-13550876
It is a tricky one - with it being a Thudbuster, the heavy bump loads will be at reduced leverage due to the compression of the post.
You do have 90mm insertion, but it is slightly crappified insertion due to the large amount of exposed seat tube above the top tube. The first frame I made cracked there and I now build with the minimum possible seat tube above the TT, and also double the thickness with an external sleeve. I presume you have a butted seat tube, so it would be good to measure the wall thickness.
Pic didn’t work obviously. It’s a Crank Bros Iodine, possibly 2.
https://www.merlincycles.com/upgrade-crosstown-poly-pedals-259083.html
29mm stack, largest I've spotted so far, seen a few 18/19mm.
Was gonna mention the outlier pedals, but they’re not clipless.
And are more than a little spendy
Could always go back to toeclips and Shimano Dyna Drive. Got a set somewhere if you think they'll work for you.
Edit: or swing cranks between the crank and pedal like Geoff Apps advocated. Bound to come back in fashion sometime.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chainsets/magic-stepper-pedal-swing-device/?geoc=US
I'm using a COBB (Now called JCOBB I think) saddle on a few bikes. It's really a TT bike saddle. But I prefer it to nearly all others. A 'MAXX'.
I Think it's a bit higher than most from rail to top.
Sprung 
brooks b17?
They have a massive stack height and are super comfy.
You could have that instead of the seat post for some sweet bump absorption
Alpkit exorail?
Alpkit exorail?
Alpkit exorail
Ah, damnit, that would be perfect, but unfortunately not compatible with the Cane Creek clamp...
My question to myself would be 'how annoyed with myself would I be if I crack the frame?'
Why don't you want to sell/return it? Is it just because it's niche?
Finally have you double checked your seat height is correct anyway? Still quite common to see people riding with rocking hips/toes pointed down at the bottom of the stroke. I know I used to! On my singlespeed mtb I can tolerate a slightly lower seatpost quite well compared to a geared bike, as you spend a fair bit standing up anyway and the lower post has advantages on the descents 🙂
My question to myself would be 'how annoyed with myself would I be if I crack the frame?'
Why don't you want to sell/return it? Is it just because it's niche?
Fair questions:
If the frame cracked I would certainly be annoyed with myself, but I had been considering changing for something else anyway
Prob can't return it as I installed and used it before realising it was too short -- it took a longer ride to realise this
If I still lived in the UK, I would likely just sell and buy something else, but I haven't really worked out the (much smaller) secondhand market over here in Switzerland, so I've already got a bit of a pile of uneeded stuff and don't want to add to it, and I couldn't find the other post I wanted over here anyway (USE Vybe)
Finally have you double checked your seat height is correct anyway? Still quite common to see people riding with rocking hips/toes pointed down at the bottom of the stroke. I know I used to! On my singlespeed mtb I can tolerate a slightly lower seatpost quite well compared to a geared bike, as you spend a fair bit standing up anyway and the lower post has advantages on the descents
It's def correct (jesus, I've been riding a few decades now...). If this were my single speed MTB, the slightly lower height would be ok for the reasons you say. But it's more of a gravelbike, so I do spend most of my time sitting and spinning for 50km plus and for that the 1cm is rather annoying.
OK for the frame to have any less insertion?
No. Please don’t do it. It’ll be fine for a while, and then end in tears. It’s a matter of when not if.
More serious suggestion than bling pedals is could you let them the seatpost? If you can get a piece of an old alloy post the same internal and external diameter then put put a well fitting aluminium tube inside through the join, I guess about 70 mm inside each piece, and then epoxy in place. Yes it'll add some weight but would probably do the trick.
Have you ordered a high stack Selle SMP saddle yet?
Have you ordered a high stack Selle SMP saddle yet?
Afraid not, although I do appreciate the suggestion. Their asthetic is a step too far for me (I for some reason kind of like the look of the Thudbuster though)
More serious suggestion than bling pedals is could you lengthen the seatpost?
I did wonder this. I thought someone may make some sort of compression plug like thing for exactly this purpose, but my post seems to have an internal lip at the end that would prevent this anyway.
No. Please don’t do it. It’ll be fine for a while, and then end in tears. It’s a matter of when not if.
Point taken. For now, I have gone back and measured very carefully -- turns out I can overextend the post 5mm and still have 5mm below the bottom tt-st weld. That, in combination with moving the seat back 5mm, has got my seat feeling close enough to the right position that I think I will stick with it.
I may still look out for a saddle with 5mm or so more stack, but the only things I've seen so far are trekking and urban things, which will likely compress so much that I'll end up in the same place as with my current seat.
The one I've seem that may work (SQ Labs M-D or something) is nearly as expensive as buying another post like the USE Vybe.
I reckon the best advice on here is to admit defeat, sell it and buy a longer saddle. It’ll be cheaper than a new frame when you inevitably break it
The older thudbusters had more normal clamps and seem to be longer - see bikeinn
The older thudbusters had more normal clamps and seem to be longer - see bikeinn
Yea, it's annoying
It seems like the only (aluminium) suspension post Cane Creek now make short is the Thudbuster ST in 27.2mm
The Thudbuster ST in larger diameters is longer, as it the eeSilk+ and Thudbuster LT in all diameters...
Radical, but just set at the max insert and forget about the 1 cm lower saddle. After a ride or two you won’t notice. My TT saddle position is 2cm lower than my road position. And since it’s a single speed for off road, you aren’t sat on the saddle for that long anyway.
Well, in the end, I had to admit defeat, and order a Use Vybe, which is 50mm longer
The Cane Creek can go on my road/gravelbike on the occasions that I'm doing long bumpy rides