Tech Talks: Dropper Seat Posts - To Clamp Or Not To Clamp?

 You can clamp the shit out of it, because regardless of torque applied, it still won't work correctly.

 @ratedgg13: Exactly.. Worst dropper I've ever owned... One up components FTW!

 @dmarsh15: No physical reason why you shouldn't other than the fact there is absolutely no need to.....

 HAas

 Sounds like something Micah would say.

 Who would buy a Reverb?

 @THE-GUNT: So many better options out there now.. My one up components has been flawless.. Even in the cold on the fat bike..

 Actually if you listen very carefully, yo can hear how Reverb is whispering ''Rebuild me'' every time when Calvin pulls it out by hand...

 @bohns1: I prefer my crap Easton over the Reverb. lol

 @THE-GUNT: The Easton/RF Turbine is surprisingly a pretty solid dropper. I've been waiting for mine to die for the last 3 seasons to replace it with a 9point8 but it works just as good as the day I bought it.

 @THE-GUNT: in all honesty.. My old crankbrothers worked better! Ha

 @aps62: Frame paint isn't nearly as durable as the finish on any mountain bike seat post. Also, a lot of full-suspension frames don't have a good spot to clamp. Regardless, in a worst case scenario, a seat post, even a dropper, is less expensive to replace/fix than a frame.

 @ratedgg13: lol!!!

 @aps62: because most carbon frames have a sticker saying "Do not clamp".

 Anything SRAM is gonna break and clamp the shit out yer wallet bro... get with the times yo.

 I love the Reverbs on boths my bikes. I've never had issues with them so I don't get the hate. SRAM brakes on the other hand.........;-)

 @ratedgg13:

LMMFAO!

That about sums it up, time to shut this down.

 @devlin66: Ditto! I've had five Reverbs over the years; all worked perfectly. Did a full rebuild on my current Stealth two years ago and it still works fine. Might tear it down soon to re-grease,

I wouldn't trust any of these Reverb-moaners to sit the right way on a toilet seat.

 I'm glad they went full on nerd force on all the numbers. Otherwise some techno-geek pretend know it all out there would come back with some random B.S. to say the opposite of anything these 2 said.

People are so desperate to nay say and poo poo that they were "forced" to go to the testing extent they did.

 The best thing I ever did to my bike was throw my reverb through the sheetrock in my garage and use it as a helmet rack. What an overpriced piece of shite.

 @ratedgg13:

 @loganskis: Didn't watch this video but I've read/watched in the past that your option is actually the worse option, although it's counter intuitive.

The stanchion is rock hard, the leverage on the seatpost is negligible compared to what you put on it while riding, it's fine to pull on a seat/seatpost provided it's fully raised, and it's worse to clamp the post outer that's filled with all the post's internals.

 Approx the same as a baby rhino charging in the month of may in 25 degree heat after a good meal.

 Well that is exactly what they say in the video

 I agree. I've worked in shops where the service area is visible to customers. I've had customers say they wouldn't ever let me work on their bikes because I clamped a dropper. These are always customers that "do all their own work" anyway. I'm sure some of those customers will read this.

 @dangeraem: yep, the guys who power wash their bike every ride and use wd40 as chain lube.

 @Trudeez: Then they bust be retarded. WD40 should only be used on brake rotors!

 @Pavel-Repak: brake clean on rotors or isopropyl bud!

 @bohns1: whoooosh!

 So I should not clamp?

 @Tinus96: Clamp away , just put a towel around the post

 you're right that their calculation of the force/stress isn't quite accurate. You should use the force from the bolt to calculate a hoop stress in the collar, then you can use P = stress * radius * thickness to find the average normal pressure on the seat post. However, it makes little difference, because clamping your seat post still will be a low stress for what the metal can handle. Additionally, you might be able to get more precise than even this method.

As for as the moment on the post (which is my primary concern when clamping) their analysis is is a bit hand-wavy, but not far off the truth. Assume you sit on your seat post such that all of your body weight is on it (an assumption, not doubt, but the force going to your bum when you hit an unexpected rock while sitting down will be much more than your weight anyway). Say you weigh 160lbs (about 73kg). Using a rough approximation, you're bum is about 5cm behind the collar. This yields about 36N*m at the collar (again, this is a lower bound for the internal moment in the seat post. when you hit that rock, it will be much, much higher, especially on a hard tail). so 36N*m is greater than their measurement of about 30N*m.

Bottom line, if you raise your dropper to the top of the travel and clamp like a normal human, your post will be fine, (unless its a reverb).

 double dipping the chip, bro?

 Scooter clamp!!! Four bolts and purple ano!! Must be faster!!

 I painted a light layer of epoxy on my dropper post right around the clamping area and let it dry before reinstalling. It provides enough friction so it can stay put without too much torque on the clamp bolt

 Don't go clamping carbon TTs though. Did that once. Once...

 @Bob-Agg: Crushed tube in a park clamp? I've clamped hundreds of carbon TTs (shop mechanic) without issue but I can see how that could happen without testing the clamp tightness first

 @HaggeredShins: #worldsworstbikemechanic

 @NORTHender:

 @NORTHender: ohh well if you insist ????

 It would literally take 5 seconds to look at/ white off the clamp. Takes longer to find an allen key, move your seat post up, re tighten then clamp rather than just cleaning your clamp. Your clamp shouldn't even be dirty in the first place unless you wanna scratch everything you clamp in it

 Haha, I got a hair cutter for Christmas, all the informational, DIRECTLY IN THE GARBAGE.

 Impressive!!!

 May risk damaging the bushing in the seal head?

 "Our staff saddle tester is Mike Easter."