General Creo questions

[AzDave]

Online: And they are out-of-stock again on one of the models and low stock on the other.

So does one add that special(ized) clamp to an existing seat post in some manner - does that mean lowering the seat post to allow this addition? Curious minds and sore butts want to know.

And I called your shop - part is out of stock until Oct! He was a really nice guy to talk with.

Yeah he's a real nice guy. I forget his name because I only dealt with him once. He's in great shape. Not an ounce of fat on this guy...a true cyclist if I ever saw one. He has that seat too.

Another recommendation while I'm thinking about it...I hear these seats get dirty easily (because of all the grooves) and the seat has a just slightly rough texture. One reviewer said it the seat was hard on his biking clothes. I went on ebay and bought a black LYCRA seat cover that just slips over the seat...problem solved.

 

[mschwett]

And I called your shop - part is out of stock until Oct! He was a really nice guy to talk with.

Online: And they are out-of-stock again on one of the models and low stock on the other.

So does one add that special(ized) clamp to an existing seat post in some manner - does that mean lowering the seat post to allow this addition? Curious minds and sore butts want to know.

And I called your shop - part is out of stock until Oct! He was a really nice guy to talk with.

if you have one of the carbon specialized seat posts, the clamp just replaces the one which is bolted through the hole at the top. it’s just a couple little shaped pieces of metal and a bolt. the standard seat has 9mm round rails, the carbon ones are elliptical.

i can never find this link on the US site, it’s the same part in canada eh! :

Anodized Clamp 7+9mm

Re-engineered clamp with an optimized center-loaded bolt design equalizes load distribution to ease position adjustments. With this clamp set you will b...

www.specialized.com

 

[kahn]

if you have one of the carbon specialized seat posts, the clamp just replaces the one which is bolted through the hole at the top. it’s just a couple little shaped pieces of metal and a bolt. the standard seat has 9mm round rails, the carbon ones are elliptical.

i can never find this link on the US site, it’s the same part in canada eh! :

Anodized Clamp 7+9mm

Re-engineered clamp with an optimized center-loaded bolt design equalizes load distribution to ease position adjustments. With this clamp set you will b...

www.specialized.com

I goofed when I purchased my Creo. I had the Kinekt post and a saddle to I left the included items at the shop for some minimal amount of credit, if that. So I don't have the original post. But I'm not sure I'd give up the Kinekt anyway.

 

[mschwett]

I goofed when I purchased my Creo. I had the Kinekt post and a saddle to I left the included items at the shop for some minimal amount of credit, if that. So I don't have the original post. But I'm not sure I'd give up the Kinekt anyway.

looks like the clamp on the kinekt post is a top/bottom clamp. i am not sure it’s a good idea to squeeze an oval rail that way….

 

[kahn]

looks like the clamp on the kinekt post is a top/bottom clamp. i am not sure it’s a good idea to squeeze an oval rail that way….

Yes it is - top/bottom clamp. We shall see. The reason I purchased online from Specialized is that "return for any reason even if used!" I did not want to deal with a bike shop return if I tried it out.

Looking at the special clamp/part, I can't tell how it functions.

 

[mschwett]

Yes it is - top/bottom clamp. We shall see. The reason I purchased online from Specialized is that "return for any reason even if used!" I did not want to deal with a bike shop return if I tried it out.

Looking at the special clamp/part, I can't tell how it functions. View attachment 97248

the two parts with the conical sections (in the middle of the pic) sandwich the specialized seat post, with the wavy parts facing out. the two Y shaped parts sandwich those, creating a groove on each side for the rail that gets squeezed from the sides when you tighten the bolt that goes through the holes in the middle of each piece. it’s very simple in practice, the parts are just funny shaped.

 

[Allan47.7339]

Maybe AzDave could edit the title of the thread to something like a new Creo owner's questions or similar so someone in the future searching for "Creo battery replacement" doesn't go down the rabbit hole and other new owners will find the thread later?

 

[AzDave]

Maybe AzDave could edit the title of the thread to something like a new Creo owner's questions or similar so someone in the future searching for "Creo battery replacement" doesn't go down the rabbit hole and other new owners will find the thread later?

Yep...changed the title

 

[Elkman]

Even with the Creo you need to be pretty fit to do a lot of big hills. Truthfully if I lived around massive hills I probably would have went with the Trek Domane+ HP 7. But for my age and the flats in my environment the Creo is perfect!

Trek Domaine weighs 10 lbs more than the Creo so a lot of the motor and battery is being used to move the much heavier bike around. I looked at the Domaine but decided to go with the much lighter Creo SL Carbon bike instead.

 

[kahn]

Trek Domaine weighs 10 lbs more than the Creo so a lot of the motor and battery is being used to move the much heavier bike around. I looked at the Domaine but decided to go with the much lighter Creo SL Carbon bike instead.

I went with the ALUMINUM Creo. Well, I did not go lightest because I wanted to be able to use a rack, panniers/whatever and not worry about carbon fiber not like being wrongly loaded. That may have been a misapprehension on my part. But it is still lighter than the Trek and I wanted the lightest as possible.

And speaking of carbon fiber, I used the Specialized Mirror Saddle today. I got two (narrow and wide) delivered to the local bike shop and mounted it last night. Besides using the Kinekt seat post and top clamping, I may be over its weight limits!!!! It is shorter (front to back) than my current saddle but the wider version, 155, seems to be the one I need. It was not as if I put this new saddle with its new feeling, shape and positioning and was uncomfortable. It felt pretty reasonable. Only did 15 miles and about 800 feet of climbing.

What is interesting is that for its cost, Specialized does suggest replacing it after three years.

"

"

I don't know if the mesh material breaks down or the carbon rails have a limited life. Do other saddles with carbon rails have any similar limits?

 

[mschwett]

I went with the ALUMINUM Creo. Well, I did not go lightest because I wanted to be able to use a rack, panniers/whatever and not worry about carbon fiber not like being wrongly loaded. That may have been a misapprehension on my part. But it is still lighter than the Trek and I wanted the lightest as possible.

And speaking of carbon fiber, I used the Specialized Mirror Saddle today. I got two (narrow and wide) delivered to the local bike shop and mounted it last night. Besides using the Kinekt seat post and top clamping, I may be over its weight limits!!!! It is shorter (front to back) than my current saddle but the wider version, 155, seems to be the one I need. It was not as if I put this new saddle with its new feeling, shape and positioning and was uncomfortable. It felt pretty reasonable. Only did 15 miles and about 800 feet of climbing.

What is interesting is that for its cost, Specialized does suggest replacing it after three years.

"View attachment 97953"

I don't know if the mesh material breaks down or the carbon rails have a limited life. Do other saddles with carbon rails have any similar limits?

it's very odd that they specify years, not miles. hard to imagine the thing experiences much stress just sitting around, with no load on it. makes me think it's just arbitrary legalese, especially since other saddles with oval carbon rails don't say the same thing. i have about 2,000 miles on mine now, it doesn't seem to be any different than it was on day one. but it's only been 4 months, maybe the decay will start rapidly in 2.5 years

 

[AzDave]

I went with the ALUMINUM Creo. Well, I did not go lightest because I wanted to be able to use a rack, panniers/whatever and not worry about carbon fiber not like being wrongly loaded. That may have been a misapprehension on my part. But it is still lighter than the Trek and I wanted the lightest as possible.

And speaking of carbon fiber, I used the Specialized Mirror Saddle today. I got two (narrow and wide) delivered to the local bike shop and mounted it last night. Besides using the Kinekt seat post and top clamping, I may be over its weight limits!!!! It is shorter (front to back) than my current saddle but the wider version, 155, seems to be the one I need. It was not as if I put this new saddle with its new feeling, shape and positioning and was uncomfortable. It felt pretty reasonable. Only did 15 miles and about 800 feet of climbing.

What is interesting is that for its cost, Specialized does suggest replacing it after three years.

"View attachment 97953"

I don't know if the mesh material breaks down or the carbon rails have a limited life. Do other saddles with carbon rails have any similar limits?

I was wondering what your general reaction was to getting it. Glad you got both sizes to try and found the bigger saddle to your liking. Like I said the seat didn't blow me away first sitting on it but my sit bones are not as sore after my long rides. I wanted a seat that I could tolerate riding on for long stretches and multiple days in a week and I think this is it. Its a bummer to have a bike thats 10k and my butt is like no you can't ride it as much as you want BUTT now I can!

 

[AzDave]

it's very odd that they specify years, not miles. hard to imagine the thing experiences much stress just sitting around, with no load on it. makes me think it's just arbitrary legalese, especially since other saddles with oval carbon rails don't say the same thing. i have about 2,000 miles on mine now, it doesn't seem to be any different than it was on day one. but it's only been 4 months, maybe the decay will start rapidly in 2.5 years

Yeah I wonder what happens after three years.. does it eject us or something?? I mean what do we have to look out for because it's hard to spend another $500 just cuz they say to. If after three years I'm still not sore riding it dump it anyway?? C'mon Specialized let's not be mysterious...spell it out!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

does it eject us or something??

Can break under you.
Carbon fibre doesn't age well.

 

[AzDave]

Can break under you.
Carbon fibre doesn't age well.

I dunno.. I might ride it until it at least cracks or sags. This three year rule is precise yet vague. People ride under different conditions...Hypothetically...a bike sits around unridden for three years...its still bad? Or...I ride my bike a lot...say three times a week a couple hours each time...Its still good for three years? Why doesn't it go bad sooner than an occasional rider rides? This is hard to believe or decipher...I guess Specialized would know through testing but still...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I dunno.. I might ride it until it at least cracks or sags. This three year rule is precise yet vague. People ride under different conditions...Hypothetically...a bike sits around unridden for three years...its still bad? Or...I ride my bike a lot...say three times a week a couple hours each time...Its still good for three years? Why doesn't it go bad sooner than an occasional rider rides? This is hard to believe or decipher...I guess Specialized would know through testing but still...

I don't know. I only know CF ages badly, and it is apt to crack. It would be no fun if it cracked while you were riding downhill at full speed.

P.S. A few months ago, a steel saddle rail cracked under me at very low speed (so no disaster). Fatigue took its harvest. Now, would I ever risk riding a brittle CF rail saddle? Not.

 

[AzDave]

I don't know. I only know CF ages badly, and it is apt to crack. It would be no fun if it cracked while you were riding downhill at full speed.

P.S. A few months ago, a steel saddle rail cracked under me at very low speed (so no disaster). Fatigue took its harvest. Now, would I ever risk riding a brittle CF rail saddle? Not.

Well it's too bad they have to charge us a fortune for a seat and we have to play guessing games on the outcome. Their three year rule doesn't really say much except it being a general guideline. How can it be anything else? Riders of different weights, climates, and usage all get the same rule to follow? Pffft....whatever...literally

 

[mschwett]

I don't know. I only know CF ages badly, and it is apt to crack. It would be no fun if it cracked while you were riding downhill at full speed.

P.S. A few months ago, a steel saddle rail cracked under me at very low speed (so no disaster). Fatigue took its harvest. Now, would I ever risk riding a brittle CF rail saddle? Not.

anything is possible, and has happened. but carbon rails have been on road bike saddles for ages, with the vast majority of riders having no issues.

i would not use them for a heavy rider on a mountain bike…. but such saddles are not made for those cases.

 

[AzDave]

I don't know. I only know CF ages badly, and it is apt to crack. It would be no fun if it cracked while you were riding downhill at full speed.

P.S. A few months ago, a steel saddle rail cracked under me at very low speed (so no disaster). Fatigue took its harvest. Now, would I ever risk riding a brittle CF rail saddle? Not.

Hey consider this.. is riding this seat to failure any more or less stupid than riding in traffic, iffy road conditions, iffy weather, etc etc..even my carbon rims can fail. I had an aluminum rim that did fail. Your seat failed...you survived. I've crashed...you've crashed...we've all crashed.. There is an inherent danger more or less with biking...Not gonna preemptively replace expensive parts without 'some' sign of failure/wear...end of story not going to do it

 

[kahn]

it's very odd that they specify years, not miles. hard to imagine the thing experiences much stress just sitting around, with no load on it. makes me think it's just arbitrary legalese, especially since other saddles with oval carbon rails don't say the same thing. i have about 2,000 miles on mine now, it doesn't seem to be any different than it was on day one. but it's only been 4 months, maybe the decay will start rapidly in 2.5 years

It is time release, like a good pill/capsule. I was going to ask but Stefan kind of answered. Carbon fiber and maybe its various resins have a life expectancy. I recall years ago going down the basement and then trying to figure out what all of this odd debris on the floor was??? I looked above it and my snow shoes that had some kind of "nylon" strapping to keep the center platform in place kind of just rotted. No use, just idling away in the basement - not even sunlight to decay it.

So does this mean my Trek Madone might dissolve into a pile of nano-particles on day?

Do carbon fiber handlebars/cranks have similar warnings or time limits? Or maybe they are thicker and last 4 or 5 years!