Is the ST1 seatpost not high quality?

[Operator7]

I just purchased my second saddle, as I try different ones. I got the Respiro from REI, and really love the look and feel of it; however, no matter what I did, the seat kept tilting back. At first it tilted a good way back to where I had to make an emergency stop. I then got off, looked at the measuring bar on the saddle frame, lined it up, and then tightened pretty good. The seat began sliding/tilting back again gradually. For the next hour on my commute home, I made about 10 different stops, trying different seat positions, and tightening the seatpost screw. After a while, I put muscle into it where I tightened the screw as much as I could (and I'm decently strong)... not too long, and the seat would slightly tilt back. I would get off to see if it was my imagination, but I could tell that the angle went from slightly tilted forward, to perfectly even (and I think it would have kept going until it was tilted back).

I could also tell that the seatpost frame wasn't holding, because after I'd get off to check, the screw was not tightened as it was when I had screwed it.

Is it the seatpost? Is it because I weight too much? (I'm 6ft, 200lbs - athletic)

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hey Mike,
It should be a fairly simple adjustment. If the saddle is tilting back, you might want to check the seatpost rails and the clamping bolts attached to them.
If the whole seatpost slides, then it's a different thing altogether.

 

[Deleted member 803]

The bolts that tighten the seat to the post may be stripped. A good quality mechanic should solve the problem quickly.

 

[JoePah]

@Operator7 It sounds like you have two different problems.

If your seat is still sliding after you have carefully lined up the teeth between the seat and the base, and tightened it properly, then try a permanent solution.

I had the same problem with my Serfas seat on my Stromer. I decided to use two drill bits as dowel pins to lock the position.. In my case I used a couple of 1/16" drill bits. Just drilled thru the seat and the bracket, then broke off the bits. Sanded it smooth.. Two years no problems!

You could also use like a 1/8" bit, then just pin the seat with a cutoff nail or something.

If your seat is sliding on your post, maybe you didn't buy the correct seat fitting size. You could shim the seat post with a soda can, or you could raise the seat post surface by dimpling.

Another more caveman approach is to replace the bolt with a SST bolt.. Then you run the risk of galvanic corrosion with your aluminum bracket, or stripping the threads.. lithium grease would help with the corrision.

 

[David1]

Not really sure by your description of situation. I have had seat problems too, no fun. Don't know if mine is the same. But mine had the dreaded sliding down of my seat Post as I rode , major annoyance. I even snapped a bolt on the clamp over tightening ! My problems solution was putting thin film of graphite paste on seat Post and in frame where inserted. Yureka ! Worth its weight in gold . Has not slipped since. Don't think this is your solution though. I'd go back to REI.

 

[Operator7]

Ravi, I guess it MIGHT be possible that the two clamps weren't pushed all the way against the seatpost frame piece (not sure what it's called, but it's a curved piece that the two clamps attach to. I doubt that though because I can see a little scraping on both sides caused when the seat kept sliding and tilting back. I should add that the seat would both slide slightly forward (horizontally), and the seat would also tilt back (vertically).

86, are you referring to the two clamps that tighten around the seat's frame rails, and that also tighten around the seatpost frame (the half circle curve at the top of the seatpost)? I did not notice before, but I DO see that these two clamps have tiny grooves inside, I guess meant to grab better. They don't appear to be stripped, but again there is some scratching on the seatpost frame curve where they attach to.

Thinking ahead questions -

Is it possible to get a replacement clamp and/or screw (the screw that tightens the clamp)?
Is it possible to get a replacement seat post, and are the Stromer seat posts of cheap, medium or good quality?

By the way, the seat post itself is not sliding up and down (thankfully). It's just the seat/saddle. As I examine the top half-circle of the seatpost and the two clamps, it appears that even when tightened and no seat attached, that the clamps can slide forward or backwards easily. I'm so worried about this now that I've decided to take and upload some pics -

 

[Operator7]

JoePah, thanks for those suggestions, but I'm not a great "handyman", and I really don't want to start coming up with alternate solutions. My thought is that on a bike like this, the seatpost/clamps/etc should work on their own.

David, that's an interesting solution but does the graphite paste now make it to where you could no longer adjust or remove your seatpost? At any rate, I luckily don't have THAT issue.

 

[Operator7]

Here is a pic of my bike I took at the end of my ride yesterday. As you can see, I'd PREFER to have the seat tilted slightly forward, but would settle for any position where the darned seat would just stay in place. I'm also including a gumby looking pic of me (that a couple was nice enough to take of me yesterday), so you can see that I am a little heavy, but not huge or anything -

EDIT - wow, gotta love that.. the pic of me is "too large" to attach :-/

 

[MLB]

Seat angle adjustment brackets have to be VERY TIGHT to hold at 200+. I'm 225lb and I had to retighten mine 3 or 4 times until I really cranked on it. No problem since.
If the clamp isn't 'seated' (aligned) so it closes fully, it won't hold. If one side of the clamp is "tight" and won't move, you can't just tighten up the screw and have it work. Both sides (of each of the 2 clamps) need to move freely to close around the seat mounting tubes smoothly and evenly to distribute the force over the whole length. Wiggle everything together until it's all loose and all 4 sides of the clamp are free and fit snugly against the other side. Then tighten the screw. Then go back and crank on it harder.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

@Operator7 , No wonder it's sliding. In your case, the clamps are facing downwards. It should be facing upwards.

you're doing it the wrong way. I just took out my ST2 seatpost. ST1 is very similar.
It should look like this...

 

[Operator7]

MLB, I'll try that. Question - in tightening the screw, I'm a little worried about it wearing down and stripping. Can you (or anyone) direct me to where I can get a replacement screw that will work for this?

Ravi, which pic are you looking at when you say the clamps are downwards? I just went to play with the clamps, and they will only fit on the frame/arch one way. If they are facing downwards, they won't even fit on the frame.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

MLB, I'll try that. Question - in tightening the screw, I'm a little worried about it wearing down and stripping. Can you (or anyone) direct me to where I can get a replacement screw that will work for this?

Ravi, which pic are you looking at when you say the clamps are downwards? I just went to play with the clamps, and they will only fit on the frame/arch one way. If they are facing downwards, they won't even fit on the frame.

IMG 3809 and 3810.

 

[Operator7]

I am 6 ft, 200 lbs - hopefully will lose 5 or 10 pounds soon!

 

[Operator7]

IMG 3809 and 3810.

Ah, ok. I just had the clamps down in order to show the scratches of the seatpost arc. I was hoping you were right, because that would mean the answer.

Also, in the pic of my new seat, there is a measuring grid from 0 to 3 milimeters (I think it's mm). Do the clamp/brackets have to be attached right in that zone, or can the seat be slid further back? That frame-rail of the seat is longer than the measuring bar of 0 to 3, and if it's ok, I prefer to have the seat more back. It's a much more comfortable seat position for me. Yesterday though, I tried every position and it kept sliding no matter what.

EDIT - in the pic of the bike above, you can see that I had the clamps closer to the front of the seat's rails. When in this position, the clamp is ahead of the measuring bar a bit.

 

[Operator7]

One more thing, I was using this to tighten the seat - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OO9RCE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I just tried it again when re-attaching the seat to the post, and then I went and tried the allen wrench I was using prior - it seemed as though the allen wrench could tighten it a turn or so more, because of the L shape/leverage. I was thinking about what MLB said in regards to it having to be as tight as possible, so tried this. Hoping this will be the ticket.

 

[MLB]

There you go You're not going to strip anything. Worse case the whole clamp could be replaced, but you just couldn't get it tight enough with the multi tool. still crank hard on it with the long arm of the L.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

One more thing, I was using this to tighten the seat - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OO9RCE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I just tried it again when re-attaching the seat to the post, and then I went and tried the allen wrench I was using prior - it seemed as though the allen wrench could tighten it a turn or so more, because of the L shape/leverage. I was thinking about what MLB said in regards to it having to be as tight as possible, so tried this. Hoping this will be the ticket.

It should be simple, Mike.
I'm sure you'll get it. The key thing is to make sure you put some tough tubes and flat proof tires. ST1 is on the heavier side and changing flats can be annoying.

 

[Operator7]

I got the http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039UVX86?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00 that you recommended. Not really sure I want to mess with tire liners though. What I WOULD like to see is a video that instructs how to change a tire on the Stromer!

 

[MLB]

Did you check youtube? THought there was one. Carry the allen wrench that came with the bike, you need it for the axle. unscrew the front axle and the wheel slides out. You have electrical to disconnect in back.