seat tipping: Vado SL 5.0 EQ

[SAbike]

Is anyone else having trouble with their Vado SL seat tipping backwards: i.e. the front creeps up/back creeps down? On my new Vado SL 5.0 EQ, I've had to have the seat adjusted twice already, since it slips slowly (very slowly) to a slightly front-up back-down position. First time LBS suggested tightening it a bit beyond the recommended torque. 2nd time they repositioned it correctly and tightened it significantly beyond the recommended torque. And it's still rotated back a bit, after a couple of days of riding. I wonder if this is a unique problem I'm having, or if there is some design issue. Or perhaps it's a faulty part that needs replacing?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It should never happen.

 

[Allan47.7339]

I replaced mine with a Kinekt suspension post but I did not have any problem with the stock seat post and I am a heavier rider. The post adjustment torque is marked 110 in-lb (12.4 Nm). It's a style that is very easy to adjust compared to some posts that have little teeth on the clamping parts. Maybe the shop could put some carbon fiber assembly gel (Finish Line Fiber Grip or similar) on the post sliding clamp track (not the seat rail) to give it a little more friction.

 

[Deacon Blues]

I think I had a similar seat clamp on my Specialized Diverge. Once in the while, when I hit a big bump, the seat would tilt back. I ended up solving the problem by using the carbon fiber assembly paste mentioned by Allan in the above post. I also had to torque it down a bit more than the recommended torque number.

 

[SAbike]

I replaced mine with a Kinekt suspension post but I did not have any problem with the stock seat post and I am a heavier rider. The post adjustment torque is marked 110 in-lb (12.4 Nm). It's a style that is very easy to adjust compared to some posts that have little teeth on the clamping parts. Maybe the shop could put some carbon fiber assembly gel (Finish Line Fiber Grip or similar) on the post sliding clamp track (not the seat rail) to give it a little more friction.

Thanks. Next time I take it in, I’ll suggest that to my LBS. They were willing to have Specialized replace the part if it kept happening. It’s super awkward to find the bike’s seat slowly rotating backwards and my own seat slipping back.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thanks. Next time I take it in, I’ll suggest that to my LBS. They were willing to have Specialized replace the part if it kept happening. It’s super awkward to find the bike’s seat slowly rotating backwards and my own seat slipping back.

Is this a carbon fibre seatpost?

 

[SAbike]

Carbon fibre seatpost? This is a good question. Vado SL 5.0 EQ Stepthrough. Specialized website says it's not:

"Specialized, alloy, 2-bolt, 12.5mm offset, 27.2mm"

Here is what it looks like, focussing on the offending part.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Carbon fibre seatpost? This is a good question. Vado SL 5.0 EQ Stepthrough. Specialized website says it's not:

"Specialized, alloy, 2-bolt, 12.5mm offset, 27.2mm"

Here is what it looks like, focussing on the offending part.

A fun fact. My SL 4.0 EQ has quite different seat-post bracket (I'll post a photo later). What gets with your seatpost?!

(SAbike: Solve the problem for good. Invest in Redshift ShockStop seatpost. You'll never regret it).

 

[Allan47.7339]

No it's not a carbon seatpost but the paste seems to work on aluminum as well. I've used it to keep seat posts from slipping without having to risk breaking the binder bolt. It's just a carbon safe paste with a fine grit.

 

[Deacon Blues]

I think Stefan has the answer to SAbike's problem.....a suspension seat post. No more seat movement and a smoother ride.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Here's how the Specialized seatpost bracket looks like in my Vado SL 4.0 EQ:

 

[Allan47.7339]

We've kind of wandered off the original question but that is the same binder as the Vado SL 5.