Giant D-Fuse seat post

[jay1978]

Morning,
I have a Giant Contend SL1 and have been getting a creaking from the saddle area. Really annoying me and took it apart, greased etc. Before I buy a new seat post I was hoping to try to replace the actual bracket/clamp the saddle fits into at the top of the seatpost. Wondered if anybody knew where I could source just this part, or do I have to buy the whole seat post?

thanks in advance.

jay

 

[Ajax Bay]

Find a similar seatpost being sold and post a link. The way the seat secures to the seat post varies so much (and as a new member you won't be able to post an image for a few days/posts). Difficult to offer useful advice without this additional info.
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/giant-contend-sl-1-2020-review/
ETA: It's a carbon seatpost so you can't just buy the top bit.
Before you do anything, you must determine what is causing the creaking (as opposed to 'buying out' the problem). Have you considered buying a new saddle? Why not? When out of the saddle do you get creaking?
"D-Fuse design
"The 2020 Contend has . . . the long, exposed length of Giant’s own composite D-Fuse seatpost that ensure(s) it’s pretty comfortable. Its rounded front and flattened rear, which resembles a letter ‘D’, is designed to be more compliant than a round post [Comment: in what way?]. And it’s always good to see a carbon post on a bike at this price." [But not when it creaks!]

 

[jay1978]

Hi thanks for the reply. I’ll try and get some pictures as I know it’s difficult without. No noise when out of the saddle, tried a different saddle and the noise is still there. Noise is present when moving round on the saddle. It’s also there when just pretending to pedal, if that makes sense which makes me believe it’s the movement of my body on the saddle/post when pedalling rather than an issue further down.
It’s a weird design to be fair and unique to giant I think. The seat post goes in and there’s a 3 piece wedge that’s slots in in front of the post, which is then then tightened with a single bolt.
I’ll try and source some photos.
thanks for the response :-)

 

[jay1978]

This is a link to the wedge that sits inside the down tube in front of the seat post.

https://www.giantbikespares.com/Gia...-Fuse--1722-GISC01-501/product_detail/3-41323

 

[jay1978]

 

[Ajax Bay]

Sounds as if your creaking is from the seat post / seat tube / locking wedge interface(s) and not the seat to seat post interface. Would a new "D-fuse" post solve it? Open to doubt. Take it you have cleaned and greased saddle rail clamp bolts.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

When you say "greased" what did you use?
I've got the same seatpost on a TCR and Giant recommend (rightly) that you only use carbon assembly paste. Grease will allow the post to move very slightly (and that could easily manifest as a creak). Carbon paste has tiny plastic beads that key into the carbon surface for a better fit.

 

[jay1978]

Hi thanks for the reply. I’ll try and get some pictures as I know it’s difficult without. No noise when out of the saddle, tried a different saddle and the noise is still there. Noise is present when moving round on the saddle. It’s also there when just pretending to pedal, if that makes sense which makes me believe it’s the movement of my body on the saddle/post when pedalling rather than an issue further down.
It’s a weird design to be fair and unique to giant I think. The seat post goes in and there’s a 3 piece wedge that’s slots in in front of the post, which is then then tightened with a single bolt.
I’ll try and source some photos.
thanks for the response :-)

When you say "greased" what did you use?
I've got the same seatpost on a TCR and Giant recommend (rightly) that you only use carbon assembly paste. Grease will allow the post to move very slightly (and that could easily manifest as a creak). Carbon paste has tiny plastic beads that key into the carbon surface for a better fit.

To be fair I did use park tool multi purpose grease. So I’ll get carbon paste (can you recommend a good one?) and give that a go. Got a seat post and wedge in order but can return if the carbon paste works.
it started when I tried a new saddle. I ended up putting the old one back on but the 11-12Nm recommended torque seemed really tight and creaked as I was tightening. I used a park tool torque wrench so wasn’t doing it blind.
thsnks for the advice Re: carbon paste

 

[vickster]

Did you also grease the saddle rails themselves?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

To be fair I did use park tool multi purpose grease. So I’ll get carbon paste (can you recommend a good one?) and give that a go. Got a seat post and wedge in order but can return if the carbon paste works.
it started when I tried a new saddle. I ended up putting the old one back on but the 11-12Nm recommended torque seemed really tight and creaked as I was tightening. I used a park tool torque wrench so wasn’t doing it blind.
thsnks for the advice Re: carbon paste

Any carbon paste is fine, buy the smallest amount you can as you only need a smear.
Yeah if you grease a carbon / carbon joint that'll creak and not grip well, I think cleaning it and assembling it correctly will solve it.

 

[jay1978]

Did you also grease the saddle rails themselves?

hi, yes I did and the bolts etc. I even put some electric tape around the rails at its contact point with the Saddle clamp. Tried everything as it’s so annoying (and a little worrying).

 

[jay1978]

do you happen to know if the 3 piece wedge is carbon and would need the carbon paste too? Only the back of the seat post touches the frame so guessing that the only part that needs the paste?

 

[jay1978]

Thank you for all the advice people. Defo will try the carbon paste first as that’s the cheapest option

 

[Ajax Bay]

I’ll get carbon paste (can you recommend a good one?)

I just use Giant carbon assembly paste, simply because it came with my bike.

See: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/carbon-seat-post.260271/page-2

 

[CanucksTraveller]

do you happen to know if the 3 piece wedge is carbon and would need the carbon paste too?

It's mostly carbon, yes....

Only the back of the seat post touches the frame so guessing that the only part that needs the paste?

It's the whole circumference of the seat post that you apply the paste to, (but obviously at the level where it sits just out of sight). Some of the paste does need to contact that wedge.

On the picture below I've marked my saddle height (at the red line), then raised my saddle, and I'd then apply the assembly paste at the yellow area, all the way around the post, before dropping it to the correct level and tightening the bolt.

It'll feel gritty / sandy as you push the saddle down.