seat post too long ??

[ayceejay]

Somebody came over to ask me to lower their saddle, me being an experienced cyclist and all. Anyway - at a certain point the seat post bottomed out, so my question is - do seat posts come in different lengths or do I need to cut a bit off of this one, an idea I am not at all keen on.

 

[Psycolist]

Commonly 300mm but in truth they can vary from 150mm up to 600mm for some folding bikes. If the seatpost is origonal to the bike its unlikely it would bottom out, but whos to say if its the one that came with the bike. I personally wouldnt be too happy cutting - especially for someone else.

 

[Tim Hall]

How much was in the frame before you lowered it? If the post was happy with that much in the frame, there should be no problem in cutting a bit off the bottom, so that when lowered, the same amount is still in the frame. What material is the seat post?

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Sometimes seat posts can snag on botttle cage mounts stopping it being fully lowered.

 

[ayceejay]

Oh Jeez! sounds like I am in trouble, it's not like she has promised me anything in return or anythingbut then if I admit to NOT KNOWING there is no chance.
The bike is a Specialized with sora that I adjusted and won many Brownie points with so I am in danger of going from hero to zero here. There is no way I will risk getting a hack saw out so do I find a shorter seat post, this one says 410mm?

 

[simon.r]

Oh Jeez! sounds like I am in trouble, it's not like she has promised me anything in return or anythingbut then if I admit to NOT KNOWING there is no chance.
The bike is a Specialized with sora that I adjusted and won many Brownie points with so I am in danger of going from hero to zero here. There is no way I will risk getting a hack saw out so do I find a shorter seat post, this one says 410mm?

Assuming an aluminium post you won't do any harm by cutting a bit off the bottom, as long as there's plenty of post left in the frame. Pipe cutters make a neater job than a hacksaw.

If you really can't bring yourself to cut it just buy a shorter one of the same diameter. Various lengths available, just work out what length you need and look at any of the mail order websites, or your LBS.

 

[mickle]

400mm on a Sora equipped bike??? Sounds like a mountain bike post in a road frame.

A pipe cutter isnt ideal for cutting a seat post since the action of the cutting roller tends to 'bank' the material up either side if the cut - increasing the diameter enough to prevent it going back in the frame if its a close tolerance to begin with. A hacksaw does the job perfectly well - especially since no-one will ever see it!

 

[raindog]

Blimey, you wait years for a "seat post won't go down any further" thread, then two come along together
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chopping-my-seat-post.148240/

 

[Globalti]

Trying to cut aluminium will blunt your pipe cutter.

You might be able to confirm that it's hitting the bottle cage bolt by removing the bolt. Just hacksaw off an inch or two, as required.

 

[mickle]

Trying to cut aluminium will blunt your pipe cutter.

Really? How?

 

[derrick]

Just cut it, hacksaw.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Trying to cut aluminium will blunt your pipe cutter.

You might be able to confirm that it's hitting the bottle cage bolt by removing the bolt. Just hacksaw off an inch or two, as required.

It may catch still -because the riv nuts protrude inside the seat tube......so I vote to just cut it. After all, replacements are cheap, plentiful and would hardly be considered to be a non original part.

 

[Globalti]

Really? How?

Assuming we're talking about a plumber's pipe cutter here - the rotating blade will score a groove into copper quite easily but aluminium will just blunt it. Don't ask me how I know this!

 

[mickle]

Assuming we're talking about a plumber's pipe cutter here - the rotating blade will score a groove into copper quite easily but aluminium will just blunt it. Don't ask me how I know this!

I manage to cut steel tubes with my plumber's pipe cutter without blunting the blade. Maybe you're doing it wrong?

 

[Schmilliemoo]

This isn't me by the way lolol