WHAT IS BETTER - SEAT POSTS?

The seat post is the assembly that attaches the saddle to the bicycle.  There are a number of different designs and quality levels to choose from.  Some good and some terrible, when use is the focus of discussion.  Once again, the older the offering, the less "user friendly" it will likely be.  That said, the more modern seat post will definitely look to be out of place on many vintage road bicycles.  The consideration here is safety vs. appearance.  For my money and considering the fact that I ride my bicycles, I target safety first, then eye appeal.

I like a seat post that has lots of adjustment and is easy to adjust.  There are two distinct seat post styles, or designs, that you will come across when searching for a bicycle to restore.  The first is the good old Old School "Clamp-To-A-Tube" system, compared to the second and more modern "Indexed" offering.  Some of the newer seat posts, the indexed models will have smooth, fluted and or Aero features built into the component.

The "clamp-to-a-tube" system is just that.  A relatively cheap pressed steel clamp, made up of no less than eight to ten pieces, that managed to hold the saddle and seat post together, sort of.  These older style seat post clamps were heavy and very awkward to install.  To make matters worse they did not always work well, frequently slipping or  tilting when least expected.  Additionally, these old clamp and tube affairs did not allow for precise tilt adjustment.  You set the tilt, as close as the clamp would allow, and hoped for the best which was rarely good enough.

The newer "Indexed" seat posts are far superior from a user's perspective.  They are generally made from aluminum alloy and are considerably lighter than their all steel "Clamp-To-A-Tube" predecessors.  That said, some of the less sophisticated indexed offerings combine steel and alloy.  These designs are not nearly as "user friendly" as the all alloy models.  There are, of course, different styles of indexed seat posts.  Some designs are better than others.  Some offer precise adjustment opportunities, some not so precise.  But all modern posts are more adjustable than their Old School post and clamp assemblies.

The modern design rarely, if ever, slips from its set tilt.  The saddle cannot spin on the seat post, as it can on Old School offerings.  Modern seat posts are forged and then machined to size, increasing the precision factor of the component that helps them do what they do so well.

Of course, a modern indexed seat post will look quite out of place, on an older bicycle.  For me, this is a non issue, since all of my personal bikes are riders.  With that in mind, and considering how many times the clamp and tube system has failed me, I choose to go with the indexed alloy post for all of my bicycles - so far.  For this same reason and even though they look miserably out of place, I choose modern pedals for each of my personal rides.  Not only are my pedals modern, but they are mountain bike pedals at that.

NEXT - WHAT IS BETTER - PEDALS?