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Tech letters – USE Alien Carbon
Edited by John Stevenson
Yesterday's review of the the USE Alien carbon seatpost brought swift comments from readers who've used this featherweight and idiosyncratic post. We're sure there will be more, but for starters here's the first half-dozen.
Send your comments on this post to the Cyclingnews' tech desk
Contents
Oversize rail issues
Clamp - too much mechanical advantage
Fiddly is kind
Clamp release needs a hammer!
Adjust the bolts carefully
Only problem is adjustment
Try and pry
Grease is the key
Better or worse than Giant?
Oversize rail issues
I have the round carbon version USE Alien seatpost and while it is undoubtably very light (32gms lighter than the Record Carbon seatpost on my scales) the clamping mechanism is not only fiddly but is less tolerant of differences in saddle rail thickness. For example, it is impossible to mount the Selle Italia Fluid and Fizik Aliante saddles on the USE post as these saddles have slightly oversize rails and the clamping mechanism cannot accomodate them. On the other hand, the Record Carbon post and other seatposts using a clam-like clamp have no problems. So, consider what saddle you're intending to mount on the seatpost before purchasing.
Angus Barber
UK
Clamp - too much mechanical advantage
I think the clamp design is terrible. The mechanism gives too much mechanical advantage to the two 3 mm bolts. When tightening the clamp one never really knows if they are tight enough. The resistance offered to the wrench increases very slightly. The bolts never really come up snug. If you continue to tighten hoping for the bolts to feel tight you will make them too tight and create impressions on the sliding surfaces of the clamp. It is very difficult to adjust the saddle. You have to back the bolts all the way off and then smack the saddle to break the clamp free thus loosing your position.
Jamie Swan
Fiddly is kind
I have the road model (round) on a Litespeed Palmares. The post is comfy and the clamp is very secure. But I have a huge gripe about setting up the seat in the clamp. Fiddly is being kind (too kind).
The problem starts once you do get your setback and level in the right position and start to tighten the clamp. Two screws pull down the length of the clamp squeezing them against the middle of the clamp and on to the slot on the post that holds it all together (the front part of the clamp moves toward the back part of the clamp). If you look at the picture of the post you will see that saddle fore and aft adjustment as well as the level (nose up or nose down) are all adjusted by moving along that curved channel. Well once you start to tighten the bolts, the clamp starts to pull tight and move along that channel, which changes your setback and your level. You are forced to guess how far the saddle will move because the clamp doesn't move the same each time you tighten it down.
I am sure we all have adjusted our saddles a million times finding that sweet spot, but with this post (nice as it is), those little adjustments are major efforts in patience and guess work, sometimes resulting in a worse position than when you started. You can forget about adjustments on a ride! Unless your pack has a reason to stop for 20 minutes... Like they mentioned in the test, once you have ridden this a bit, getting the clamp loose again requires full takedown, and unless you have your rails marked and a level with you, micro adjustments are not possible on the road, and you will need to completely remove the saddle in the effort to get the clamp loose.
This post would be great if there were some form of groves on one part (just the front 30%) of the channel that would mate with the clamp and keep it from moving every time you tighten it!
CM,
USA
Clamp release needs a hammer!
Your review is accurate except for the failure to mention that you need to use a hammer and a block of wood to break the clamp free after its been set on the rails of a Selle Italia saddle. Also, the odd smell and smoke that comes from the aluminum clamp when it does break free. The post is nice, and the clamp is a very efficient design. I just wish there was more set-back.
Paul Soldo
Adjust the bolts carefully
Your comments are right on. I decided to move from the Easton Carbon post to this due to the light clamp and the fact that a heavier teammate had used it for a season with success.
Mine came with explicit instructions for the installation in the frame but no word on the use of the clamp. The clamp bolts never become snug so I just adjusted them till the seat rail could not shift in the clamp. This turns out to be insufficiently snug. I ride the seat fully back and on a very rough road hit a bump that caused the clamp to pop off the back of the I-Beam Rail. Bent the clamp bolts. US Distributor gladly replaced the bolts and advised that the bolts must be tightened till they are flush with the face of the clamp.
Following another occurrence of seat slip a month later, again on a very bumpy road (riding very stiff wheels, Campy Shamal Tubular) I re-clamped the seat with the bolts one thread beyond flush and have been trouble free for months.
Grant Mann
[The post now has instructions that tell you to tighten the bolts until the thread is flush with the clamp or slightly protruding from it. – JS]
Only problem is adjustment
I have used the 250mm carbon post for the last 6 months..I weigh in just over 200lbs. I thought I would break it for sure....but I didn't, yet. I have had no problems at all with this post other than the headache of adjusting the angle of the seat. It is not great, but once set seams to not creak or sqeak with the many different saddles that I have attached to it. I rate it a 4 of 5...perfect if they can figure a easy way to adjust seat angle one day.
Mike Perry
Try and pry
Suggestion for the folks with the complaint of having to use a hammer to unwedge the clamp on their USE seatpost: I simply use a flathead screwdriver and gently pry between the end and center clamps [in the instructions, they're referred as "A, B, and C"]. It works well, as it looses the clamp easily and with minimal movement of saddle position.
John Phillips
Australia
Grease is the key
I have been using an Aluminium USE Alien for over a year now and I have a tip for making it easier to set up. Use a little of the grease, that comes with the post, on the clamp track. This will help all the components slide into position and once tight the clamp will not move. Never over-tighten the bolts as they will break. On a standard seat rail one turn of thread past flush should be plenty.
I am 92kg and I have had no problem with the clamp moving, or the post, on my Kona mountain bike.
Stephen Hillier
Australia
Better or worse than Giant?
Up until Yesterday I was looking about putting the aero carbon post into a
Giant TCR aero frame.
Can anyone rate this post compared to Giant's own aero post. Sounds like the
amount of fiddling around to get it right might not outweigh it's superior weight
difference and (in my opinion) looks. Can someone comment on this.
Jason Williams
Sydney
Having used both, I'd say the Giant post is far easier to assemble, but as I commented in the review, it's heavier. Is it worth the hassle? That's a tricky one. If you're one of those people who is constantly tinkering with their bike, messing about with things like saddle position and even saddle model (like me, but it's my job) then the Alien is not for you. But if you are able to set things up and then leave them alone, it's a solid choice, assuming the weight saving and aesthetic improvement are worth the money to you. OK, so it takes longer to set up, but you're only going to do it once. – JS
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