These Seatposts Will Help You Raise Your Ride

The seatpost is one of the most important parts of your bicycle. A good seatpost supports the majority of your weight on the bike and must be able to withstand that weight while maintaining the appropriate angle for your ride and without moving. While the seatpost your bike comes with is likely adequate for the job at hand, for those looking to upgrade their kit or replace one that broke, a new seatpost offers an opportunity to cut weight and even add some suspension to reduce vibration, making it easier to ride farther.

Best Bike Seatposts

• The Gold Standard: Thomson Elite Seatpost
• Best Shock-Absorbing Carbon Fiber: Syntace P6 Carbon HiFlex
• Best Suspension Seatpost for Bumpy Terrain: Cane Creek Thudbuster ST
• Best Lightweight Carbon: Easton EC90 Seatpost
• Best Mountain Bike Dropper: OneUp Components Dropper Post V2
• Best Lightweight Gravel/Road Dropper: FOX Racing Shox Transfer SL 27.2 Performance Elite Dropper Seatpost
• Best Budget Model: Zipp Service Course B2 Seatpost
• Best Carbon for Mountain Bikes: Twin Bolt Seatpost 400MM
• Best Budget Carbon: No. 7 Carbon Seatpost
  

What to Consider

Material

The majority of seatposts for bikes are made of carbon fiber or aluminum. Aluminum is generally less expensive and a little heavier. Carbon fiber is lighter and more expensive, and offers more natural or passive shock absorption.

Diameter

The majority of seat posts have standard diameters: 27.2mm or 31.6mm for road bikes and 30.9mm, 31.6mm and 34.9mm for mountain bikes, but some are as small as 25mm. When replacing a seat post, make sure you’ve checked your bike’s specs or measured the seat post to ensure the replacement will fit.

Layback/Setback

The layback or setback refers to whether or not the seatpost clamp is mounted directly above the seatpost or offset to the rear. Even with zero layback, you can adjust the seat further back or forward as needed, but a seatpost with a layback will place you farther back on the bike—a great option if you feel like your bike isn’t long enough to properly position your knees while riding.

Length

You want a seatpost long enough for your height needs on your bike. A seatpost that’s too short can’t can’t be made longer. A seatpost that’s too long, on the other hand, can be cut to be made shorter.

Suspension or Damping

Some seatposts, particularly those for road bikes, try to add in some sort of suspension or damping mechanism to reduce the amount of vibration that reaches the saddle—and ultimately, your rump. Some of these are passive, relying on the materials in the seatpost, while others are active, with joints, springs, and pistons.

Dropper Mechanism

Dropper posts came into being to suit the needs of mountain bikers, but increasingly, they’re making their way into gravel bikes and even road bikes. They allow riders to adjust the height of the seat for varying terrain: up for a higher center of balance and climbing, and down and out of the way for tricky descents on tough, bouncy trails.

How We Selected

Over the years, we’ve ridden on hundreds of seatposts and know what we like and don’t like. We used that information, as well as consumer reviews of highly rated models, to bring you this list of the best bike seatposts available on the market today.