Seatpost: is this safe? *PICS*

You're not just risking the post, but also the frame.

is this safe?

no.

I wouldn't just be thinking about buying a new post - I would be doing it - now.

As the other person said, "you're not just risking the post, but your frame", but I will also add -:eek: :eek: your body.:eek: :eek:

Skoorb said:

Unfortunately, I'm stuck using a 250 mm seatpost right now (tri bike). I am thinking of buying a new one, but if I pull this out of the seatpost a bit more, it's just the right length (and saves me cash buying new). If you look at the red line, that's exactly where it needs to be to hook me up. On the back, it's not that much below the minimum, but on the front it is.

I am 170 lbs. I figure this seat post would be safe for somebody weighing 250+ normally, so surely there's quite a subsantial buffer of safety built into their minimum insert length, right? I have the good tendency to unweight the saddle whenever I'm taking big bumps, for what that's worth.

Thanks!

WRONG about the minimum insertion ...

STOP "thinking" about buying a longer seatpost -- buy a 300-to-350mm post BEFORE you ride with that post & frame combination, or get 200mm cranks (e.g., from ZINN) so you can lower the post to the minimum insertion line before you ruin the frame!

Thanks, I won't ride it like that. I've already ridden it on the higher mark on the left pic and the mark through "Ritchey" on the right, but that is pretty close to the minimum, and like I said at 170 I'm lighter than the bike's top weight anyway. I will stay on the trainer now, though, until I get a new seatpost, so no more road riding.

All of the above.
I have seen a top end cannondale frame break because of a too short post.
I like to go a bit longer than minimum as there can be a lot of stresses in this area.