1) I'm looking at the Use Alien carbon seat post for a mtn bike. Are they stong enough for mtn bike use? I read (not the Alien) about mtn bike carbon seat post failures and do not want that to happen to me.
2) My current post is 30.9 mm. I can only find a 27.2 mm (x 350 mm) Alien carbon seat post. Do they make a 30.9 mm alien carbon seat post? If not, I found several shims, one from the manufacturer of my mtn bike. Is shimming a cabon seat post OK?
3) Is there a different seat post I should be looking at instead of the Alien?
1) I'm looking at the Use Alien carbon seat post for a mtn bike. Are they stong enough for mtn bike use? I read (not the Alien) about mtn bike carbon seat post failures and do not want that to happen to me.
2) My current post is 30.9 mm. I can only find a 27.2 mm (x 350 mm) Alien carbon seat post. Do they make a 30.9 mm alien carbon seat post? If not, I found several shims, one from the manufacturer of my mtn bike. Is shimming a cabon seat post OK?
3) Is there a different seat post I should be looking at instead of the Alien?
1) I'm looking at the Use Alien carbon seat post for a mtn bike. Are they stong enough for mtn bike use? I read (not the Alien) about mtn bike carbon seat post failures and do not want that to happen to me.
2) My current post is 30.9 mm. I can only find a 27.2 mm (x 350 mm) Alien carbon seat post. Do they make a 30.9 mm alien carbon seat post? If not, I found several shims, one from the manufacturer of my mtn bike. Is shimming a cabon seat post OK?
3) Is there a different seat post I should be looking at instead of the Alien?
Derek Think
I use the USE Alien, Easton and Campagnolo Record carbon posts. I also use the Campagnolo Chorus TI posts. Adjusting the Alien is the most laborious and tedious, but I believe it's the lightest. The Easton and Campagnolo are much easier to adjust. USE says the carbon post comes in 4 sizes, but does not list them. Don't know why a shim would be problematic.
Carbon is not the "miracle" material some would have you believe. For instance, I just had the Easton seat post slip in the frame. It now has a 3/4" gouge in it. I guarantee it will be replace this weekend *before* I ride this bike again. I doubt this would have happened with a TI or AL post. Scratched? Sure. Rendered useless? No.
The Giant Pro MTB team used the USE Alien Carbon post in 2003. They might be using it this year, as well, though I'm not sure.
I like USE products in general. A little too cute for their own good, but hey, you have to appreciate that they take real stabs at reinventing cycling basics -- like the seatpost clamp, or the star-nut topcap headset adjustment method (see the USE Ring-O-Star).
