Steven Barrie has a new seat post and wants to keep it like new. We gave him advice on how to prepare the post and frame to minimize any damage to either of them.
Question: How do I prepare the seat tube of my bike before fitting a seat post? I want to minimise scatching to the post.
Answer:
Hi Steven,
You can watch the following video about installing a bicycle seat post to see how to do it:
There will be some damage to your seat post; it’s inevitable. Carbon, alloy, or titanium, you need to put some grease on the seat post before you insert it in the frame and put some down the frame also.
Before you do this, put your finger down the seat tube and feel for any sharp or rough edges, be careful not to cut yourself. If there is anything but a smooth tube, then get some emery paper or very fine sandpaper and give it a little rub.
You don’t say what material your frame or seat pin is made of. You have to be careful with all of them, lots of greases are the answer, but sometimes the seat post might slip down.
It depends on the tightening system. If this happens, you need to take the grease off and fit it dry, this might damage your seat post, but this is preferable to the post slipping down when you are out riding.