Reviewed by Brian Mullin aka Gram and MTBR.com Pastajet
http://www.gramslightbikes.com/
I have been riding the new KCNC Ti Pro Lite seatpost for over 5 months now, and not only is it a nice looking seatpost, but it is one of the best lightweight seatposts currently on the market.
My older KCNC Ti Pro Lite seatpost was starting to show its age, and I was having a difficult time discerning the height markings on the seatpost that I used for terrain adjustments. The seatpost was still functioning properly after many years of use, and except for the occasional squeak (fixed by a drop of lube on the bolts) it has never given me any issues, so I can vouch for its durability.
“Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative”
Earlier in the year, I got an email that the KCNC Ti Pro Lite was now available in colors! How cool was that. It used to come in basic black with an option for colored yokes, which was sort of boring. They now come in full Red, Blue and Gold in 27.2×400, 30.9×400 and 31.6×400 sizes.
The KCNC Ti Pro Lite is a pretty basic seatpost, and is comprised of a Scandium tube (an Aluminum alloy in which Scandium has been added) and an Aluminum yoke saddle clamp system with Titanium bolts.
Looks good, but there definitely isn’t much room for setback…
Oh yeah, one other big point… Scandium is NOT ti, which is what this product seems to market itself as. I doubt it would ride the same as a real ti post.
The only Titanium that I am aware of on the seatpost is the bolts! I am currently reviewing the Lynskey Ti seatpost. It has the same Yoke styled system (albeit with a special carbon rail support) as all the other lightweight seatposts, but it has a full Ti tube. It definitely has the silky feel of Ti to it, but the stiffness of the KCNC post allows you better power transition when you are hammering. It is a tradeoff?
Why does the seat post say Ti when its scandium?
The seat post should say Ti Bolts.
I would not buy anything from a company that does business like this.
The only Titanium that I am aware of on the seatpost is the bolts! I am cutrlnrey reviewing the Lynskey Ti seatpost. It has the same Yoke styled system (albeit with a special carbon rail support) as all the other lightweight seatposts, but it has a full Ti tube. It definitely has the silky feel of Ti to it, but the stiffness of the KCNC post allows you better power transition when you are hammering. It is a tradeoff?
I ride these posts, but it is essentially impossible to keep the saddle from sliding backwards. I end up bending the Ti rails due to the support system and how tight the clamp needs to be. 2 years on 3 of these. The best upgrade is to use a Thomson bottom plate, as it fully supports the bottom of the rails. After a while, my SLR ti rails broke at the support point of the bottom ‘clamp’.
Very unique setup you got there, Brian. Always seen this thing on WW race bikes, never on a 5.5″ trailbike.
Scandium is atomic# 21 on the periodic table, Scandium is #22. So they are very similar in weight and other properties. Titanium is much more common than Scandium being the earths 7th most common element. Scandium is only the 50th most common element.
Much more expensive, Scandium is less resistant to weathering than Titanium.
The post is as indicated Aluminum alloy with Scandium added.
That said, I believe that the Thompson seatposts are the best mankind has to offer.
But red is cool! Would match my Venti rotors.
I too have problems keeping the saddle from sliding on the rails. If you overtighten you can bend the ti bolts. The cylinder that the bolts goes through goes in only one direction, if you put it in the wrong way it will bend, so when you take your’s apart check it before u put it back together.
and combine it with a ti railed saddle and it squeaks like anything.
KCNC has been very good about getting me replacement parts when I do break stuff though (bolts and that cylinder piece)
I’m going to try that trick of using a thomson bottomplate. sounds like a good idea
At what point does ‘a heavier rider’ begin? Is there a weight limit for those of us who aren’t 150lbs?
I have been using the KCNC posts for around 3 years, and never had any issues with the saddle sliding nor bent parts, all I have had is the occasional squeak form the bolts. I might suggest sliding the post all the way back, which works well anyway since it’s a zero setback post, that should alleviate any sliding issues?
Heavy riders would be in the 200-220lb or greater range?
mine squeaks quite a bit – I have lubed it several places and used anti-seize / ti prep on the bolts
Where else should be lubed?
First of all, it is NOT made of scandium. It’s an aluminum allow with a very little addition of scandium. However, that little scandium makes aluminum much harder and resistant, and hence you can make bicycle frames and other parts with less of the alloy, thus making them lighter.
Second: the argument about seatpost stiffness is silly: seatposts do not bend under a human cyclist. Some may break, but their bending is so little that it is not perceptible without accurate measuring equipment. If the bending during cycling was, in fact, perceptible, it would cause the quick failure of any aluminum seatpost due to fatigue (this is not the case for titanium seatposts, but that’s a long story).
That seatpost contains 0.5% in weight of scandium. Probably less. That means, the whole seatpost contains less than 1g of scandium. Less than 1 gram.
If you use a short frame and have the seatpost at or close to full hight, unless it is a Thomson or similar they do bend under Human weight and some (Easton EA30) move around like bamboo shoots in a wind storm, which is how I found the Thomson I needed a light stiff post.
You are mistaking frame bending with seatpost bending – arguably a common mis-interpretation of what is happening.
FWIW, my Ti layback post definitely flexes. The post flexes enough that it is clearly visible when one pushes firmly on the saddle.
This looks like a nice post, but the name is misleading. I don’t call my steel CX bike titanium just because it has some titanium in the hubs…
anybody got tips on stopping the creaking noise?
Put a couple of drops of good lube (like Dumonde or Bioshield) on the top of the bolt letting it soak into the threads.
To start from the beginning:
1) use a good anti seize on the bolts, apply liberally
2) when torquing down the bolts make sure you evenly distribute the force onto the saddle rails (via the yokes), take your time and don’t over force it
3) add a few drops of lube to the top of the bolts letting it soak in, reapply on occasion
Although I like this seat post I think the setback is by far the better post…
http://fairwheelbikes.com/kcnc-sc-pro-lite-seatpost-p-1226.html
Not quite as “bling” yet it works wonderfully. The head on it never moves once set and it has two bolts to adjust angle and for/aft separately of each other. It’s around 30 grams heavier but it’s no nonsense and works well.
I’ll have to disagree with Mario. I used to run a RaceFace Deus seatpost on my BottleRocket which had a very short seat tube so the seat post was almost at full length on hill climbs. If I pressed down on the saddle with my full weight (I weight about 150 lb) I could visually see the post slightly bending. This could clearly be felt when on the saddle. I switched to a Thomson and the problem was solved. From then on I only swear by Thomson when it comes to seatposts. Their stems may have issues but the seatposts are the absolute best IMO.
Why don’t we start a review on the seatpost reviews?
I disagree with mario also, my FSA SLK carbon seatpost at full extension on voodoo aizan visibly bends slightly when i lean my weight on it and it is most definitely not the frame
I have been using the KCNC posts for around 3 years, and never had any iuesss with the saddle sliding nor bent parts, all I have had is the occasional squeak form the bolts. I might suggest sliding the post all the way back, which works well anyway since it’s a zero setback post, that should alleviate any sliding iuesss?Heavy riders would be in the 200-220lb or greater range?
I’m trying to get some real info on this seatpost. This particular review I have found posted in more than 2 separate sites. Same post on the same bike reviewed by the same person, which seems strange to me. Hasn’t anybody else tried one of these?
I have been using the KCNC posts for around 3 years, and never had any isseus with the saddle sliding nor bent parts, all I have had is the occasional squeak form the bolts. I might suggest sliding the post all the way back, which works well anyway since it’s a zero setback post, that should alleviate any sliding isseus?Heavy riders would be in the 200-220lb or greater range?