Quick release on an MTB seat

[scrwright]

Just bought a Cube off the bay minus the seat & post as they were nicked when the PO left it outside a shop. The gits also took the locking collar so need to buy a new one, question is is there any need for a quick release one? I was going to get a normal allen bolt one (not that I will be leaving it anywhere though) I just thought you set the seat to the correct height & left it at that?

cheers

[rhinochopig]

Do you ride off road? If yes, you need a QR collar. Technical trails seat height and fire road seat heights are different. DH is different again.

[chrisispringles]

There is no actual need for a QR, it is only for convenience if you are going to be regularly raising and lowering the seat.

[scrwright]

At the mo I am only doing flat forest trails, nothing too technical at all (until I get fitter!)

[rhinochopig]

scrwright said:

At the mo I am only doing flat forest trails, nothing too technical at all (until I get fitter!)

If you plan to then you need a QR.

[Trevelyan]

rhinochopig said:

If you plan to then you need a QR.

Interesting comment - I'm wondering what I'm missing now! I've been back into mountain biking for nearly a year now but I've never adjusted the saddle height. I do all sorts of riding from commuting to work on tarmac to XC trails, forest trails, dirt tracks and everything in between. The only thing I've never really tried is DH which I know would need the saddle to be lowered but when else should I be looking to adjust the saddle height?

[anonymous-user]

you dont really need a QR at all and it makes life easier for 90% of the time not haivng one. its unlikely that opportunistic thief will be carrying around a 5mm allen key so i would quite happily leave a seat post in with a nice shiny bolt and just take the allen key out on the trail. not that i raise or lower the seat that much during a ride though, we just used it as an excuse to have another shiny anodised x-lite bolt!....

[rhinochopig]

Trevelyan said:

rhinochopig said:

If you plan to then you need a QR.

Interesting comment - I'm wondering what I'm missing now! I've been back into mountain biking for nearly a year now but I've never adjusted the saddle height. I do all sorts of riding from commuting to work on tarmac to XC trails, forest trails, dirt tracks and everything in between. The only thing I've never really tried is DH which I know would need the saddle to be lowered but when else should I be looking to adjust the saddle height?

I find I use three basic saddle heights:

Road / fire road which is basically the same height as you would use on a road bike, i.e. set up for optimum pedalling efficiency. I'll also use this height for easy XC stuff which doesn't include steep stuff.

General XC, by which I mean all trails up to but not including black. This is an inch or two lower than the road height so as to allow you shift your body weight around without the saddle getting in the way, but still allows you to generate good power.

And the final height - low - is basically stuff that is very very steep or has drop offs and doesn't require seated pedalling.

The key thing is that the better you are the more you can do at the middle height. I used to pedal with the lad who is now DH WC and, for example, I would be dropping my seat height at the top of some runs that he wouldn't bother for.

But having the ability to drop your saddle IS MUCH MUCH safer than not. Have a look at you tube for some of the WC XC crashes and one key factor is the riders inability get your arse over the back wheel.

[shalmaneser]

As above, i find it useful. Although I just have two positions:slammed (for DH/4X) and 'normal', for everything else.

[robpearson]

I'm not convinced you need quick release, definately handy, but I ride everything with my seat at the same height and don't seem to do too badly at mayhem or 24/12. It also doesn't cause me any trouble at coed y Brenin, but I guess I've just got used to not being able to move it.

[MadDad]

Its definitely a rider preference thing. I have a q/r on all of my mountain bikes and use them, not regularly but I am thankful of them when I do need them. Most of the time my post remains in the 'riding' position, but if I am going to play on a technical trail with drop-in's, jumps etc, or if I am going to do some downhill then the seat goes down - just gives more room to move about in the cockpit - nothing worse than going over the side of a drop in and snagging your shorts on your saddle!!!

If you go for a Q/R clap, don't mess about, spend the extra couple of quid and get a Hope or Salsa. I bought a couple of cheap ones to begin with, one never seemed to keep the seat post in place very well, the other 'exploded' on a climb! If you want a really good combo get a Thomson seat post to go with it!

[scrwright]

Gone for a bolted one for now & see how it goes. Been out of MTBing since my Marin in '88, things have changed a bit Still can't believe how much I spent on what the shop called a fairly budget seat post (raceface ride)

[Engineer1]

chrisispringles said:

There is no actual need for a QR, it is only for convenience if you are going to be regularly raising and lowering the seat.

Which is exactly what you are likely to be doing on a technical trail, Ok I ma really new to this info but yesterday I was on an intro to mountain biking course, my seat was too high for drop offs but when I moved it down it was too low for comfort for long flat rides or climbing.
The other option is to spend serious money on a multi height post like this, lock it off and you can easily drop the seat an inch or two which means you can move your weight round the bike a lot easier and get your weight back for drop offs.