Slips sliding...

Awhile back, I swapped my Thomson drooper for a Fox Transfer... again.

What can I say?  I like the extra droop.  I'd consider a 170mm if Thomson or Fox ever go there... and if it fit in my frame.

Anyways, this go around...

I had the dreaded issue that I'd heard about with Fox droopers.  I'd either have the post slipping down into the frame, or if I tightened up the clamp, the drooper would become sticky or nonoperational... although it stopped slipping into the frame.  Made for an expensive high post.

I could not go for a ride without the seatpost slipping.  Not even a short ride.  It was easy enough to watch the letter A drop down the more I rode. 

So, what to do?

I remembered that Thomson had made some claims about their seat collar when it came out (a zillion years ago):

"The collar utilizes the Thomson Seatpost bolt, washer, and barrel nut combination that has proven strong over the years. This fastener combination allows float on both sides of the collar slot ensuring consistent clamping force. The bolt hole angle, height of the collar, and offset slot all help create a collar that generates maximum clamping force at only 25-inch pounds of fastener torque."

Now, I can remember the storied tale of the Thomson seatpost collar. They started hyping it way back in 2008 (I think).

Thomson fans were full of stoke. A clamp to match my stem and post? What could be better?  Take my money and thank.

But then time dragged on and then nothing.  Rumors of extreme and rigorous testing (on a clamp, WTF?), complaints about the anticipated high cost, the "how can it do its job better than any other clamp out there?" type of extreme cynicism. 

Shear anguish abounds all around.

Anyways, it wasn't until late 2009 before they started shipping... and that was just certain sizes and only in black... and it wasn't until some time in 2010 when they were able to produce all sizes in black and silver and get them shipped out.

And still, the anger over an overpriced ($30) seatpost collar hovered over the whole thing like a dark cloud.

I used to love the simple looking clamp on the Vertigo Meatplow V.7, but I couldn't help to think that maybe it was part of the problem.  I wouldn't think that Thomson was market-driveling the whole "consistent clamping force" angle.  That's not their style.  They didn't wait years to release a piece of shit, overpriced bike component out into the wild.

Here's the crazy part.  I get it, slide it on the frame... look at the instructions for a torque value...

2.8Nm?

My Topeak digital torque wrench only goes down to 4Nm.  Also, Thomson had swapped the M5 bolt that had a 4mm Allen head (shown in above Sick Lines Interbike image) to an M5 with a 3mm Allen head, the same way they had with their stems years ago.  Something something about ham-fisted, torque-wrench-not-having mechanics having a harder time over-torquing their shit with a flexy little 3mm Allen key.  Saving dummies from themselves.  Idiot-proofing, as it were.

For comparison's sake, the Salsa Lip Lock is about the same weight, 30% cheaper, comes in assorted colors, also has a threaded barrel... but the torque recommendation?

"Tighten the M6 bolt with a 5mm Allen wrench to 8Nm or manufacturer’s recommended frame/post torque setting, whichever is lowest."

2.8Nm isn't even in the same neighborhood as 8Nm (twice the recommended force on most stem face plates for comparison's sake).

So how the hell is 2.8Nm gonna do shit for keeping my seatpost in place?

From the brainiacs at Thomson:

"On a 27.2 post in an aluminum frame at 2.8Nm of collar bolt torque it takes 900+ pounds of force to make the seatpost slip."

My many attempts to fix it involved adding torque, testing the post, repeat until the post sticks, back off the bolt a little, test again.

And then go for another ride and watch my drooper get droopy.

So, I install the Thomson... sorta according to the instructions.  I made my best guess on torque with my tiny 3mm Allen key, and tested the torque with my digital wrench on 4Nm... no beep.  So definitely NOT 4Nm, but mebbe 3?  Mebbe less.

Doesn't matter much to me at all.  I did the entire Pisgah Enduro™, which was two very long days in the saddle (and walking next to it) and a big ride in Pisgah this past weekend without it even budging.  Post actuation is super smooth and speedy, and absolutely zero slippage.

So is a $30 seatpost collar worth it?

If you're dealing with the same issues with any drooper post, I highly recommend throwing down for a Thomson collar.  $30 is a drop in the bucket when your high-tech, high-dollar drooping ain't be doing like it should.  It's made a world of difference for me, mostly because my head part was hurting pretty bad as I watched my post slide back into the frame.

Now, no more hurty head part so bueno.

Also this:

Call me a moron (many do), but I just reused the housing from the Thomson post that was on there (just shortened) when I installed the Fox.  Thomson uses (or at least used to) something closer to brake housing, requiring a ferrule designed for a brake cable.  There was too much of a gap for shit to get into the housing, and it's in a much more vulnerable place with the Fox Transfer.  That's why my post acted up a the Pisgah Enduro™.

So... proper shift housing, proper ferrules, some lube... and all is well.

Imagine that.