....the "new" Velo Orange layback seatpost?

[531colin]

There are some pictures here....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201390339624?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=1006553&poi=&campaignid=207297426&device=c&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=pla-131843263506&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=122&ff19=0&ul_noapp=true

It looks like you adjust the saddle angle (nose up/nose down) on the new post by sliding the cradle round the curve, similar to a traditional "hockey stick" seatpost like this, except the Velo Orange one has 2 bolts.



I have the "old" Velo Orange post, where you adjust the angle the cradle sits on the post by tightening or backing off the 2 bolts....this was always the "traditional" way 2 bolt posts worked.



My "old" post works perfectly, I just wondered if anybody had any experience of the "new" post, before I recommend it to a friend.

[iow]

don't know why VO changed the design? its 20% heavier than the mkI version and setback is now dependant on saddle angle.

[andrewjoseph]

i had a two bolt 'hockey stick' post on my boardman. it was a nightmare to adjust. changing angle also change fore/aft position so had to move saddle back/forward on the rails.

[Brucey]

any seatpin with a convex upper adjustment surface will tend to have a 'setback varies with angle' type behaviour, unless the saddle rails are (somehow) brought down well below the convex surface. A criticism of the 'old' VO design was that the range of angle adjustment wasn't very large perhaps?

This 'new one'



Also see pics here

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/seatposts/vo-grand-cru-seat-post-long-setback-1652.html

might offer a little more angle adjustment or something?

You can still see the original one here

http://web.archive.org/web/20120607052506/http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/seatposts/vo-grand-cru-seat-post-long-setback.html

If the new one is heavier this suggests that it is either stronger or cheaper to make...? I can't see that the head itself ought to be much heavier, so presumably the wall thickness of the tube is increased?

cheers

[JohnW]

There are some pictures here....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201390339624?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=1006553&poi=&campaignid=207297426&device=c&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=pla-131843263506&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=122&ff19=0&ul_noapp=true

It looks like you adjust the saddle angle (nose up/nose down) on the new post by sliding the cradle round the curve, similar to a traditional "hockey stick" seatpost like this, except the Velo Orange one has 2 bolts.



I have the "old" Velo Orange post, where you adjust the angle the cradle sits on the post by tightening or backing off the 2 bolts....this was always the "traditional" way 2 bolt posts worked.










My "old" post works perfectly, I just wondered if anybody had any experience of the "new" post, before I recommend it to a friend.

Colin - I'm confused by the photographs. Is the upper photo really a "new" Gran-Cru seatpin? It doesn't look (to me) to be the same one that Brucey has linked us to.

Am I missing something here? - I've been told elsewhere that my drum has worn out, and maybe it has!

I have one of the (so called) "old" Gran-cru seatpins and it works fine for me - and the quality is exceptional - it gave me the angle and lay-back that I wanted. The upper photo in your post looks similar to a 'hockey stick' profile seatpin that I tried about 5 years(ish) ago, and it was a failure - it didn't give any more lay-back than some other seatpins that I had and it was of lower quality (and priced accordingly) than Velo-Orange. The single bolt had to be hellishly tight to maintain seat angle if I hit a pothole faster than I should.

I'm not in the market for another seatpin at the moment, but I'm interested.

[531colin]

Hi John......I'm well into "senior moment" territory myself.....I got this one right in the detail, but as you demonstrate the presentation could have been clearer, couldn't it?

........... similar to a traditional "hockey stick" seatpost like this, except the Velo Orange one has 2 bolts.



............

I'm surprised that so far nobody has reported any direct experience of the "new" Velo Orange post, considering how often we talk about layback posts on here.

[reohn2]

........I'm surprised that so far nobody has reported any direct experience of the "new" Velo Orange post, considering how often we talk about layback posts on here.

I think the clue's in the title

[andrew_s]

It looks like VO haven't updated the description, other than the weight.

As I see it...
Advantages of new version:
a) larger angle adjustment (looks like)
b) the second bolt should hold the saddle reasonably firmly if one bolt breaks, which the old design won't.
c) the clamp body doesn't extend so far past the actual rail clamp position (which would obstruct the use of a Bagman saddlebag support, or maybe seatpack or Moon light mounts)

Advantages of old version:
a) two bolts allow precise angle adjustment
b) angle is independent of setback
(it looks like the new version would be loosen the clamp, position the saddle, then hope it didn't move whilst tightening the bolts)
c) lighter

[CREPELLO]

It looks to me like the new VO Gran Cru post is identical to the new Holdsworth (Planet x) Gran Sport post http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/SPHOGS/hol ... t-seatpost

Planet X is their usual laidback way, make no mention of the layback of their post It comes as standard on their La Quelda model which would definately benefit from any extra layback the seatpost provides. http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBHOLQDB/h ... uelda-mens

[531colin]

well spotted that man!

[bikepacker]

My "old" post works perfectly, I just wondered if anybody had any experience of the "new" post, before I recommend it to a friend.

Compared to the Mark One model the new one is not very good at all. I have been in touch with VO through a retailer and they seem not to want to know the problems.

[deliquium]

My "old" post works perfectly, I just wondered if anybody had any experience of the "new" post, before I recommend it to a friend.

Compared to the Mark One model the new one is not very good at all. I have been in touch with VO through a retailer and they seem not to want to know the problems.

Perhaps you could elaborate? I'm a very happy user of the original version

[Bensons]

I think that my husband has got one of these (looks like a new one - about 9-10 months ago?), no issues. It is now on a thorn club tour, no issues. When I wanted one I had trouble getting hold of one, after waiting two months for it not to arrive I went for the Gran Compe seat post instead.

He would be interested to know what the issues are too I reckon.

[bikepacker]

Following is some of the text of an email I sent to the seller, for obvious reasons I have removed some names.

"Hi
As someone who already owns two of the older type Velo Orange seatposts, here is my assessment of the current Mark Two version purchased from you on 18th May 2016.

First off it is oversize, even after putting a reamer down the seat-tube the post would not look at it. In the end I had to grind away some of the surface before it would fit. Next the clamping mechanism is total useless, unlike the older types that is adjusted by the two bolts this is just clamped into position by them. That seems okay until the constant slippage and movement of the saddle occurs even with the tightest of bolts. On one occasion the slippage caused me to almost lose control when braking to avoid a tractor in a narrow lane.

Cheers."

This was VO reply:
"Hi
Thanks for forwarding that to us. I'm assuming he got a silver model? I grabbed a couple of seat posts off the shelf and put a digital caliper on them and they were coming out at 27.17 mm to 27.19 mm in diameter.
I looked up Dawes Super Galaxy on Sheldon Brown
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/seatpost-sizes.html#d
and they list a tandem model only at 27.0 mm as the size for it.
Other sites seem to think 26.8 to 27.0
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=135194

So my thought is that he had the incorrect size in mind for the seat post, thus the need to grind it down.

As to the saddle slipping, I've not heard that before on this model from any other customers over the past year, but I will keep an eye and ear out for any other occurrences.
Velo Orange LLC.

This was my reply back:

"Hi
Far be it from me to contradict someone as esteemed as *** but he is short on facts.
My 1999 Super Galaxy frame fabricated in the Czech Republic has an oversize top-tube and a 27.2 seat-tube. If it didn’t how come a 27.2 reamer easily goes down it? And if it didn’t how come the Mark One fits okay?
In front of a friend who understands engineering, I put a saddle on the seatpost. He then tightened the clamp as much as he thought it should go, bearing in mind it uses a stainless steel pin going in an alloy thread. With the saddle clamped we were both able to move the saddle."

[531colin]

I recently bought a "planet X" one, I haven't used it yet, I like to keep stock of stuff like layback seatposts that can be hard to find for a reasonable price.
I know 2 people with either the Velo Orange or Planet X posts, and no reports of problems yet....
I will have a play with my post and report back in a few days.