My top 2 picks for the best aluminium MTB seatposts

Table of Contents

In this article I’m going to give you my top 2 picks for the best aluminum MTB seatposts. For such an ostensibly simple piece of kit there are a remarkable number of options to choose from.

I’m not going to feature a gazillion seatposts here, but just the two that have been on the market long enough to earn their reputation.

Kalloy Uno SP-248 Seatpost

It’s a testament to its quality that in the latter half of the 90s Cannondale decided to outfit almost their entire lineup with Kalloy seatposts. With the SP-248 being featured in the top range.

1997 Cannondale Super V 2000 with silver Kalloy Uno seatpost

Saddle Setup

I believe the “Uno” stands for the single-bolt clamp system. It allows for an extremely easy setup and tilt adjustment.

After you’ve used this clamp system and compared it to other seatposts will you truly appreciate how user-friendly this seatpost is (and how frustrating others can be).

Because it’s just a single bolt, you have to fidget around less to get the top half of the clamp in place. You can even decide to take it off completely for easy insertion of the saddle rails.

I prefer a 0° saddle angle from the nose to the back, and with this saddle it’s an absolute breeze to achieve that. Whereas other seatposts (I’m looking at you Cane Creek Eesilk!) necessitate going back and forth with hard to reach bolts.

Build Quality

In all honesty, there’s very little that can go wrong with a seatpost. But it helps that the Kalloy SP-248 head and post is a one-piece setup, which is one of the strongest way to construct a seatpost.

The clamp bolt is a big 10mm. one you can tighten to your heart’s content. And even though it’s just one, I’ve never had them loosen.

Size, Length and Finish

The Kalloy seatpost already existed in an era when it was less sexy to deviate from common standards. That means they come in various sizes, lengths and both a black and silver. finish. And they come in sizes usable for older type bikes.

Because of its design the Kalloy Uno is a seatpost with setback.

Kalloy Uno SP-248 Seatpost Diameter
25.0mm
25.4mm
25.6mm
25.8mm
26.0mm
26.2mm
26.4mm
26.6mm
26.8mm
27.0mm
27.2mm
27.4mm
28.0mm
28.2mm
28.4mm
28.6mm
28.8mm
29.0mm
29.2mm
29.4mm
29.6mm
29.8mm
30.0mm
30.2mm
30.4mm
30.6mm
30.8mm
30.9mm
31.0mm
31.2mm
31.4mm
31.6mm
31.8mm

Price

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly high-quality seatpost look no further than the Kalloy Uno.

It’s ridiculously cheap, especially considering the fact there are so many of them so you can probably find one second-hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if for less than €10 you can get one.

If not, because you either just want a new one or you couldn’t find the right size or something, I’ve seen this seatpost go for as low as €16 new.

Thomson Elite Seatpost

Just as the Kalloy Uno seatpost was used by Cannondale throughout their lineup, so was the Thomson Elite seatpost.

1998 Cannondale Super V 4000 Raven with black Thomson Elite seatpost

The only difference being that the Thomson Elite was reserved for their top-of-the-line models like the Super V 4000 Raven.

I believe it’s no understatement that the Thomson Elite is viewed as the go-to best mountain bike aluminum seatpost around. It’s even used as a benchmark for seatpost tests, which implies you’ve set the standard against which other brands are to be compared against.

Saddle Setup

Setting up your saddle isn’t quite as easy as with the Kalloy, but still easy enough. The two-bolt system allows for saddle tilt by alternatively loosening and/or tightening each bolt.

Getting to the correct saddle tilt this way is actually easier than with the one-bolt clamp of the Kalloy seatpost. That’s because you don’t have to completely loosen the bolts to move the saddle.

Build Quality

In general, premium products are simply better looking, apart from the inherent quality of the item. And the Thomson Elite is no exception.

The machined head moves flawlessly into the extruded aluminum tube, which has a nice and subtle ringed texture to it. It’s made from a 7000 series aluminum, which is the toughest there is.

Size, Length and Finish

Thomson doesn’t offer as many different diameter sizes as the Kalloy, but still more than enough. And they also offer a setback version.

Diameter	Setback available	250mm	330mm	367mm	410mm
25.0mm			yes
25.4mm			yes
26.0mm			yes
26.6mm			yes
26.8mm	yes		yes
27.0mm			yes		yes
27.2mm	yes	yes	yes		yes
27.4mm		yes	yes		yes
28.6mm	yes		yes
29.4mm			yes		yes
29.8mm			yes
30.0mm	yes		yes		yes
30.6mm				yes
30.8mm				yes	yes
30.9mm	yes			yes	yes
31.4mm				yes	yes
31.6mm	yes			yes	yes
32.4mm	yes			yes

Price

Because they are the bees knees when it comes to aluminum seatposts, you have to reach a lot deeper into your wallet compared to the Kalloy.

I bought mine for €81.33 from bike-components.de so that can be considered a considerable price increase. Especially since I replaced a black Kalloy Uno, which I just said is a fine piece of equipment.

Final conclusion about the best aluminum MTB seatposts

With both the Kalloy Uno and the Thomson Elite you’ve got two of the best aluminum MTB seatposts from both ends of the spectrum. One extremely budget-friendly, the other a tried-and-true choice for those willing to spend the money.

I’m sure there are other contenders that could be added to this list of the best aluminum MTB seatposts, but for me these two offer all I’ll ever need for my retro MTB builds.

And that wraps up my article about the best aluminum MTB seatposts ! If you like this article give it a thumbs up. If you have any questions or suggestions for new articles, let me know in the comments below. Cheers.