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.

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.

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.