Even though everyone has a preference on the saddle they sit on, very few give any real thought to the post that it is mounted on. Some gram counters may look for the lightest, some riders look for something with a bit of give, some more fashion conscious riders just want the most expensive or trick available, but most are happy with whatever the bike comes with or what seems a reasonable price. When it comes to splashing the cash seat posts don’t really head the sexy stakes and like most, we would be more likely to invest in something else before a new seat post.

With that said Thomson make what is widely regarded the best seat post on the market, and when you pay it some close attention, it’s a very sexy bit of kit. Thomson use one solid piece of 7000 series aluminum which they then machine into the finished seat post. This means no joins, the clamp is not pressed or bonded in, just one solid complete piece of manufacturing. They then bore the inside of the post in an oval fashion. This means that the front and rear sections of the seat post are stronger and can avoid ‘catastrophic failure’. When Thomson refer to ‘catastrophic failure’ they are referring to the breaking of the seat post without warning. Thomson state that their seat posts will bend well before they break, giving the rider plenty of warning before the post fails. It may not be the lightest or the cheapest – but they claim it is the strongest. 40% stronger they reckon. Thomson claims that most other seat posts will fail out around 150 foot-lbs, while theirs will start to bend at 250 foot-lbs, and will not break until a massive 350 foot-lbs. At RCUK we do not have the tools to test these numbers, so we will have to take them at their word.

With an almost unlimited array of sizes, there are no problems finding the right size for your application. They have 40 different post options for an inline post ranging from 25 to 32.4 in width and between 200mm and 410mm in length. There are also Layback posts available but the options are more limited with 13 sizes available. The posts are available in either silver or black (however black is the only option in some sizes).

We had a slightly unusual need for a 30mm post at 410mm length, even though there were some options on the marketplace, we were more confident with a Thomson seat post supporting our weight. It tips the scales at a very respectable 277 grams. Mounting the seat was never a problem, but not quite as simple as they make out – in theory you should be able change the seat without removing the top clamp, however we found that more like solving a rubix cube so tended to dismantle and rebuild. There are simply two bolts holding the top clamp down over a free moving bottom clamp. With a slightly adjustment of each bolt you can amend the angle of the seat between 5 degree up or 29 degrees down. There is a indicator on the side of the clamp so you can set it for seat angle.

As many refer to Chris King headsets as the fit and forget lifetime headset, the same could be said for a Thomson seat post. From all angles and all aspects it is beautifully made and perfectly functional. Some may wonder if it is worth the extra investment, but in this case we can apply the Gucci family motto – ‘Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten’. You will be hard pressed to find a post that does its job better. Very sexy indeed.

To look at the Thomson range on their website check out www.lhthomson.com