mountain bike seatpost

Race Face Evolve XC Seatpost Review

Several of the recent review bikes have come shipped with the Race Face Evolve XC seatpost, so after a lot of saddle time…I thought I’d give you my thoughts on this budget seatpost out of the Race Face camp. The Evolve XC seatpost falls in between the Deus and Ride models in the Race Face line putting it next to last in the hierarchy (Next SL is the top of the line). The aim is to give the rider a highly adjustable seatpost at a low weight and reasonable cost.

What does Race Face say about the Evolve XC?

Ripped from RaceFace.com:

The Evolve XC post features an innovative, patented head design which offers maximum adjustability while minimizing weight, all at a reasonable price.

• Forged from 6061 aluminum, the seatpost head is incredibly strong & fatigue resistant.
• Patented head design is lightweight & distributes loads more efficiently than conventional seatpost head designs.
• Offers unprecedented adjustability – with infinite tilt adjustment completely independent from the fore/aft adjustment.
• The head accommodates 7mm & 8mm rails while providing 35mm of rail support.
• Features a 0.5” rearward offset.
• Oval tubing optimizes strength to weight ratio & provides consistently high strength throughout the length of the tube allowing you to clamp the post down at any height.
• The 3D forged 2014 heat-treated aluminum tube is anodized & shot peened for increased fatigue life.

Race Face Evolve XC Seatpost Specs

• BUILT FOR: XC
• SIZE: 27.2, 30.0, 30.9, 31.6mm
• LENGTH: 350mm
• WEIGHT: 265g (27.2mm)
• COLOUR: Bad Ass Black

Race Face Evolve XC Seatpost Review

The seatpost is one of those components on a mountain bike that you need it to be easily adjustable and then quiet and problem free during the ride. Certain seatposts on mountain bikes can create huge annoyances on the trail through creaking, saddle slippage and a host of other issues that can ruin an enjoyable ride. How does the Evolve XC seatpost from Race Face perform?

Installation and Adjustment – Evolve XC Post

The installation and adjustment on the Race Face Evolve XC seatpost is fantastic. The two bolt install and adjust design is one of the easiest to use on the market. After inserting the saddle into the clamps, you adjust your horizontal positioning and tighten down the bolt. To adjust the angle of your saddle, insert the post into the frame and pivot the saddle by hand. The collar slides up and down the post allowing for very easy adjustment, and once you get the saddle level…just tighten the bottom bolt and you are done. This process is much faster and less cumbersome than  a conventional two bolt leveling system.

On The Trail With The Evolve XC Post

After greasing the post, inserting it into the frame and making all of my adjustments…it was time to hit the trail. With long legs and arms at 6’2″, I typically like to run a large size frame over the the extra large option. Being in between frame sizes, the smaller of the two allows for greater bike control and takes away that feeling of a large, harder to move around rig. The flip side of this decision is that my 34″ inseam often requires a lot of post showing due to shorter seat tubes. With the Evolve XC’s 350mm length (no other lengths available), I found that on all of the frames I was testing…my ideal seatpost height was slightly above the minimum insertion line. While this may not cause any issues, I would have liked to see a longer post to fit the trend of shorter seat tubes. If you jump up to the Deus post from Race Face, you gain 50mm (400mm post) and lose 20 grams (245g claimed weight). The Deus may be a better option for long legged riders.

While climbing, the Race Face Evolve XC seatpost feels solid. I didn’t notice any unnecessary flexing and it was creak free throughout all of my rides. The clamping mechanism for the saddle stayed positioned without any slipping or need for readjustment. For those of you that have had creaking posts that wouldn’t stay put, you can understand the frustration on the trail if a seatpost is not performing like it should.

I am the kind of rider that likes to slam the post down to really enjoy long, fast, technical downhills. For riders like me, you are going to notice that the Race Face graphics wear off quickly. The combination of painted on graphics and seatpost grease really degrade the look of the post on your mountain bike. After the first ride on the Race Face Evolve XC seatpost, it already looked like I had been riding it for years. For some riders this may not matter…you either don’t care what the post looks like or you do not move your saddle height during the ride.

Final Thoughts On The Race Face Evolve XC Post

The Race Face Evolve XC seatpost is a solid performer at a reasonable price and weight. The adjustment system is top notch, but the post length and wear after movement caused some issues for me. If you are one of those riders who wants a solid performing post and either doesn’t move your saddle height or doesn’t mind the degraded appearance…this may be the seatpost you have been looking for. For those of you with longer legs, I would suggest moving up to the Deus to get the longer post length.

Good News on the Evolve XC Post

• Bombproof Adjustment and Install – Possibly the best in the industry…
• Multiple Widths Available
• Great On Trail Performance – Creak and slip free
• Reasonable Weight for the Price
• Burly Enough for AM/Trail Bike Rigs
• Price – $44 MSRP

Bad News on the Evolve XC Post

• Only Available in One Length – 350mm may be too short for some riders
• Shows Dramatic Wear When Changing Saddle Height – May not be an issue for some riders

Where Can I Buy A Race Face Evolve XC Post?

RACE FACE EVOLVE XC SEATPOST ’09

Thomson Seatposts, Stems and Seatpost Clamps

Whenever I am doing a build, there is only one brand I go to for my seatpost and stem needs…L.H. Thomson Co.. Located in Macon, GA USA, the L.H. Thomson Company makes, by far, the best posts and stems on the market.

Thomson MTB Product Features

• Machined out of 7000 series aluminum
• One piece design with no welds or joints
• The bolts are custom-made from high strength steel. A corrosion-preventative plating is added to prevent rust. All six bolts are interchangeable. A 4mm hex wrench will fit all bolts on our stems and seatposts.
• Every component of the Thomson stem, including the fasteners, is 100 percent American made.

Why Are Thomson Stems and Posts The Best?

One look at these parts and you will notice the manufacturing superiority over the competition. Every tolerance is held perfectly. Thomson’s bread and butter business is in specialty manufacturing and engineering for companies like Boeing and Ford, so it is pretty safe to assume that bike parts are on their “simple to do” list.

The Thomson Stems

I can actually feel a difference in the overall stiffness of the front end when switching between brands. The widely spaced 4 bolt front clamp design tightens evenly around the bar and does not slip over time. Each bolt has a torque setting printed on the stem. If possible, stick to these settings as close as possible. The Thomson stems have a lot of clamping force and over tightening can damage bars or steerer tubes.

You can purchase these stems in 3 flavors with plenty of length/rise combination’s with each.

• Thomson Elite – Your typical 25.4 mountain stem size. This stem uses Thomson’s own two bolt wrap around clamp design. The makes the stem have no exposed bolts that normally damage knee caps.
• Thomson Elite X2 – The 31.8 road stem with 10 and 17 degree rise options.
• Thomson Elite X4 – The 31.8 mountain stem that is stronger and 30 grams lighter than the Elite.

For all of my bikes, I run the X4 for the oversized 31.8 mountain bars.

The Thomson Seatposts

Thomson posts are solid. When properly greased, you will see absolutely no creaking between the post and seat tube. The two bolt clamp is easy to adjust and they provide hash marks to correctly set the saddle angle. Changing out saddles can be a pain, but with the Thomson posts…it seems to be easier than usual. The rough lined surface is durable against scratching and provides a little resistance while setting the saddle height.

You have two options when choosing a Thomson post (besides seatpost size).

• Elite – The standard seatpost.
• Masterpiece – A 40 gram lighter version of the Elite.

I have no justification for the extra cash it takes to save 40 grams, so I always go with the Elite version. If you are a true gram counter…you will probably disagree.

Conclusions on Thomson Mountain Bike Products

I know what you are thinking…this is starting to sound like a Thomson commercial instead of a product review article, but honestly…I can’t find much at all wrong with their product. The posts and stems come in silver and black with no nonsense performance. The multiple stems and posts that I have had over the years have worked flawlessly. I can honestly say that I think the Thomson products are the only parts that I have had zero issues with their performance or reliability. One can argue that this is due to the lack of moving parts, but I have had creaking and loosening issues out of other manufacturers.

What Is Next For Thomson?

At this years Eurobike, Thomson revealed the much anticipated seat post clamp and 1.5 steerer tube stem line. I would like to eventually see a wide handlebar to match the stems and posts…hopefully that will come to fruition in the near future.

Where To Buy Thomson Posts and Stems?

Thomson X4 | Thomson Elite Stem |  Thomson Elite Seatpost |  Thomson Masterpiece Seatpost