# Carbon seatpost on steel frame?



## estagnitta (Feb 19, 2010)

Was contemplating installing a Campy Record carbon seatpost on a steel Colnago Master X Light? Does anybody foresee any problems with this? I have heard about the potential of corrosion and stuck carbon seatposts. Should I use grease? Carbon fibre grease?


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

estagnitta said:


> Was contemplating installing a Campy Record carbon seatpost on a steel Colnago Master X Light? Does anybody foresee any problems with this? I have heard about the potential of corrosion and stuck carbon seatposts. Should I use grease? Carbon fibre grease?


No grease. Either dry or a carbon prep product.


----------



## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

Grease or whatever. Grease hasn't hurt my bike. Bontrager Carbon ACC in a Serotta SL tubed frame.


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Plain grease is fine unless it makes the post slip. If it does, buy the carbon prep, which is grease with plastic friction-providing particles mixed into it. Keeps you from having to over-torque the clamping screw if the post slips. Pull and clean the post at least once a year just in case there's some corrosion.

/w


----------



## UrbanPrimitive (Jun 14, 2009)

The rusting issues I've heard about for non-like material contact are all electrolysis related. That is a ferrous metal in contact with a non-ferrous metal will incur a small electric current leading to corrosion. So cadmium on nickel (a.k.a. NiCAD batteries) is a bad combo. Given that a carbon seatpost in a steel bike will result in the steel seat tube making contact with resin, that isn't really an issue.

Unless there's something else that I'm not aware of.


----------



## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

I've had a campy record carbon post in my steel bike for 11 years with no problems. Just made some minor adjustments on it this week in fact - no sticking. I haven't used any grease, I just try and keep it clean.


----------



## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

UrbanPrimitive said:


> The rusting issues I've heard about for non-like material contact are all electrolysis related. That is a ferrous metal in contact with a non-ferrous metal will incur a small electric current leading to corrosion. So cadmium on nickel (a.k.a. NiCAD batteries) is a bad combo. Given that a carbon seatpost in a steel bike will result in the steel seat tube making contact with resin, that isn't really an issue.
> 
> Unless there's something else that I'm not aware of.


The problem is that with use, the resin gets scraped and exposes carbon, allowing carbon-metal contact.

Sorry to be a noodge, but neither nickel or cadmium are ferrous, and electrolysis is an entirely different chemical process. Most dissimilar metals exhibit the problem you intend to some degree - which is galvanic corrosion. The farther apart the two conductors are in on the galvanic scale, the greater the problem. 

Fortunately, graphite and cro-moly are quite close (only platinum is closer to graphite on the galvanic series), so it's not nearly so much a problem here as it is with aluminum and carbon.


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

One thing not mentioned is the tendency to overtighten a seatpost that slips. Grease can exacerbate slipping with a carbon post. And we all know what happens when you clamp down too hard on a carbon steertube or seatpost and it isn't good.

I had a full carbon Bontrager Race XXX Lite in my steel Falcon for several tears with no grease and no problems.


----------



## Eyorerox (Feb 19, 2008)

I have a carbon seatpost that says Colnago on it in my MXL


----------



## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

*No grease on a steel frame? I think not.*



Richard said:


> No grease. Either dry or a carbon prep product.


I disagree. Steel frames should ALWAYS use grease [or friction paste, which is similar to grease] for the seatpost. The seat tube is quite vulnerable to water getting in, and it is steel after all.


----------



## UrbanPrimitive (Jun 14, 2009)

I clearly had a rather severe case of head-rectum when posting that. Thanks for the correction.


----------

