# Ritchey WCS Alloy 2-bolt seatpost



## Trouble (Apr 3, 2004)

I bought the Ritchey WCS Alloy 2-Bolt seatpost and have had nothing but trouble getting it to hold my saddle in position.
Adjusting the saddle tilt can be difficult, but the big issue is it tilting back on it's own.
I've torqued it to the 16 nM spec, slowly going up in torque one side at a time.
On a ride it tilted up, so I kept tightening it, it stripped.
I got a new top clamp assembly. Still having problems.
Ritchey sent me some red torque stuff, I scuffed up the post and assembly, lubed the rails and holders and still not holding.
Ritchey offered to sell me another post at "Team Pricing" 
But, why would I spend more money on a product that has already failed? 
If this was a Bontrager or Thomson post, they would replace it...if it even failed to begin with. 

Has anyone else had issues with this post and the saddle tilting up?


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Yah, i had one.had the same problem. I sold it and got me a Thomson. The WCS only made it one trip.
Thomson seatposts wont (cant) do that.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

try some carbon assembly paste between the "moving parts"

I've run a few FSA and Thomson posts. for set back, I go FSA

If you are running a 31.6, I have a 25 mm set back that I liked, but would not fit on my CAAD10. If you are interested, send me a PM. I had it 2 months before my frame went back on warranty


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## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

I've seen issues with the Ritchey seat posts. Their handlebars and stems are really top notch, but the clamping design on the posts needs work.

I'm using their bars/stem, but went with an FSA seat post instead. No issues in 2 years.


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## Trouble (Apr 3, 2004)

Keep in mind, we're talking about a seat post here. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to have to screw around with it like the below statement. Set it and forget it.

Here is the reply I received from Ritchey:
When faced with a slipping seat post clamp please disassemble the clamping assembly and clean all of the surfaces including the saddle rails and bolt threads with rubbing alcohol (I personally use 91% or greater) or Acitone. Before reassembly lubricate the binding bolts’ threads with grease like Pedro’s, Park Tool, Finish line or your favorite. The critical step is to also lubricate the clamps (both the rail clapping surface and surface that binds to the post) with light layer of Ritchey Liquid Torque or other “Carbon Prep”, below is a link to the Ritchey Liquid Torque properties and instructions. Liquid Torque can be used on both Alloy and Carbon and reduces the torque needed to for clamping by up to 30% it also creates friction between clamping surfaces.. You can purchase Ritchey Liquid Torque from any authorized Ritchey dealer. http://www.ritcheylogic.com/media/Fi...quidTorque.pdf It is also very important on 2 bolt clamping systems to equally torque the bolts up to 16nm, “walking” the amount of torque up to 16nm. Please note if the saddle is not properly installed on the rails (too far back or forward it may cause slipping). Please always see a Certified Bicycle Mechanic if you are having issue with any components, they will be able to instruct you on the prober installation and diagnose issues that are impossible over email alone.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*What I did..*

I had a Ritchey WCS wet black. Bought it to match my Ritchey wet black WCS stem. I could not get it to stay in position either, it would tilt back. I pulled off those little square shaped aluminum washers and lightly sanded the area on the seatpost where they rested. There are no serrations so it's by brute strength, no bite (if this makes sense). I did get it to stay in place eventually, but I swapped out saddles and was back to square one. I have a two bolt Felt carbon post on one bike, which is PIA to set as the serrations are so large, but once it's in place, it won't move. The best are the Thomson's, if you can get by with 16mm of setback.

If you got a reply from Ritchey I am amazed. I never got a reply to them on anything. They also don't sell spare parts in the U.S., just Europe. I stripped one of the ti stem face bolts and replaced all of them from an old Easton stem I never used.


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## dcl10 (Jul 2, 2010)

Nothing to screw around with, clean it, grease it, torque it (correctly). The same as what you should do with any other post. I have the Superlogic version, and have never had any problems.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

I weigh around 190 - 200 and have always done the clean, lube and reassemble routine before clamping it tight. The Ritchey reply is just good bike prep for all components. 
My Ritchey WCS holds as well as anything else I have used. Campy, Dura -Ace, Avocet. The best was a Campy record 2-bolt from the 70's. The worst was a Campy Super record one bolt from the 80's. The Dura - Ace, Ritchey and Avocet all hold about the same.


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## Frith (Oct 3, 2002)

Dinosaur said:


> If you got a reply from Ritchey I am amazed. I never got a reply to them on anything. They also don't sell spare parts in the U.S., just Europe. I stripped one of the ti stem face bolts and replaced all of them from an old Easton stem I never used.


I'm amazed by the fact that you're amazed. If you scroll down to the ritchey forum you will find a member called ritchey_dave who is a rep that has been answering even the most obscure questions since sometime last year. It was his involvement in this forum that made me decide my next bike seatpost, stem and bars would be 100% ritchey.


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

Somewhat off topic, but I've had a good experience with Ritchey. After emailing them, they sent me a replacement carbon faceplate for my WCS 4 axis carbon stem when little bits of the faceplate started cracking/flaking off around the screw hole areas. In any case, sorry to hear about the issues with the seatpost.


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## Trouble (Apr 3, 2004)

There is some basic prep, I agree and what this reply doesn't mention is how I was told to sand or scuff all these areas before doing all the rest.
Which I have done, but the clamping surface will not allow me to put my saddle in the spot it needs to be. As I walk up the torque it noses up no matter what I do. Impossible to fine tune this thing. This is the other reason why I'm complaining.
Maybe, just maybe it's the post, which is also why I've brought this to the attention of Ritchey. 

Thomson, FSA and Bontrager DO NOT have any of these issues and you'll be hard pressed to find one person who has a complaint about their saddles nosing up or having a difficult time keeping it in place. 

Bontrager warrantied 2 Race X Lite rear wheels, both because they prematurely blew spokes (nipple/eyelet failure). Sure, there were people who had no problems, but they acknowledged these wheels were having failures, warrantied them and ended up redesigning the wheel.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*I'm more amazed*



Frith said:


> I'm amazed by the fact that you're amazed. If you scroll down to the ritchey forum you will find a member called ritchey_dave who is a rep that has been answering even the most obscure questions since sometime last year. It was his involvement in this forum that made me decide my next bike seatpost, stem and bars would be 100% ritchey.


I'm more amazed that there is a Ritchey forum. Amazing!


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## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

hmm I have the Pro version and never had any issues at over 200 lbs.

Was about to order the WCS version for a different bike (cross) might hold off since I will be using it off road.


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## jberenyi (Oct 1, 2005)

This might be an older thread but I have the same darned problem with my Wet Black Ritchey 2-bolt seatpost. I've done everything Ritchey has said to do and I even torqued the bolts a little higher in value. It's a given, these posts will cant your seat. Time to sell this puppy on Ebay. I need 25mm setback so Thomson is out.


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## grandsalmon (Jan 18, 2009)

Pretty common unfortunately. The comp to pro models have better ribbed (serrated surface) washers, and I switch out for those w some carbon paste (also key) on ALL the contact surfaces. Maybe Rep Dave, as others have mentioned, can source the lower washers. They are nice posts otherwise. People w dremels and safety glasses have ribbed the WCS washers themselves, and scored the main clamp surfaces w heavy grit sandpaper to get it to work. But paste and swapped washers are best.


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## jordan (Feb 2, 2002)

I have seen this same problem be described with Ritchey posts since they came out with that two bolt design years ago.If it was my post I would replace it with a post that works and move on.Selling the defective post on Ebay is unethical and I doubt if Ritchey would give you a non-two bolt replacement post.I have had slipping posts on my mountain bike and replacing them has been a better option than all of the labor intensive methods presented above.


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