DIY - How-To Make A Wedge Seat Post
FatTony
- February 09 2009
- 47 comments
Dave Sauvageau has been a supporter of Ride for a while now and a year and a half ago he made a DIY wedge seat post. Well, great minds obviously think alike since Animal is now producing a similar product, but if you don’t have the cash to shell out at the bike shop you may be able to make your own wedge post at home using Dave’s instructions.
“I have used this mod for over a year and I am really impressed with it. I made it before the other companies came out with the compete wedge post. I believe my method is better because if you ever want to go back to using your seatpost clamp, you can remove the bolt and wedge and run it like a standard pivotal post. I recommend you use the post slammed in your frame. You can make your own wedge post with less than $5 and a little labor.”
- Text and photos by Dave Sauvageau.
The parts you will need:
1. Pivotal seat post
2. Pivotal seat
3. Bolt and wedge from a quill stem used on old road and mountain bikes
4. 6mm Allen wrench
Gather all the parts you will need. First, I located the bolt and wedge at my local bike shop. The bolt and wedge come in a quill stem replacement kit. You may also be able to find the bolt and wedge in an old quill stem from a road or mountain bike. Make sure the bolt is long enough to go through the seat and a good way into the post as you will see later in this tutorial.
Next I took my old pivotal post and cut it at the same angle as the wedge. I used a hacksaw to cut it, then filed down the rough edges with a wire brush. Make sure the angled surface is clean and smooth. Also I made sure the bolt would be long enough by taking my old bolt out of my seat and replacing it with the one that comes in the kit. I then laid it next to my post and marked where the bolt ended. This ensures correct placement of the wedge when you tighten it.
This shows the correct angle on the wedge and post and how they will eventually fit together. The hard part is over!
Next I removed the old bolt from the seat and replaced it with the long one from the kit. The bolt should be skinny enough to go through the threaded area in the post.
Next, insert the bolt into the post. Thread the wedge onto the bolt and tighten slightly with the 6mm. allen wrench.
The custom seatpost mod is now done! Grease the wedge faces as well as the post itself. Insert the post into your frame and tighten.
Got a DIY project you’d like to share? Hit us up with photos and instructions like this and we’ll share it with the world! Send emails to fattony@transworld.net.
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February 9th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
i’ve done this with my friend last summer, and it worked really good!!
February 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
i dont get it.. if its for weight saving, the weight of that big steel bold is probably 3 times heavier than the seat post clamp. and it cant be to slam the seat lower because i have mine slammed all the way and the clamp doesnt restrict it at all…
February 9th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I think the point of the compression bolt seats is to eliminate the seat clamp without buying a bike with one that is built in. I’m not so sure that it is for weight savings as it is for cleaning up the look of your bike. Aesthetics? Also, unless you can find a compression bolt really cheap or you can just make one from the rest of your seat post you probably cut off already, then you may be better off just buying the seat straight out
February 9th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
basicly it just looks really clean and if your supper into the idea of a slammed seat it lets you cut that little inch of seat tube off of the top of your frame and put your seat down right near the top tube if that makes any sense.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Hey, this is Dave. I just wanted to answer some of the hater questions. The main reason why I did it is because I love to have unique parts and something different. To me, it is cool to have stuff that others don’t have and to roll up to the park with your seat slammed below your rear tire and no sign of any post clamp. I just thought it was a cool idea and it works really well also. If you like it, that is awesome! If you have to question the purpose of it, please don’t fill the page up with posts about what it really does. It slams your seat, it looks badass, and it works.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Hell yeah dave!
I done the “candle “how-to” a few down from yours,And like a worm in a pond it didnt take someone long at all to search it out and fill it with a “angry rant” about how they didnt get it…personally,i think its a great idea man,i actually read it in,i think it was an issue of bmx plus back in the summer and tried it,and liked it!…
February 10th, 2009 at 11:50 am
This is a crazy mod. Anyone who spent years trying to get a quilled stem to work will never, ever go for this. It weighs more and doesn’t work as well as a regular clamp. The only advantage is that it elimates ONE bolt, your seatclamp bolt. Quilled stems are 100 year old technology that strip, break, wedge from side to side even when tight, weigh more and work worse than a shafted stem. No, please. Really.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Those aren’t hater questions DAVE, those are doubts. Not everyone knows what that thing is for.
February 11th, 2009 at 1:25 am
It has worked awesome for me for the past year and a half. It hasn’t broken and it has stayed tight. And yeah its only ONE bolt, but I only have 11 bolts on my bike to disassemble it completely. I like it simple, that’s why I did it.
February 11th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Will it work if you don’t run it slammed? I run at least a fist and a half.
February 13th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Yeah, but just make sure you have enough post left in the frame. I intended for it to be used slammed, beacause that’s how I ride. I even cut the seat mast off of my frame to make it super slammable. I would maybe suggest using a longer bolt and a standard post not a slammer post. The longer bolt should extend the wedge down a bit farther. I mainly did this mod to look super clean and dialed.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
thts tight im for the clean look not the weight
February 17th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
i just wedge mine and it stays tight
February 18th, 2009 at 9:39 am
You cut off some of your seat tube so you can slam the seat all the way down man….. this is sick i was gonna buy one fuck that
February 19th, 2009 at 1:14 am
I love your attitude! You are the kind of people I do this for! You and I think exactly alike and I hope it works well for you!
February 20th, 2009 at 12:05 am
does it really hold up well, causei just traded frmaes with a kid who had a wedge post, and cut his seat tube down but wouldnt sell it so i just want to make one. is it going to stay tight?
February 20th, 2009 at 1:25 am
Yeah dude! I’ve had mine for over a year and it works awesome! I cut my frame as well and it stays uber tight. Do it for yourself and save some cash!
February 21st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I have the animal post, and it works great for me. I had to buy it because my old post was screwed, and I wanted to try something pivotal anyways. To me this seems like it would work just as well as buying the post, good job man
February 22nd, 2009 at 2:14 am
this is gay i came up with that almost two years ago! no joke an everyone said it was a stupid idea an i stopped bmxin fer two years for motocross an i come back an everyone is makin this i shoulda copywrited it!
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Dude I know how you feel! Haha I made it, then Animal and Sputnic came out with it and I was super bummed! Everyone said I should have patented it, but at least now I can show people how to make one for cheap and rip off the companies! Hahahahahahaha
March 4th, 2009 at 6:40 am
uhm, you have to run exe, you retards. It wouldn
March 17th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Hey, ive got a shit as mongoose, only just started riding but would it skrew up my frame if i cut it???
March 17th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
No, just don’t cut into the welds. Just cut it above the welds and you should be just fine. Let me know how it works for you!
March 18th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Amazing idea, super clean and I love the fact that your about unique DIY parts, keep up the great work!
March 18th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Also any tips on how to remove the bolt from your pivitol seat?
March 18th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
nvm i got it
March 18th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Haha thanks man! Yeah, that bolt sucks to get out, just bash it! Did you try the post mod?
March 20th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Yea I did and i freakin love it, it’s looks so cool and clean and works great, in my opinion best DIY mod period! Major props dude.
March 23rd, 2009 at 12:05 am
Thanks! Great job on doing it correctly! Was it pretty easy to find the wedge and stuff in your town?
April 9th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
make you seat lower and look better
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
i dont even use a seat
May 3rd, 2009 at 5:20 am
This is soooo sick it makes my bike look half good.
May 7th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
FUCKING SICK HOMIE!!!!!
May 10th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Yeah I had this idea a couple years ago too, along with the Eastern slit style peg, Fly’s failed bb concept, and integrated chain adjusters. But I’m not complaining about it. After all, the only way to make it big is to try hard and not give up. With such a fast moving industry, its hard to be the first one to produce a specific concept. I just hope my other ideas aren’t taken. Oh well, you just have to keep on truckin. And Dave, I’m also into keeping everything as clean as possible when it comes to BMX. That n keeping an open mind.
May 29th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Hey man this is the sickest thing i’ve even seen on the net. Props for putting it up.
Can you please show us how it looks on your bike?
July 16th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
recession wedge post..kick ass
August 4th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Dude, i cant thank you enough ! I Was gonna buy a macniel Nub post. and then i saw this ! Im stoked on this !
August 9th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
cheers dude this worked perfectly i kinda altered it a bit cus i have a nlack seatpost the really short one cheers though it encoureged me to do it all the positive comments cheers
August 12th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Great job! And you are more than welcome! I just want bmx riders to be able to have nice, simple parts for cheap and this is one way to do it.
August 15th, 2009 at 7:59 am
but weighs more and doesn’t allow you to pinch your seat? now do you ride to get tricks down, or to show off your bike?
August 21st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
expander bolt posts have been around since the late 1800’s never very popular though. I want one with fore aft adjustment for my single speed.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Great idea man! I'm definitely trying this when i get my pivotal seat! Thanks for posting this I really liked it, good job!
February 13th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Finally i got my pivotal seat and post, i wedge modded it and it's sweet!!!!! stays tight, clean…. good job man
February 19th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
sweet i just made one it holds great and looks soo clean, i aint reli botherd about a tiny bit more weight it looks awsome!!
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:36 am
That is the exact reason I made it. I love how clean and simple it looks. I'm glad it worked out for you!
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:36 am
Thanks! I'm glad to hear it!
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:43 pm
1" quill stem or 1" 1/8 ? , or does it work with both cos i have a 1" quill stem , but i could get easy access to a 1"1/8 as i work at a bike shop .