SPECIALIZED COMMAND POST BLACKLITE
A promising improvement, but has rough edges
On-the-fly adjustable-height seatposts are the most frustrating
accessory known to mountain bikers. When they work, they transform a
short-travel trailbike with fast- rolling, low-profile knobs into a downhill
mean machine that feels like it is running 2.3-inch-wide tires and has 2 extra
inches of travel. When they are not working, which happens often, they don’t
slide smoothly, don’t return properly and produce unwanted movement. The
second-generation, $275 Specialized Command Post Blacklite comes the closest to
achieving ride-height nirvana of any seatpost we have tested to date.
Tech features: The Command Post BlackLite has three saddle-height positions: Full
Extension, Cruiser (about 1.5 inches lower) and Full Drop (about 3.9 inches
lower than full extension). The post is available in 30.9- and 31.6-millimeter
diameters. Specialized offers models that are shorter that offer less height
adjustment for riders concerned with weight or who ride small frames that won’t
fit the full-length post. The new post uses a bonded head to shave weight, and
the system comes with a handlebar-mounted activation lever and cable. Our
seatpost weighed 1 pound, and the cable and lever (with grip) weighed 3 ounces.
You can contact Specialized at (408) 779-6229.
Field test results: The biggest misconception about height-adjustable
seatposts is that they are suspension seatposts. These are not suspension
seatposts—at least if they are working properly. They do not compress or
rebound like a shock or fork. They are not designed to add cushion or comfort
to your ride. The only function they perform is to lower your saddle and raise
it without you having to get off the bike and hassle with a quick-release or
pinch-bolt clamp. In stock form, our post returned so fast that it felt like it
would lift the rear wheel off the ground. Riders learned quickly to get out of
the way of the saddle returning to “full extension” or they paid a painful
price. We thank our lucky stars that Specialized provided a Schrader valve at
the bottom of the Command Post so that the rider can adjust the air pressure
inside the post. Removing a “pssst” worth of pressure was all it took to get
the post to return to a more reasonable rate. We have already documented the
advantages of lowering your saddle for descents and even fun, flowy
singletrack. It is unbelievable how lowering your center of gravity 3 inches
totally changes the feel of the tires, suspension and bike.
Lower the saddle
and your descending skills improve immediately. It is not a subtle difference;
it is a giant advantage that will be felt by experienced riders and beginners
alike. We found that the pressure required to engage the release mechanism is
extreme. Think shift-lever pressure times 20. It takes a deliberate stab at the
lever to get the cable moving to raise or lower the post. The best news is that
after months of use, the Command Post Blacklite has not had one hiccup in
performance. There has been no need to burp the system; nothing has bent, and
no weird play has developed. It still slides as smoothly as when it was new.
This is the first post we have tested that has gone this long trouble-free. Is
it worth adding almost a pound to your bike? Only you can answer that one.
Riders will spend over $1000 to take a pound off their bikes, and in this case,
you are spending $275 to add a pound. We love a nice light bike, but we will
take the weight penalty for the added fun the post delivers on the descents. While
we can’t give more stars because of the tough lever actuation and added weight,
a three-star rating for an adjustable-height seatpost is like a five-star
rating for another product. This is the best adjustable-height seatpost we have
ridden so far.
Reprinted from the October 2011 issue. Like us on Facebook