American Classic Seatpost Failure

The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. While I was riding. I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or
force a recall. To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed,
I'm searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same
clamp bolt. I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic
seatpost failures. A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc.,
might be enough to get the CPSC's attention.

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

Thanks in advance.

wrote:
The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. While I was riding. I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or
force a recall. To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed,
I'm searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same
clamp bolt. I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic
seatpost failures. A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc.,
might be enough to get the CPSC's attention.

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

Thanks in advance.

How was your bike destroyed?

On Nov 24, 7:35*pm, wrote:
The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. *More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. *While I was riding. *I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. *I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or
force a recall. *To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed,
I'm searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same
clamp bolt. *I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic
seatpost failures. *A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc.,
might be enough to get the CPSC's attention.

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

Thanks in advance.

How old was your post? The first generation with the silver bolts
were recalled. Check the CPSC web-site for dates and models. -- Jay
Beattie.

wrote:

The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. *More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. *While I was riding. *I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

[...]

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

I'm sorry to hear you were hurt. I have been badly busted up as a
result of equipment failures, and I can attest that it made me angry,
apprehensive, and hesitant to enjoy cycling. If there was any
consolation, it was that such experiences made me understand my
equipment better and make substantial improvements to my bikes.

I can't speak to the design of the American Classic post, except that
it, like all American Classic products, is designed for light weight
above all other significant virtues. If you want ruggedness and
structural redundancy, AC is clearly not a brand of first resort.

Also, lots of proven seatposts use single clamp bolts, for instance
the SR Laprade. It would be difficult to find a much more reliable
and broadly tested seatpost than that. The Nitto/Ritchey forged one-
bolt post is another design that must be regarded as totally proven.

http://www.bikepro.com/arch_products/seatposts/asr.html
http://www.bikepro.com/products/seatposts/ritch.html

In the future, you should consider the Thomson Elite seatpost to be
utterly dependable. It is weirdly strong, quite lightweight, and easy
to install and adjust. It uses two small but very strong clamp
bolts. For what it's worth, I doubt that any seatpost will behave in
a safe and predictable manner in the case of a clamp bolt breakage.

Chalo

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:35:21 -0800, solsen23 wrote:

The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. While I was riding. I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or force
a recall. To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed, I'm
searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same clamp
bolt. I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic seatpost
failures. A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc., might be
enough to get the CPSC's attention.

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

Thanks in advance.


what was the tightening torque on the bolt?

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:35:21 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. While I was riding. I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or
force a recall. To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed,
I'm searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same
clamp bolt. I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic
seatpost failures. A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc.,
might be enough to get the CPSC's attention.

I broke the bolt on one of those while riding, but wasn't injured. The
post was old with a lot of use.

Just about everything eventually breaks - especially lightweight
stuff, so I wasn't especially concerned beyond checking my parts a
little more carefully from time to time and replacing some stuff
before I notice problems.

On Nov 24, 10:44*pm, Carl Sundquist wrote:


How was your bike destroyed?

Carl,

I'm not sure how it happened, but when the bike & I went down,
something dented the top tube. A small dent in steel might not be a
big deal. But in thin-walled aluminum (Cannondale), it may not be
safe to ride.

Steve

On Nov 24, 11:04*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Nov 24, 7:35*pm, wrote:



The American Classic seatpost hardware failed on my road bike. *More
specifically, the single clamp bolt broke, causing my saddle to
disconnect from the seatpost. *While I was riding. *I crashed, my
bicycle was destroyed, and I was very seriously injured.

American Classic denies any design or manufacturing defect. *I plan to
report the failure to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in
an effort to alert other bicyclists to the potential danger and/or
force a recall. *To bolster my claim that an investigation is needed,
I'm searching for others who have experienced a failure with the same
clamp bolt. *I've heard second-hand stories of other American Classic
seatpost failures. *A few concrete examples, with names, dates, etc.,
might be enough to get the CPSC's attention.

BTW, my problem was with the prior generation seatpost, not the new
curved top design (although I note that the curved top design also
relies on a single clamp bolt).

Thanks in advance.

How old was your post? *The first generation with the silver bolts
were recalled. *Check the CPSC web-site for dates and models. -- Jay
Beattie.

Jay,

My clamp bolt was not silver. I've searched the CPSC site, and can't
find recall data for prior generation American Classic seatposts.

Steve

On Nov 24, 11:54*pm, Chalo wrote:



In the future, you should consider the Thomson Elite seatpost to be
utterly dependable. *It is weirdly strong, quite lightweight, and easy
to install and adjust. *It uses two small but very strong clamp
bolts. *For what it's worth, I doubt that any seatpost will behave in
a safe and predictable manner in the case of a clamp bolt breakage.

Chalo

Thanks, but I may not be able to ride a road bike again. It's easier
to reconstruct bikes than people.

Steve

wrote:

Chalo wrote:

In the future, you should consider the Thomson Elite seatpost to be
utterly dependable. *It is weirdly strong, quite lightweight, and easy
to install and adjust. *

Thanks, but I may not be able to ride a road bike again. *It's easier
to reconstruct bikes than people.

That's unfortunate to hear. I hope that over time you prove yourself
incorrect on that point.

I can say that my body likes to return itself to a reasonable likeness
of its previous condition. (Though my teeth did not grow back; I had
to seek professional help with that.) Your body most likely can heal
too. Make the demand of it and see how it goes.

Chalo