Bicycle is a very convenient tool because not only it can be used for transportation tool but also great as an exercise equipment. As a bike owner, sometimes we have to modify our bikes to support our activity better and those who want to upgrade their gear, especially on the seat post, Thomson Elite Vs Masterpiece are two amazing options to consider. Both of them are robust and suitable with various sizing options but, before going to shop for one, go check which model will benefit you the most below.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- What is Bicycle Seat Post and How to Choose One
- What are Thomson Elite and Masterpiece
- What Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Look Like
- How Many Sizes Available in Thomson Elite and Masterpiece
- What Materials Thomson Elite and Masterpiece are made from
- Do Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Offer Inline/Layback Model
- Thomson Elite Vs Masterpiece
Bicycle and Bike Seat Post
Being active is great, it allows you to be fitter, and avoid being a couch potato who lives a sedentary lifestyle which is not only bad for your health now but eventually getting worse in the future as we age. You can be active by doing a routine exercise every day like walking and doing house chores but for those who are aiming to build their body or losing weight, joining a gym will be the best option to make you stay motivated.
For those who are not into spending the time in a closed establishment or bored of seeing and using the same exercise tool, cycling is one of the most ideal options to consider. It is a very popular activity, especially in the developed countries where people are more into public transportation and has safer roads for cyclists but now as the trend of being friendlier to the environment and how we become more aware of the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, the hobby is getting more well-known.
As a cyclist, there are various gears we need to have besides the bike itself including a safety helmet and goggles, as well as water bottle or reservoir if you are riding for a pretty long hours. We may also have to own some skills in taking care of our precious bikes because depending on our application, some parts can wear off pretty fast which need you to either replace it or buy a new unit altogether. One of the most common parts we upgrade in a bike is the bike seat post.
Yes, this is the one steel bar which is holding your seat attached to the bike main body and while it is not something we frequently need to change like a tire, it is a great part to start customizing your bike and elevate its performance. The main reason why some cyclists choose to replace their bike seat post is to reduce the weight of their bike, making the unit more ergonomic as well as more comfortable, especially those who are riding for hours.
Choosing bike post itself is not the fastest shop you can do because there are various factors that we need to consider and they are including the sizing for it has to match with the bike tube diameter, seat post length because it affects how your body ride the bike, material for how light and durable it is, clamp type to match with your bike seat, and the last is the inline or how straight or bends the post needs to be which should be fitted with your personal preference.
| Thomson Elite | Thomson Masterpiece | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Shipping Weight | 8.8 ounces | 9.6 ounces |
| Product Dimensions: | 18 x 1 x 1 inches | 17 x 4 x 2 inches |
| Best Price | click here | click here |
About Thomson Elite and Masterpiece
If you already consider which bike post that seems will fit into your bike frame, now is the time to see what the market has to offer because there are so many of them out there and sometimes you may need to compare several options to make the best decision. For those who are shopping on a budget, it is best to set the price limit first so then we can eliminate those that are too expensive or too cheap.
Shopping from certain brand is also great if you like the quality of the brand itself for then we can shop faster and among those many bike parts manufacturers, one of the best choices you may want to consider choosing from is Thomson. We are sure most cyclists are familiar with this brand because they are always offering good quality products with competitive price level compared to its peers. We also love the fact that they carry various models in the catalogue to match with the user’s preference.
There are so many good options on the market when you shop looking for a bike post and when talking about Thomson, the Elite bike post is one of the most popular options which is like the choice of general cyclist due to its classic features. It has been around for a pretty long time and for those with an old bike or unusual seat post size, this brand should be your first choice when shopping because lots of their models including Elite come in a huge variety of sizes.
On the other hand, while the Elite is a standard choice when people are shopping from Thomson, the Masterpiece as the name suggests, is a higher model which is crafted to give you a more premium quality compared to its brother. However, it doesn’t mean that the former is a lower model or will perform poorly because it is not the case at all and as with many other bike seat posts from the company, there is no issue about bad performance under regular or normal use.
Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Design
As you can see on the sample picture above, Thomson Elite and Masterpiece are very similar to each other and in a glance they are looking like the same unit side by side. The sample we are checking today is their black version with a nice glossy paint but if your bike is more into the whiter or lighter color fashion, there is silver variant in both model is ready. In addition, we pick the straight version in Elite and Setback version in Masterpiece but you can have both in any models.
Another important feature you may want to notice in these bike seat posts is their seat installation system because they are the same in this part being paired with the common two-bolt head system. The issue is it is not the easiest part to get used to yet still manageable and there are some reports from users who found that these seat pots two-bolt system is slightly narrower than their stated size. Read also: Avid BB5 Vs Tektro Novella.
Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Sizes
As it has been mentioned above, the first thing you may want to consider when looking for a bike seat post is their diameter because it needs to match with your bike frame and in this side comparably Elite will comes with tons of sizing available from 25.0 through 30.6mm with another 16 sizes in between while the Masterpiece is only available in 3 different sizes of 27.2, 30.9, and 31.6mm. As for the length collection, both of them are available in two sizes, 330mm and 400mm compared to 240mm and 330mm.
Notice that the size and length will also affect their weight but in comparison, the Masterpiece is a lighter option than Elite which is why many people are looking at this model when weight is among their top consideration. For example the 27.2mm/240mm is only 158 grams compared to 180 grams from 26.8/250mm of Elite post.
Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Material
The next factor we want to talk about is their material because in this part they are also quite different with a little bit similarities. The similarities is because they are made from the same 7000 series alloy with no bond or joints and what makes them different is how Thomson designed the internal area of the Masterpiece seat post. In this model, each of their shaft is featured with ovalised bore to make sure the post will bend well first before it broke.
While it is such an interesting design, under normal condition Thomson seat posts are very robust and there are no issue about how they perform in real life yet, knowing that they are specifically paying attention to improve their product does bring a peace of mind for those who worried about how solid their seat posts are.
Thomson Elite and Masterpiece Form Type
We have mentioned what clamp type used by Thomson Elite and Masterpiece above and about the model option, you can pick either straight/inline or layback with a shallow angled bend towards the top of the shaft which means your seat will be slightly further back compared to when it is straight. It doesn’t affect the bike performance or the seat post quality but you can always choose which position will improve your ride or comfort better so in this side it is more of a personal preference.
Thomson Elite vs Masterpiece
Both of them are a good option to choose from and they are very similar to each other as well but the differences you may want to consider besides how Masterpiece is lighter than Elite is about the sizing options because if you are having an older bike or a more uncommon bike frame size, the former is a more ideal choice to pick with its vast collection of sizes.
Conclusion
All in all you can pick any of these bike seat posts and still be satisfied with their performance but if you are specifically looking for a seat posts that can reduce your bike weight, the Masterpiece is a more ideal option.