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Nitto S83 v Thomson Elite seatpost



If you're looking for a high quality alloy seatpost then two that stand out are the Nitto S83 and the Thomson Elite. I own both, so how do they compare?

Looks
The S83 is a smooth, classic looking seatpost which is similar to road seatposts of a few decades ago. The Thomson has more of an industrial look, particularly with its textured machined surface. 

Versions
Thomson have loads of different versions available: in just about every combination of length and diameter you could want. The S83 is more limited, but if you like something a bit different you won't see so many of them out there on other bikes.

Weight
Thomson is a clear winner here. Depending on the exact version you get it's around 200 grams, which is pretty good for an alloy post. The Nitto is around 100 grams heavier.

Saddle clamp
The Thomson uses a tried and tested two bolt design which uses surprisingly small diameter bolts, but grips securely. The S83 uses large diameter bolts and is probably the most satisfyingly over-engineered design I've seen.

Price
Not much in it. Both these posts can be found for around £60 if you shop around online. There are far more places selling the Thomson so you’ve probably got more chance of a better deal on the Elite. Both these posts last well so eBay is another good place to look.

Noise
What? Well I think an important factor is that a bike runs silently. For me, the Thomson posts (I've tried a few) despite their great engineering, suffer from more creaks than other posts. I've tried different combinations of clamps, torque and lubricants and whilst it's not a huge issue it's enough to be annoying. Now Thomson sell a lot of posts and so I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who get on with them fine, but for me the creaks always come back. With the S83 I fitted it and forgot it, no problems, no creaks.

Verdict
There’s no bad choice here as these are both quality seatposts. The Thomson is the conventional choice and looks better on a modern bike, but if you fancy more of a retro look go for the Nitto.

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