Paul Tall & Handsome Seatpost
Now, before anyone else says it, I’ll point out the irony in the fact that I am using a product called tall and handsome... I typically run very, very short seatposts, but with a certain frame, I found myself in need of a post with a generous amount of setback. At 26 mm, Paul became the man to talk to.
The Paul Tall & Handsome seatpost is certainly an apt name. It’s 360 mm of 2024 aluminum, machined with love in Chico, CA. The head is screwed and bonded to the shaft, and features a two-bolt, micro-adjust mechanism that allows for approximately 15° of adjustment.
Paul chose 2024 aluminum over 6000 or 7000 series alloys which are much more common in the bicycle world. In his own words, “2024 is about twice as strong as 6061, so you can run a thinner wall and make a lighter post. 7075 is stronger too but a little bit brittle. 7075 tubing is also not a stock item in the size we needed so it was ruled out because the cost of a special tubing size was prohibitive.”
As you might expect, the post works perfectly and looks great while doing so. Paul’s finishing and attention to detail are unmatched. The micro-adjust mechanism works so smoothly that you might worry the clamp will let the saddle rails slip. That certainly hasn’t been the case. Shorter folks may find that they need to shorten the shaft in order to run the Tall & Handsome in their frame, which is fine as long as the same minimum insertion depth is maintained.
The Tall & Handsome comes in 27.2 mm diameter only and retails for $102 in black or silver anodized finish. A high polished silver post will set you back another $5.
Check out www.paulcomp.com
Crank Brothers Mallet 2 Pedals
The Crank Brothers Mallet pedal is designed for downhill mountain biking, but like many products, it can be utilized for a number of applications. The beauty of the Mallet pedal is that although it’s a clipless design, it has a large platform that works especially well with the latest generation of urban clipless pedal shoes, such as those offered by Chrome and DZR. What’s more, in a pinch, these pedals can still be ridden with ordinary street shoes.
The old Mallet M pedals (which I own and still use) featured a magnesium body with a steel axle, spring and retention mechanism. The new design incorporates a two-piece pedal body, half aluminum and half polycarbonate. The weight is about the same (428 g) but the upshot is the use of 8 mm traction pins. Not to mention the new design is considerably more attractive in my eyes.
As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of Crank Brothers pedals, I’ve had nothing but good luck with them ever since they were introduced. In fact, I’ve still got the original Candy pedals in use. Granted, I have several pair so the use gets distributed, but in my opinion Crank Brothers deserves exceptionally high marks for durability. Should something go wrong, I’m to understand that their customer service is second to none.
The Mallet 2 pedals come with a 5-year warranty and retail for $90.
Check out www.crankbrothers.com