The Enve Carbon seatpost is a thing of smoothly moulded beauty. Go beyond its looks and you’ll find an easy to use and very reliable seatpost that does its job without fuss. It’s not cheap mind, and there are lighter options if you’re a weight weenie.

  • Pros: Smooth carbon construction, great looker
  • Cons: Expensive, not the lightest

There’s no getting away from it, it’s a lovely looking seatpost, with a smooth carbon construction and understated decals. There are no ugly lines to this post as there are on some. It instantly lifted the appearance of the bike it was fitted to, so if you want to make your bike look good it’s definitely one to consider.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Unlike some carbon seatposts that bond a metal clamp onto the top, Enve has made the entire post and head from uni-directional carbon fibre as one piece. It then uses an oval-shaped enclosure at the top in which a twin-bolt saddle clamp resides.

enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_detail.jpg
enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_detail (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The clamping mechanism consists of horizontally opposing wedges that push the lower cradle into the saddle rails. The two bolts are made from titanium, a little weight-saving measure, with a generously deep 4mm Allen bolt head.

Saddle angle can be easily adjusted by loosening the bolts and simply rotating the saddle down or back. By reversing the lower clamp inserts you can have anything from zero to 27 degrees of saddle angle. That helps it to accommodate as many bike and rider requirements as possible.

enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_seat_clamp.jpg
enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_seat_clamp (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The post is compatible with 7mm round or 7x10mm carbon rails; you get two upper cradles supplied that you simply swap to match whatever saddle you’re fitting. I tested it with chromoly and carbon rails and it worked fine with both.

Enve offers a choice of zero and 25mm offset depending on your fit requirements, and a choice of 25.4, 27.2, 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters and 300 and 400mm lengths. The post I tested has a 27.2mm diameter, 25mm offset and 400mm length, and weighed 213g on our scales.

enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_detail_2.jpg
enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt_-_detail_2 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

If you’re running a Shimano Di2 groupset you can get an optional rubber bung that secures the internal battery in place.

In use, the seatpost is flawless. Correctly torque the bolts and the saddle stays firmly in place. I didn’t experience any issue with any unwanted movement, even using it on a gravel bike and riding over rough terrain. The clamp mechanism is easy to use with a wide range of adjustment.

enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt.jpg
enve_carbon_seatpost_25mm_offset_2_bolt (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

It’s not designed to be a comfort seatpost in the same way as the Specialized CG-R or Canyon VCLS, but I did notice extra vibration absorption compared with the aluminium seatpost it replaced on one test bike. It doesn’t flex visibly like the Specialized or Canyon posts, but adds a noticeable bit of extra give.

The main drawback is the price: £270 is serious money to drop on a seatpost, and it’s not especially light either. Offering a lighter setup for less money, and made in the UK to boot, is the Hope Carbon Seatpost. The 27.2mm/350mm post Stu tested weighed 196g and costs £135, a veritable snip compared to the Enve. The Pro Vibe LTD carbon seatpost weighs more or less the same as the Enve, but has an rrp of £199.99.

If money is no object, the Enve post is easy to recommend because it’s high quality, looks fabulous and works well. It’s been durable and reliable, the clamp mechanism is easy to use and hasn’t let the saddle slip, and there’s a small amount of seatpost flex. But there are cheaper and lighter posts that represent better value for money.

Verdict

Strong and easy to use but very expensive and not the lightest

All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.

road.cc test report

Make and model: ENVE Carbon Seatpost 25mm Offset 2 Bolt

Size tested: 27.2 x 400, 25mm offset

Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Enve says:

WHAT IT IS

Our proven twin-bolt seatpost design refined for the modern road bike with seatpost battery integration capabilities.

WHO IT’S FOR

All cyclists looking to outfit their bike with a lightweight and reliable seatpost.

WHY WE MADE IT

A seat post should be installed, easily adjusted and perform – period. For this reason we made one of our own. Lightweight, easily adjusted, strong and comfortable the ENVE Seatpost is equally at home on the trail as it is on the road.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Enve:

Material Carbon Fiber

Hardware Material Titanium

Diameter 25.4, 27.2, 30.9, 31.6

Saddle Angle Adjustment 0-27 degrees

Offset 0mm, 25mm

Length 400mm

Saddle Rail Compatibility 7x10mm Carbon Rails, 7mm Round Alloy Rails

Torque Spec: Saddle Rail Clamp Bolts 5.5Nm

Torque Spec: Seatpost Collar Determined by your Frame manufacture/Seatpost Collar

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very nicely made, as you’d hope for the money.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Delivers top-level performance and is easy to adjust.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Not had any concerns so far.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

It’s light but not the lightest.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

It’s not a comfort post but it does help to filter out vibrations a little.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

It’s expensive compared with some rivals and not as light, so the value for money isn’t amazing.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Keeps the saddle securely in place.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Looks good and works well.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pricey and not the lightest.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The Hope Carbon Seatpost Stu tested was 196g for a 27.2mm/350mm unit, and costs £135. Weighing more or less the same is the Pro Vibe LTD carbon seatpost and it costs £199.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Only if they’ve got deep pockets.

Use this box to explain your overall score

If money is no object the Enve post is easy to recommend because it looks fabulous and works well, but there are cheaper and lighter posts that represent better value for money.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180cm  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,