3T Difflock Compatibility

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Stolichnaya
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by Stolichnaya

There seems to be a few posts on Difflock but no real concensus on compatibility.
Searches revealed that there are some hits and misses getting compatibility with the 3T Difflock posts.

My case is with an Astute Skylite saddle and a 3T PALLADIO seatpost:
From what I gather, the rails on the Astute are oval 7 x 9 mm.
My PALLADIO post has the standard Difflock mechanism for round saddle rails and I am confused as to whether I need to order the oval caps only or the entire Difflock mechanism for oval rails.

Or put another way, the basic question is:
With respect to a PALLADIO post, is the red internal section of the Difflock mechanism different for oval versus round?
Or is this just a difference in the caps?
3T's site is not crystal clear...

rijndael
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by rijndael

For the Palladio, you need a new spline/internals and cap.

On the Ionic, it's just the cap.

by Weenie


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Stolichnaya
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by Stolichnaya

Ah, the Ionic versus the Palladio...

Thanks much, rijndael!

If others want to use this thread as a repository for saddle brands that work or don't with the 3T Difflock posts, then leave this one up mods.

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corky
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by corky

The Antares 00 doesn't play well with the Ionic even with the oval caps..... you can get it to work by adding additional duck/whatever tape but it creaks like hell and never tightens properly, i also could not get the saddle angle correct.

I bought it against my better judgement because it looked good, the price of vanity but
I'm giving up.........

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CBJ
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by CBJ

I remember there is another thread about the Ionic. I just got one too but I am sticking with my TI rail saddle.

beanbiken
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by beanbiken

Hi, I have the Palladio LTD and a Anatres 00 saddle. I purchased a pair of oval caps and used the original spline with no issues as yet,though i have only ridden a couple of 100k's with this set up. No creaks and seems tightly held, maybe I was just lucky

Steve M
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CBJ
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by CBJ

Here is the post I was thinking about a lot of different experiences:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=118327

I still have a soft spot for TI rails going back to the original Flite :)

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Stolichnaya
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Location: Vienna, AUT

by Stolichnaya

So, my own little experience:

Got an Astute Skylite saddle. Got the DiffLock mechanism for oval rails as the Skylite has 7x9 carbon rails
Caps needed to be sanded down slightly to sit tight on the Palladio post.
There was a very small, albeit disconcerting, gap visible as the rails were not seating fully in the DiffLock when seen from the front of the post. The saddle rails sit flush on the Difflock lip on the bottom and inside, but the rails flare out a bit on the outside at the bottom, which leaves a gap to the end caps that appears to be causing the rails to sit improperly. I am hesitant to file down the inside of the oval caps where the rails make contact as it may result in a less than smooth surface that could gouge the carbon rails.
I poked around the workbench and decided to wrap the rails in something thin to take up the tolerance gap.
I ended up using a very thin tacky downtube protector sticker, which was applied on the top and outsides of the rails only, so that the Difflock lip still makes direct contact with the saddle's carbon rails on the bottom and inside.
Tightened to torque of just under 5nm.
This seems solid but I have not tested this set up for more than a few km so far.
Will report back at some point.

by Weenie


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CBJ
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by CBJ

Rode mine on a longer trip this weekend and it was super creaky. I have find out here to grease it to make it stop.

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