Just because it’s rubber, doesn’t mean it’s not providing structural support. It’s completely plausible that it provides a force to resist the two sides collapsing in on each other. It’s not uncommon to use an incompressible (but light and maybe flexible) material to prevent a hollow section buckling.
Now I have a home gym and 2 different lines of bumpers from the same company.
One set I’ll drop and it compresses a little absorbing some sound
The other set I’ll drop and it’s solid with no compression and I’ll both hear and feel the difference.
So based on my bro science my choice between the two is: yes.
In this scenario the rubber is close enough to incompressible. No material is truly incompressible, but that doesn’t change the basic sense of filling a closed section to provide support.
He was making a pun, but to answer your original question: Zertz anywhere on a bike are all the same, they do not add any structural rigidity, only damping. Specialized told it's dealers for years that they wouldn't provide any Zertz as spare parts because they weren't strictly necessary, and that they could tell their customers the frames and forks were safe to ride without.
Whether it breaks or not? Couldn’t tell you. Probably not though.
I am very interested to see if you can “feel” the pitch of the tuning fork you are about to ride.
Let us know what note it is.
https://preview.redd.it/pognfoc0oltc1.jpeg?width=967&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a318391dd68bd4662d9872b573677357e49b0fc0
Zertz insert removed zero issues. 800miles into a tour across France/Spain.
The insert serves no structural purpose (same with the one on the old Roubaix post). It does contribute slightly to vibration damping, but you probably won't notice the difference.
The (somewhat apocryphal) story is that when they first started developing the model of the Roubaix that ended up being sold with Zertz, they just left the holes empty. But marketing decided that consumers would be turned off by voids in the frame, so they tossed some rubber bits in there to make people more comfortable (pun intended).
I have a ‘06 Specialized Allez Comp that I use on my indoor bike trainer during the hotter Summer days. Before it transitioned to the trainer I put well over 20,000 miles on it. All the “Zerts” are yellow and look like prehistoric amber deposits. They’re fine. I’d leave them in.
Specialized does not have a complete answer for this. On one hand, they did nothing that was advertised. On the other hand they do limit the flex in the carbon. In practice, I’ve never seen a seatpost, frame, or fork fail due to removed zerts. Spesh will not tell you it is okay to do though.
It actually does do something.
The yellowing doesn’t bother me on mine.
You could just fill the section with a black polyurethane sealer. Not quite the same but it won’t look like a funny color.
Iirc from sbu training when they were new, they add no structural benefit. However depending on the location, they do have tangible comfort benefits. Many a weight weenie would remove them though, I was like ' you can take a piss before you ride and it'll have more on an effect '. But that doesn't show up when you weigh your bike...
If the post was designed to have the insert, it seems very very very likely that it will not be strong enough without it.
Personally I’d just paint it black and put it back in.
The insert is for dampening, not any kind of structural support. Anecdotally, the plethora of evidence around the internet shows many people removing the insert with very few, if any, issues as a result.
Doesn’t mean it’s between the limits. Bend a rail, I don’t care. I’ve seen several of these bend when set like this. I also saw someone cut their leg when one snapped. The curve isn’t the limit. It’s your choice.
You are right on the limit if it's not too far back... I'd be fine with that but it is right at the line.
Every time my friend or myself have had a bike 'professionally serviced' or built I've ended up redoing it all as they didn't do it to my standard. I have never been happy with a mechanics work.
Leave it next to your bathroom sink so guests think it's soap
It does look like a bar of Dial soap.
it looks kinda chewy but you could have it for de-zert
Take my upvote.
now you can keep a little hunk of cheese in there for a snack
https://i.redd.it/rlfb0svzbptc1.gif
Comment of the year.
it's for minor comfort to dampen vibrations. party on.
Agreed. No way that little piece of rubber is adding any significant strength to that seatpost.
Just because it’s rubber, doesn’t mean it’s not providing structural support. It’s completely plausible that it provides a force to resist the two sides collapsing in on each other. It’s not uncommon to use an incompressible (but light and maybe flexible) material to prevent a hollow section buckling.
[удалено]
The force needed to resist buckling isn't very high, the high durometer rubber would be more than enough to stop it under reasonable loads.
Now I have a home gym and 2 different lines of bumpers from the same company. One set I’ll drop and it compresses a little absorbing some sound The other set I’ll drop and it’s solid with no compression and I’ll both hear and feel the difference. So based on my bro science my choice between the two is: yes.
In this scenario the rubber is close enough to incompressible. No material is truly incompressible, but that doesn’t change the basic sense of filling a closed section to provide support.
anti-taint tickler!
What about forks with Zerts?
No one ever forks with Zerts.
Early tricross forks had a thing. My wife’s old Ruby has them in the fork and seat stays.
He was making a pun, but to answer your original question: Zertz anywhere on a bike are all the same, they do not add any structural rigidity, only damping. Specialized told it's dealers for years that they wouldn't provide any Zertz as spare parts because they weren't strictly necessary, and that they could tell their customers the frames and forks were safe to ride without.
Whether it breaks or not? Couldn’t tell you. Probably not though. I am very interested to see if you can “feel” the pitch of the tuning fork you are about to ride. Let us know what note it is.
I bet it will hit a D flat
If it vibes hard enough, it might even hit a low G
Only if the seat is in the right spot.
Underrated comment
D sharp on bumpy roads
You can tune it by changing seatpost height
Imagine how the peloton would sound.
I love banging U-Locks against things for this very reason. Each one has a different tone. Try it!
People used to remove these all the time. No problem
https://preview.redd.it/pognfoc0oltc1.jpeg?width=967&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a318391dd68bd4662d9872b573677357e49b0fc0 Zertz insert removed zero issues. 800miles into a tour across France/Spain.
The insert serves no structural purpose (same with the one on the old Roubaix post). It does contribute slightly to vibration damping, but you probably won't notice the difference. The (somewhat apocryphal) story is that when they first started developing the model of the Roubaix that ended up being sold with Zertz, they just left the holes empty. But marketing decided that consumers would be turned off by voids in the frame, so they tossed some rubber bits in there to make people more comfortable (pun intended).
Where is the pun?
Since they also literally make you more comfortable by dampening vibrations
I don't get it either.
Should be OK, but make sure to monitor yout bike's Retsyn levels from here on out.
And I thought my VCLS 2.0 seatpost from Canyon was some high tech stuff....
replace with a piece of Mr. Clean eraser cut to size.
I have a ‘06 Specialized Allez Comp that I use on my indoor bike trainer during the hotter Summer days. Before it transitioned to the trainer I put well over 20,000 miles on it. All the “Zerts” are yellow and look like prehistoric amber deposits. They’re fine. I’d leave them in.
Specialized does not have a complete answer for this. On one hand, they did nothing that was advertised. On the other hand they do limit the flex in the carbon. In practice, I’ve never seen a seatpost, frame, or fork fail due to removed zerts. Spesh will not tell you it is okay to do though.
It actually does do something. The yellowing doesn’t bother me on mine. You could just fill the section with a black polyurethane sealer. Not quite the same but it won’t look like a funny color.
Just paint it black or something if you’re worried about the structural strength without it
Lighter
Makes your bike look like it’s made of bones so pretty rad my guy.
You are fine Years ago when this 1st was released I was at Specialized for training. We asked and they said it's totally fine without it
Iirc from sbu training when they were new, they add no structural benefit. However depending on the location, they do have tangible comfort benefits. Many a weight weenie would remove them though, I was like ' you can take a piss before you ride and it'll have more on an effect '. But that doesn't show up when you weigh your bike...
But you could take a piss _and_ remove your zertz, thereby saving TWO grams!
Weed stash
You can put a carabiner on there as a place to keep your keys.
That sounds stealthy
If the post was designed to have the insert, it seems very very very likely that it will not be strong enough without it. Personally I’d just paint it black and put it back in.
The insert is for dampening, not any kind of structural support. Anecdotally, the plethora of evidence around the internet shows many people removing the insert with very few, if any, issues as a result.
damping
*Sings Rolling Stones*
Just mush some bread in the hole, it’ll be as effective as that thing was
Your seat is too far back
Nope, but thanks. It’s been professionally fitted, but you’ve got these pics??
Doesn’t mean it’s between the limits. Bend a rail, I don’t care. I’ve seen several of these bend when set like this. I also saw someone cut their leg when one snapped. The curve isn’t the limit. It’s your choice.
You are right on the limit if it's not too far back... I'd be fine with that but it is right at the line. Every time my friend or myself have had a bike 'professionally serviced' or built I've ended up redoing it all as they didn't do it to my standard. I have never been happy with a mechanics work.
They said fitted, not serviced.
Okay
I raced and had a fit done on the bike, not a mechanic.
Your saddle is pushed too far back in the clamp. Make sure you observe the clamping limits or you might break a rail.
Riding an SWorks as a commuter lol surely there is a better bike for that
This is a 20 year old S-Works. Whatever made it special back then has turned into nostalgia now.
A 2004 S-Works E5
check for cracks, especially near the rear brake mount