The clamp plates on this Sumo seatpost are machined, but USE is about to switch over to a forged design, which will be 7 and 8mm-rail compatible and probably stronger. The clamp design is like an inside-out Bontrager, and uses one bolt for tilt and fore/aft adjustment. It’s 400mm long, but for a carbon post USE errs on the side of caution, building it strong, so it’s heavier than it looks.

USE’s new Race stem is forged and CNC-machined from 7050 aluminium. It previously had lightweight titanium hardware and a covered top, which meant you couldn’t put spacers above the stem. The new design is similar to a Thomson in design and finish. The only snag is that the faceplate on our sample didn’t match the body of the stem.

To complete the finishing kit, USE buys its Atom Riser from Taiwan. Nothing wrong with that, but the Atom bar needs updating — it’s too narrow, too deep and has slightly more upsweep than we think is necessary. With a lower, wider riser, even an aluminium one, USE would be looking at top marks.

Contact: www.use1.com
Overall weight: 554g

Mbr rating: 8