The Phoenix Project - Nitto Jaguar NJ-SP72 Seatpost

Before diving into this episode of the The Phoenix Project, we have a little administrative business.

First, the Running Tally sections reflects the total gross cost of the project to date.  That is, the cost of the original bike and then the new parts hung upon it.  Originally, I depreciated the cost of the Trek 620 bike by $300 to represent the estimated parts sales.  However, this seemed a little less than objective.

So I've restored that $300 so that Running Tally now reflects the true out of pocket cost of The Phoenix Project at the time of each episode.  To accurately indicate the true net cost of The Phoenix Project, there is now a new "Organ Sales" section that will be updated as parts sales from the original bike are completed.

The seatpost chosen is a Nitto Jaguar NJ-SP72 two bolt seatpost, 27.2 mm diameter, 44mm rail width, and NJS certified.

The country place mat and apple are to suggest an outing on a vintage French picnic bike, while the Seiko SKXA35 Diver's Watch (automatic, naturally) assures that one that you are a sporty kind of guy, the yellow face a hint of bravado.

Street Cred

One point for Nitto.   Sturdy 2 bolt design means that the double top tube Hunqapillar upon which it were mounted would break first.

Finally, NJS Certification brings us to a final Street Cred rating of 3 trench knifes.  Were we fixie addled, this would be an automatic 5 by itself, but we are not.

Gizmo Lust

As well as being still the best design for strength and non-slippage,  the two bolt design is unrivalled for properly dialing in a saddle position.

Nitto's spectacularly finished execution of this classic design looks oddly muppet-like from the side.

Ultimately, although the Nitto Jaguar seatpost is a rather legendary model often referred to in literature, but rarely glimpsed in the wild, how excited can one get about a seatpost?

Crimethink

Many people claim that the 2 bolt design is overkill and even more people assert the same about NJS certification. But if the The Phoenix Project is about anything, it is about overkill.

All in the name of sensible cycling, of course.

Tweed Factor

Tweedie sensible cyclists usually go nuts for Nitto.  But they are often possessed of an incongruent frugality after blowing their second mortgage on Joe Bell painted frames with sculpted, cutout lugs.

Here is what GP would have you separate your tush and saddle from one of their 2k wunderframes (this isn't a joke, at least any more than the rest of their offbeat items they sometimes fixate upon):

Riv gives the all-clear to the faithful on this anachronism because it is Nitto and cost 5x as much as the Nashbar version. This clearly demonstrates the hypnotic power of Nitto upon Tweedies

Phony Accent

The Nitto Jaguar itself is authentic and has integrity, but we have to award a beret as I'm not a keirin racer, just a middle-aged poseur.

Lily Gilding

Most vendors sell the Nitto NJ-SP72 Jaguar seatpost for around $160 USD, which is a bit much to be wresting from the wine and womanizing fund and putting it into seatposts. I did ease the sting of this by finding it for about 40% less than the typical retail - more details on this in the Running Tally section.

Honorable Mention

That innovative and Made In America sensible cyclist fave Paul Components offers this excellent seatpost for around $100 USD:

I really like the quality and finely finished industrial tech look of Paul Components in general and this seatpost in particular.  Had it not been tragically out of stock at the time of seatpost selection, the choice would have been much harder.  In addition to being an excellent seatpost, the exotic boutique aura of a Paul seatpost would have been a bit of spice for The Phoenix Project.

Just yesterday, Paul emailed me, informing me that they are now filling backorders on this item, but if I really needed one, they would send me one now.

No regrets about the Nitto Jaguar, but still, sigh....  I know what is going on the next bike.

Paul also helpfully informs that this seatpost will be available again on their website in August, 2011.

Running Tally

$989 USD

We carry forward $580 USD from the previous installment of this project.  As mentioned above, we also recapture the $300 USD rough estimate of parts sales.

The Nitto Jaguar NJ-SP72 carries an epic toll of around $160.  However, tracksupermarket.com sells it for around $99 USD plus $10 USD shipping clear from Japan, actually, only a couple of train stations away from our place in Osaka. 

It turns out that Track Supermarket are great people to deal with, english fluent, and get their stuff to my door quicker and more cheaply than many U.S. based vendors.  They also sell a lot of their stuff on
Ebay, but sell it cheaper on their website, as that avoids ebay fees.  For all these fine qualities, they get a hearty recommendation and addition to the Otaku-worthy Vendor list.

Organ Sales

$0 USD

No parts sales have yet been completed, although the matching blue & OEM Blackburn rear rack and Avocet Touring Saddle have already been listed on ebay.

The Sausage Factory