Ragley’s Spike is a budget post, but you can tell that thought has gone into it. The spiral height scale isn’t easier to use than a conventional scale, but it’s a distinctive look and helps elevate the Spike above the budget herd.
The forged head relies on a serrated cradle for saddle angle adjustment. This doesn’t give you the same potential for fine-tuning as pricier posts, but it’s a tested, simple and secure arrangement. Two bolts clamp the head together to spread the load.
The availability of a 27.3mm size is, as far as we know, unique. No bikes are made to take a 27.3mm post, but it’s not unheard of for frames to be slightly oversized, especially if the seat tube’s been overenthusiastically reamed. An oversized post could mean an end to baggy seatpost misery.
The Spike is fairly heavy, at 280g (27.2x400mm), but good value – there are expensive posts that aren’t that much lighter. In use it’s essentially indistinguishable from any other aluminium post, with no creaks or groans.