Suspended seat posts?

[clonmult]

Not wanting to go for a full new bike, but my only issue with the current bike (Trek FX 7.3 Disc) is that its got quite a .... hard ride. So figured that a suspended seat post would be a good idea.

Browsing wiggle.co.uk for suspended seat posts, they've got a few different ones available :
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/use-sx-shokpost-seat-post/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/post-moderne-solace-comp-s...
Up to the slightly more expensive
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/use-sumo-xcr-carbon-seat-p...

Only catch with all of these is that I'm currently right at the top end of their weight range (around 98-99 kg).

Any suggestions, are these a good idea, or not worth bothering with?

• eta* - I've seen some mention of some handlebar stems with some suspension/compliance in them as well, but have yet to find anywhere that sells anything like them?

Edited by clonmult on Wednesday 6th April 15:31

[mchammer89]

I've got a Cane Creek Thudbuster LT which is great as it goes backwards as well as down, keeping the distance between the bottom bracket and saddle roughly the same, thus not messing up your pedalling efficiency like standard suspension seatposts do.

[Roman]

Please post a review of whatever you get.

I'm thinking of building a 10sp carbon 'rigid' 29er with suspension post & headshock for my next project:
http://www.dnmshock.com/bike-front-forks/head-shoc...

[donfisher]

clonmult said:

suspended seat posts, not worth bothering with?

I'd go with that tbh. Was in a similar boat after walloping my coccyx while hitting a pot hole. A mate suggested I start with the saddle and then the height of the seatpost.

The saddle was 5hit. Compared to the replacement it was clearly cr4p and the wrong shape for me. Not had a problem since.

[Fluffsri]

I used the USE post for about 18 months. After re bushing it for me 3 times I rebushed it again and sold it. TBH its not worth it. I ride the same bike now with a decent solid USE seat post, on very long rides I suffer less lower back pain than I did with the bouncy post.

[clonmult]

Fluffsri said:

I used the USE post for about 18 months. After re bushing it for me 3 times I rebushed it again and sold it. TBH its not worth it. I ride the same bike now with a decent solid USE seat post, on very long rides I suffer less lower back pain than I did with the bouncy post.

Was it very bouncy then?

My worry is the weight range - whilst my weight is (slowly) going down, I'll still be at the upper end of the range, and with a rucksack I'll be over.

Maybe a slightly more comfortable seat will be a better option.

And preferably one without the irritating "breathing" holes that just let water in and turn it into an unpleasant sponge.

[itsnotarace]

Have a good look at a titanium seatpost and titanium railed saddle, they will have a little more flex than alloy posts and I would steer clear of cheap carbon at ~100Kg.

Also consider lowering your tyre pressures a bit

[clonmult]

itsnotarace said:

Have a good look at a titanium seatpost and titanium railed saddle, they will have a little more flex than alloy posts and I would steer clear of cheap carbon at ~100Kg.

Also consider lowering your tyre pressures a bit

ta; I've already started running the tyres at around 50psi, rather than 70psi, like the idea of going the titanium route.

[itsnotarace]

Maybe just try the saddle first and see how you get on, I think the Charge Spoon is about the cheapest ti railed saddle about I think, although Planet X did have a sale on a little while ago

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/c/q/saddles

[frontbum]

clonmult said:

ta; I've already started running the tyres at around 50psi, rather than 70psi, like the idea of going the titanium route.

That's still rock hard! Try 30. As for suspension seatposts, the thudbuster is the only one worth having IMVHO. All the rest suffer from stiction/bushing wear.

[OneDs]

frontbum said:

clonmult said:

ta; I've already started running the tyres at around 50psi, rather than 70psi, like the idea of going the titanium route.

That's still rock hard! Try 30. As for suspension seatposts, the thudbuster is the only one worth having IMVHO. All the rest suffer from stiction/bushing wear.

If we are talking road tires 700x32c then they should be around 100psi, 30 is fine on 26x2.4's on a tubeless off road set up but just plain dangerous on this bike with the original tires, imho 70 is too low.

[clonmult]

OneDs said:

frontbum said:

clonmult said:

ta; I've already started running the tyres at around 50psi, rather than 70psi, like the idea of going the titanium route.

That's still rock hard! Try 30. As for suspension seatposts, the thudbuster is the only one worth having IMVHO. All the rest suffer from stiction/bushing wear.

If we are talking road tires 700x32c then they should be around 100psi, 30 is fine on 26x2.4's on a tubeless off road set up but just plain dangerous on this bike with the original tires, imho 70 is too low.

Yup, its running 700x32 (or similar size), some of the schwalbe armoured types with slime tubes .... 50psi doesn't feel too bad, iirc I rarely ever used to run them over 70psi.

[frontbum]

clonmult said:

Yup, its running 700x32 (or similar size), some of the schwalbe armoured types with slime tubes .... 50psi doesn't feel too bad, iirc I rarely ever used to run them over 70psi.

Oh, sorry I googled your bike on my phone and only glanced at the pic hence assumed it was a mountain bike.

Personally I'd be looking at getting a light weight carbon or ti seatpost and handlebars. I have titanium saddle rails and I haven't perceived a difference from the same saddle with cro-mo.

Edited by frontbum on Thursday 7th April 10:15

[BalhamBadger]

OneDs said:

If we are talking road tires 700x32c then they should be around 100psi, 30 is fine on 26x2.4's on a tubeless off road set up but just plain dangerous on this bike with the original tires, imho 70 is too low.

Agree with this, lowering your tyre pressure to acheive comfort should only be a last resort. Safety is the primary concern but you'll also be sacrificing a hell of a lot of efficiency.

[rhinochopig]

I have an MTB Tandem hard tail (as do most of my MTB mates - although a couple have now splashed out on some full sus Ventanas), which gets used for pretty aggressive riding, and on a tandem a suspended post is essential. Between us we have tested most makes and, ignoring the debate about whether they're a benefit on a Solo, if you are going to get one the best design by a long long way is the thudbuster. The principle reason being that the sliding post designs tend to get full of crap very quickly and fail. In addition, the way 'buster moves down and back seems to subjectively offer a much smoother ride - according to my wife anyway. The only downside is the weight.

On the 8 other MTB tandem owners I know, they all settled on thud-busters as they are fit and forget and work. That said none of us have them on our hardtail solos.

OP what size tube diameter do you have as I have an old working elastomer (sliding tube) post you can have for free if you want to see whether it helps? It's in my "this might come in handy one day box" but I doubt I'll ever use it.

[Fluffsri]

clonmult said:

Was it very bouncy then?

My worry is the weight range - whilst my weight is (slowly) going down, I'll still be at the upper end of the range, and with a rucksack I'll be over.

Maybe a slightly more comfortable seat will be a better option.

And preferably one without the irritating "breathing" holes that just let water in and turn it into an unpleasant sponge.

It was one of the smoothest I tried but no matter how well and often it was servied the guide bushes would wear and it would move from left to right. It was very comfy on forest/canalpaths that sort of thing but it was harsh on riutted/rooty stuff.
I manned up and got rid

[clonmult]

rhinochopig said:

I have an MTB Tandem hard tail (as do most of my MTB mates - although a couple have now splashed out on some full sus Ventanas), which gets used for pretty aggressive riding, and on a tandem a suspended post is essential. Between us we have tested most makes and, ignoring the debate about whether they're a benefit on a Solo, if you are going to get one the best design by a long long way is the thudbuster. The principle reason being that the sliding post designs tend to get full of crap very quickly and fail. In addition, the way 'buster moves down and back seems to subjectively offer a much smoother ride - according to my wife anyway. The only downside is the weight.

On the 8 other MTB tandem owners I know, they all settled on thud-busters as they are fit and forget and work. That said none of us have them on our hardtail solos.

OP what size tube diameter do you have as I have an old working elastomer (sliding tube) post you can have for free if you want to see whether it helps? It's in my "this might come in handy one day box" but I doubt I'll ever use it.

Ta for the offer; not sure what diameter tube is on the Trek, I'll see if I can dig out the details.

I think the first step I'm going to be taking now is a new seat, the spoon looks like a good start, try that for a few weeks and then consider the thudbuster.

The thudbuster brings up a question - LT or ST?

[rhinochopig]

clonmult said:

Ta for the offer; not sure what diameter tube is on the Trek, I'll see if I can dig out the details.

I think the first step I'm going to be taking now is a new seat, the spoon looks like a good start, try that for a few weeks and then consider the thudbuster.

The thudbuster brings up a question - LT or ST?

I've only used the long travel so can't comment on the ST WRT to performance. I guess it depends on how much travel you want VS weight of the post. LTs are very very plush but 100 or so grams heavier than the ST.

When you find out dimensions PM me in case I forget to check this thread.