Gravel Bike Seatpost

Enjoying the bike and venturing onto rougher trails. The cheap seatpost that came with the bike is unforgiving so I’m thinking about swapping it for something with at least some damping.

My default has always been Thomson (got an Elite & a Masterpiece sat in the garage but unfortunately they’re the wrong size) so do I get another of those or do I look at something different?

Carbon? If so, what.

I don’t think I really need something like a Vybe but what are thoughts on those or similar suspension posts?

Ta.

Buy a 27.2mm post, even if it needs a shim.

There’s nothing particularly “forgiving” about a Thomson, plus they are notoriously undersized.

I’m using a carbon post from USE. They often have bargains on their website.

It really depends on how forgiving you want the bike to be in the sort of places you’re riding. Bigger volume tyres (run with some squige) are one way to soften things up of course. With seat posts, I’ve got a vybe and for me it’s well worth the bit of additional weight, takes a lot of sting out of the ride and saves my back.

I’ve always found Thomson posts to be quite good at taking the edge off trail buzz.

I think it’s just that initial buzz I want to reduce.  The rougher stuff is easier to see & deal with but it’s stuff like farm tracks that agricultural vehicles have left tyre tracks which shake my fillings loose.

Tyre size & pressure seem about right for the mix of surfaces.

Slight hijack – looking for a post for similar use. anyone have experience with the Cannonade Save 27.2 seatpost? Seems light enough and no moving parts to trap dirt…

Having run inline Thompson posts on the road, I’ve never thought them very compliant…

I’ve got a 27.2mm Thomson Elite going spare, £30 posted. PM me if you’re interested

For a given size of post, I have never really noticed any change in vibration damping between posts. I suspect you would get a larger difference between different materials, than just swapping one alu post for another.

Not cheap, but how about a Redshift seatpost? A mate has one on his Camino, along with the stem. Feels weird for about 5mins and then you just forget about it.

I keep thinking about getting one, but then the cost puts me off.

I’ve been through a variety of posts but for gravel purposes I don’t think it matters anywhere near as much as tyre pressures.

Can you go for wider tyres, or just experiment with pressure? I’m honestly starting to believe that even 2 or 3 psi can make a significant difference. Perhaps even invest in foam inserts if it lets you go slightly softer, might be money better spent than a new seatpost?

Canyon VCLS carbon post, its basically a leaf spring

Having run inline Thompson posts on the road, I’ve never thought them very compliant…

Yea, I’d go as far as to say they’re pretty damn stiff because the oval butting inside is designed to reinforce them. They were definitely one of those products everyone bought because they were fashionable and looked cool rather than any particular objective reason. They were neither light nor comfortable.  I’ve relegated my old Thompson to my track bike where it can look cool and be stiff all it likes.

IIRC Ritchey do their butting the other way though with more material left on either side to encourage the post to flex fore/aft.

I run a VCLS 1.0 post on my road bike and it makes a noticeable difference, like running one size up on tyres, and noticeable even with a known comfortable frame and having upgraded to the biggest tyres that would fit ~28mm. The newer leaf sprung versions are probably even better.

Brooks flyer saddle?

Big old school springs to provide damping?

Specialized Terra carbon seatpost has 18mm of movement bit pricey though !

I was hoping to spend < £100 so the more exotic options are too much money.

Looking at the Vybe option just now as this seems to be the most suitable compromise.

I think it’s the internal ovalisation of Thomson seatposts that give them the compliance. Planet X seatposts had the same internal shape but was made of cheaper 6000 series alloy instead of the Thomson’s 7000 series.

https://m.biddingforgood.com/auctions/158321894/items/159548077

this was the ad around the time I bought my first Thomson seatpost. Doesn’t imply compliance to me, more stiff AF!

I’m no engineer but the internal butting doesn’t look like it will promote flex, especially compared to a lighter weight alloy tube or decent carbon.

As for leaf spring canyon style seatposts, I can see how they work but after the damage down to various bits of bike riding one day in Flanders filth, I’d worry it will grind itself to bits.

I bought the one of the old style single piece Canyon VCLS posts last year (half price, fairly sure I put in the bargains thread at the time) and despite me mostly buying it for being a 25mm setback post (in affordable CF) and not expecting any noticeable change in comfort, I have to admit it’s actually really effective at taking that tiring constant buzz’n’slap (calm down at the back there) out of the rough broken up tarmac roads around here. They’re out of stock now though…