Counting the days until I get surgery on my lower back in two weeks time.

Once out of surgery I’ll not be on the bike (certainly not out on the open road) for another 4-6 weeks, and after that it will be a gentle re-introduction.

However, having said all that, I’m still at least 50% committed to riding the Paris Roubaix Challenge in April. Might seem ambitious but the majority verdict of the various doctors, surgeons and nurses I’ve spoken to is ‘don’t rule it out’.

Assuming I’ll be on a bike with at least 35c tyres and a carbon seatpost as a minimum, I still fancy some extra insurance in the form of a suspension seatpost.

The Cane Creek Thudbuster ST is the obvious choice, I’ve been curious about them since I was a kid (amazing how the design hasn’t changed on bit in 20 years!) and I presume the quality will be good enough to last.

I’ve seen a Redshift equivalent which I think might be slightly lighter and is more discreet, both minor advantages, but it’s less of a known quantity.

Then there are cheaper equivalents like the Suntour NCX which looks well engineered but is an unknown quantity to me and weighs significantly more than the others (780g vs. ~500g), gets good reviews though.

Anyone care to share their experiences?

Ta

Good luck with the op.

I’ve been running a Thudbuster since about 2000. And it only needed replacing last year. (Newer ones have replaceable bearing kits, but my original-spec one did not.)

They are excellent, and I wouldn’t be without one on any bike. ST on road/gravel. LT on gravel/XC.

Since picking up a herniated disk injury last year, I wouldn’t be without one even more.

If you get one I’m sure you won’t regret it. Make sure you get the neoprene cover to keep all the crap off.

I’ve used USE seatposts over the last couple of decades. The’ve not changed a great deal in terms of function, and can be found relatively cheaply on ebay. Take apunt, send it to USE for a service (which is cheap) and it’ll be good to go.

I’ve got a USE Sumo in my shed that needs home. 31.6 400mm  £30 and a bit of postage if it’s any good for you.

Only gotcha with a Thud is the layback – its very layback. On one of my bikes its way behind the bb even with the saddle slid all the way forward.

Only gotcha with a Thud is the layback

Ooh good point!

I checked and e.g. SJS Cycles states 10mm before sag. And of course the amount of sag is pertinent to your saddle height also.

Is it possible to set them up with near as dammit no sag? I guess you wouldn’t really want much sag when you only have 35mm of travel!

Thanks for USE suggestions/offers, I’ve got a mate offering me his USE also but I quite like the backwards arc style of travel with the linkage posts. Plus I need 27.2mm for my bikes.

You can adjust preload/sag, and there are different elastomers for different weights of rider of course. I do run my saddle all the way forward on the rails come to think of it, but I’ve never felt like either the lay-back or sag is excessive.

Reverb generally does a great job of having about 25mm of travel.

I use the USE on gravel bike – tis great. I also use the Redshift suspension stem which is really good.

Hmm… liking the fact that the Redshift post and USE posts have adjustable preload, the Thudbusters just seem to rely on elastomer weight.

USE post also cheaper and lighter. Perhaps I should give my mate’s old USE post a shot, see if I like it first.

I’ve had a USE shockpost on my CX bike for many years, its pretty good. Only moves around 25mm, but that really makes a difference.
Im not sure it’d make much difference on tarmac.

I think I also have a USE lying around Ian, Sure it’s 26.2 or something but there’s a 27.2 shim with it. Let me know if you want to borrow it.

I have a LT thudbuster that I hardly use any more since I got a dropper – you’d be welcome to a long term loan to see what you make of it

I had a suspension post on my flat bar bike and on a long ride always got cramped/sore thigh muscles – for some reason I thought of changing to a normal seat post just to see if it helped and never suffered again. I dont know why other than the constant rise and fall of the seat height.

Anyway just thought I would pass that on

Second the Thudbuster , they work really well and you just set the seat height to take into account the sag when you sit on it , although from memory they do have a pre load adjuster bolt that you can tighten . If you are happy with a forgiving seatpost rather than a suspension seatpost Specialized do the Cobble Gobbler which comes on the current Roubaix and is designed to offer more comfort than a standard seatpost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52TKReWduX4

Redshift is a thudbuster knock off. Presumably because the patent has expired. Thudbuster has the years of development and customer support. Very popular on tandems. Curiously Refshift deleted my Facebook comment about Thudbuster patent from their post.

Worry less about set back and more about stiction.

Good luck with the op

I’ve got the Suntour and it’s proven very good. Its on my ht as I have a bad back.

Just get the one with the correct spring for your weight though they can be bought after market easily enough if weight changes etc.
Easy to preload with an adjustment at the bar of the post. Excellent value for money but a bit weighty, not that that was a concern for me though.

Thanks for generous offers folks, think I’m sorted for loaners closer to home.

Redshift is a thudbuster knock off.

Really? Looked substantially different to me, it’s a parallel linkage yes but activates the spring differently. Seemed to be the best combo of weight, direction of movement and adjustability..

Will try my buddies USE first, and my other workmate has a Suntour so I should be able to test a linkage post too.

I’ve tried various suspension seatposts on my skinny tyre bikes (Inc both models Thudbuster) but nothing is as comfortable as a proper sprung Brooks saddle.

I’m assuming you’re looking to absorb road vibrations rather than mtb type impacts.

Thudbuster you can adjust preload simply by tightening the long bolt that goes thru it. spring rate is decided on elastomers. I don’t think the layback on it matters – I never even noticed

13th – I have a thudbuster you could have a shot on.

The paralellogram type IME is much much better than a telescopic one – the main reason is the bb / seat distance hardly varies so you do not get bob when pedalling and you can continue to pedal theru bumps

Hi good luck with the op, I read your thing ages ago about the epic trip across Scotland, inspiring stuff.
Hope the Roubaix goes well.

the distance doesnt vary but the distance behind the BB infuriated me.

i use a USE sumo on the cargo bike as when loaded it acts like a tandem and crashes through any bumps in the road and destroys you.

IT works well It only seems to bob if you pedal squares i find.

unlike the old telescopics you got on cheap hybrids which just seemed to crash up and down for no reason at the slightest hint of weight distribution change.

best part – it was 20 quid off a (different easier to search) classifieds.

How much travel do you think you’ll need (and perhaps, how much can you afford to spend)?

Both Canyon and Specialized have rather odd looking (and frighteningly spendy) carbon posts offering around 20mm of travel; neither look terribly tuneable though.

I’ve no idea if they’re any good but being carbon they might offer some additional back/buzz protection over distance.