I’m doing a riding trip in Bolivia in the summer, taking my hardtail and thought a suspension seatpost seemed like a good idea for comfort with long days in the saddle.

I have literally never seen one fitted to a bike out on the trails…

Why?
Seem like a good compromise though they do look fugly…

They only work when sat down, the constant bobbing does my nut, they wear and get wobble, theyre crude in the way they work…

I use the USE suspension seatposts. It looks like every other post and works really good.
It’s amazeballs. No bob on mine at all but I’ve got the firm one.
An excellent compromise on a hardtail IMO.
Not tried the Cane Creek ones but as you say they look fugly.

i have a rigid bike.

if it’s too rough i stand up.

I used one for a couple of multi-day rides on my Ti hardtail. I reckon it was slightly comfier and had no problems with slop/wobble. It’s a USE post I got off the classifieds here. Happy to let you borrow it if you want to try. It’s quite narrow but I used it with a 27.2 shim.

I use a USE Sumo on my Pace 305 because it’s very harsh on my bot bot. It’s also used on my rigid Sanderson as it’s the right size.

Personally I really like it, they do take the sting out and the USE is more normal looking that a Thudbuster.

EDIT There’s not twist or bob in mine. If it bobs you’re too heavy for the spring so get a firmer one.

Because if it’s too rough off road you stand up, only mildly less pointless than flex stems.

Cost and more maintenance puts me off but cost really….

Because if it’s too rough off road you stand up

Staying seated is better for traction on climbs in mud, over wet rocks and roots.

Staying seated is better for traction on climbs in mud, over wet rocks and roots.

How fast are you climbing that you need a suspension seat post?

Also surely a suspension seatpost would make it harder to stay seated when climbing?

buy a reverb, at some point it WILL become a suspension seat post

Cost and more maintenance puts me off but cost really….

Ah yes, didn’t realise they were quite so expensive.
Of course, if it’s pretty rough then I also just stand up, but I’m talking entire days riding here possibly all rough.The overall benefits in energy savings may be worth it..

What sort of frame/wheels/tyres are you using?

Back of a tandem is the only place they make sense in my head.

.What sort of frame/wheels/tyres are you using?

Dialled Prince Albert, superstar xc wheels, not decided on tyres yet but something hybrid I’m guessing as there will be fair amounts of tarmac road too.

Incidentally, I’d never normally think about using a suspension post on my dialled around here, that wouldn’t be keeping it real 🙂 but I was thinking maybe a good idea for this trip is all…

How fast are you climbing that you need a suspension seat post?

As fast as I can on a 32:18 usually, as I said above I use it on my Sanderson because it’s the only 27.2 post I have.

Also surely a suspension seatpost would make it harder to stay seated when climbing?

It doesn’t bob, so I’ve not noticed anything being harder.

Also surely a suspension seatpost would make it harder to stay seated when climbing?

I’m a seated climber too and when I went from a duelly to a hardtail after a frame crack I found it near impossible to climb properly on really rocky terrain.
A suspension post fixed that for me.
They only really take the edge off the big hits which is all you need.
They basically function as a rigid the rest of the time.

I’m not sure how “compliant/comfy” a PA is. If there is some flex in there it might take the sting off the worst of the rougher stuff. I’d also advise going for a fairly high volume tyre. I’m going to be trying the 1.75″ Schwalbe Marathon Mondials.

I was really expecting the other contributors to chime in with what they were using for multi-day on/off road trips too though….

I use a thudbuster on the xc bike and like it despite looks. Some of the above miss the point. I see it as a simpler alternative to short travel xc, with limitations of course. It enables you to more easily maintain cadence while running over mildly undulating terrain, such as a bridleway. If its rough/ technical etc then of course you stand. So they are OK for long days out (K100), good for fast commute to work along rutted canal towpaths. Probably good for tours.

I used to run a Thudbuster on my old Trek HT and thought it was ace.

It’s not ‘proper’ suspension so is of no use on the properly rough stuff (where i’d be standing up anyway) but it really takes the edge out of normal trail conditions and helped make the ride more comfortable.

Although i still have it in the garage i don’t tend to use it now simply because my bikes take larger posts and shimming always seems to result in post slippage no matter what i try. It was fine shimmed in my old trek though.

I always mean to try it in my Fargo as it’s the correct size but can never be bothered to faff around swapping saddles. I may just buy another Spoon so it’s easy to swap in the future, i reckon it’d be far better on towpaths if i go for a decent canal based day out.

But yes, on the downside, fairly fugly and lots heavier than a normal post.

hugor – Member
I use the USE suspension seatposts. It looks like every other post and works really good.
It’s amazeballs. No bob on mine at all but I’ve got the firm one.
An excellent compromise on a hardtail IMO.
Not tried the Cane Creek ones but as you say they look fugly.

Never trust the words from someone who uses amaze… I can’t even write it!

😆 the reason I like using it is because it’s so cheesy! Lol

Post-ironic

😆

thudbuster here – it’s ace

night riding and suddenly clattering into sunken logs etc without getting a kick in the arse/knackers ? priceless 😀

I used to have one on a hack Kona Cindercone I built. I actually quite liked it in a weird way and despite my initial thoughts, it did, when seated, smooth out bumps etc.

Would I have another for my normal riding? Doubt it. Would I put one on a bike I was going to spending hours and hours in the saddle on in Bolivia? Probably actually.

I was really expecting the other contributors to chime in with what they were using for multi-day on/off road trips too though….

Big rims/tyres for loads of float and layback ti seatposts, plus a good saddle (WTB) – very comfy, or as comfy as a bike can be after a week or more. I used a telescopic sus post ages back for a few months, found it gave me knee pains from the change in saddle height as I pedalled. Not keen on them personally. I’ve been told Thudbusters are better in this respct but not needed to try one. The action / motion certainly looks ‘better’.

If you do get one, use it for a while before going on a big ride with it.

USE Sumo Shokpost on two bikes, best hardtail cycling accessory ever.

Sure they are expensive but worth every penny for me.

I used to use a USE Suspension for cycling to work 10 miles along the side of the Thames. It was great for sitting down and taking out some of the constant chatter from the roots etc on the path.
I did use the same bike at the time for all sorts of mountain biking but never found the post much of an advantage for that. Quite heavy too.
More modern beefer tyres give a similar amount of cushioning I guess.

kayak23 – my offer remains open 😉

Hi druidh, that would be brilliant thanks, but where in the world are you? I’m in Leamington spa.
I could PayPal you the postage?
My PA takes a 27.2mm post by the way…

Thudbuster here ..but only used on longer rides….but works great no lower back fatigue

Perfect. I’m up in Scotland but I’ll stick it in the post. Email me your address.

for the last few hundred years i’ve been riding full suspension bikes.

but i sold my last one, and i’ll be on a hardtail until i can afford a new bouncy bike. If i could afford a suspension seatpost, i’d buy a ‘dropper’ instead – much more betterer.

i supose i can see their merit for long days in the saddle though.

druidh – what a nice chap you are 🙂

I don’t have one as I use a FS for long rides but I don’t really understand the people posting “just stand up” type bollocks. Standing up is fatiguing, sure if your idea of a ride is an hour on a local loop then fine you probably don’t need to worry about it but doing 3 hour+ rides I hated using my hardtail as it just became about enduring the ride after a few hours rather than enjoying it. Being able to sit down to absorb the smaller chatter makes things a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

druidh – what a nice chap you are 🙂

Agreed, just emailed him. 🙂

I have a Thudbuster LT on my hardtail. Nice for pedalling on rough forestry tracks. Too soft to be ideal for road surfaces.

I had a telescopic susp post on my tourer set to max firmness just too take the edge of hard bumps. Bought after lower back issues. It was the only component that broke on my last long tour. I’m no longer using one. Luckily a local cyclist had a standard post the correct size which he gave me. I was nowhere near a bike shop.

For touring unless you really need one it is adding complication and a possible point of failure to the bike.

For Bolivia if I was using one at all I’d go for a Thudbuster but probably just big tyres at suitable pressure if I was on bad roads.

A big thankyou to druidh for the lend/testdrive of the seatpost.

I used it yesterday on a long ride in the Peaks for the day. Got on quite well with it really I have to say. Initially it seemed to creak quite a lot which was kind of annoying but I think it was just sort of settling in as that seemed to subside over the day.

I found it amazingly smooth on just normal chatter bumps, the sort of stuff that normally has you un-weighting somewhat on a hardtail just pedalling along the flat, so I think it’s great for that. It also copes well with the odd square-edged hit on rock slabs etc. I had to remind myself sometimes that I was still on a hardtail(The pinch-flat I got reminded me of that…)

The only time I found it slightly weird was steep climbs where my pedalling rhythmn translated to a fair bit of bouncyness in the saddle. Not entirely the end of the world, I guess you’d get used to it but it makes the power transfer different to a regular post.

All in all, I’m fairly sold on the idea of them and as I say, quite surprised that you don’t see more of them on the trail. I think if I was to get one then I’d get one with the hardest elastomer possible so as to negate the bouncy effect while climbing, but still take away a little trail-buzz and harder, unexpected hits.

Thanks druidh. 😀

K23

I’ve had the creaking / settling in thing, easily overcome by realigning the shim and tightening the seat clamp or ideally getting a shokpost that is the perfect size.

You are spot on re: the elastoners, I used the hardest USE ones and then adjust the spring pre-load to set the rebound. (Allen nut in the bottom of the stem). You would probably find doing this cuts out the up hill bouncyness you mentioned.

Good to read feedback after the initial question.

I have used USE XCRs for a while now and enjoy climbing – I never noticed any bobbing effect from the post – the only drawback with these posts is that you have to position your saddle so your weight goes up and down the post best (basically in the middle of the rails), otherwise you will have extra striction in the action.

I have a USE XCR. Great in the summer on dry hard pedally trails (remember them?) It’s also really good for xc racing for the same reason. Sitting down and pedalling like a nutter.

Really good kit, user serviceable, works rather well.

😆