Suspension seat posts

Anonymous

O.K, so i know suspension posts are not cool but i'm looking for a solution to my hardtail dilema. i have a p7 which i bought cause i just wanted one, i figured that any good rider should have a hardtail in his arsenal (yes, thats right, i'm a victim of mtb magazines and their suggestions about what you should be doing) so decided to treat myself.
since buying the bike, it has been through a few changes, most recently by fitting a revelation fork to it. i thought the new fork would make me love the bike to ride aswell as to own but to no avail, ijust cant get used to the arse battering i recieve from riding it and as such, it languishes in my shed. (ive been spoilt in the past by the fact that ive only ever ridden full suss bikes)

so, ive decided i might sell it but came across a picture (not literally i might add, i prefer my men clean shaven) of mr bontrager's bike complete with suspension post and wondered if it might solve my problem and make me ride the bike.

Has any one got a suspension post or have they used one? if so, what are your opinions.

(can we keep the responses to folks with actual experience and not fill this thread with people regurgitating internet opinion, ive already read that and am well used to the old: "nah mate, they're shit, i havent got one or used one but i know a bloke who doesnt either and he said they're pump")

Scubar

I have a Post Moderne Bracer MTB that i am actually selling now that i have a full sus bike, Ive put my hardtail back to a rigid seatpost. It is extremely good, obviously not as good as a full sus but it does cushion the ride a fair bit especially with the adjuster and 50mm travel. All ill say is If your going to buy a suspension seatpost dont buy a cheap one as its just not worth it.

Andy B

Cane Creek Thudbuster's are probably the best sus posts, but they are expensive.

I used a cheap one for the Coast to Coast ride I did in '05, luckily it lasted the 150 miles, but there was loads of lateral play in it.

Have you considered a new saddle, or different (padded) shorts, or carbon seatpost (which is about the same cost as a good sus post)

formerlyknownasbonj

I used to have one on my old bike, a carrera subway which I basically MTBised. Personally, I didn't like it because it used to cause the seat to wobble around a bit (off-road mainly) - i.e. left to right and rotationally aswell as just up and down. That could be put down to using it for the wrong type of riding, but I wouldn't recommend one to anybody, because I didn't notice any particular comfort gains on (bad) roads OR off-road.
The wobble in directions it wasn't supposed to may be just the fact that I had a crap one, but I came to the conclusion they're not a good idea anyway: the whole point of suspension is to absort shocks caused by your WHEELS going over bumps. Consequently suspension should enable the WHEEL to move relative to the rest of the bike for the duration of the bump and then to move back after it. It's not YOU that hits a bump and forces your arse downwards, it's your bike that hits a bump forcing the wheel upward. Thus, it's the wheels that need suspension, not the seatpost.
Also because your wheels don't hit bumps at the same time, their suspension needs to be independent of each other. In other words the argument that the suspension seatpost provides suspension for the whole bike relative to you is a non-starter because the upwards forces that bumps cause don't act on the bike as a whole and they don't act along the line of the seat tube.

passout

They do add a bit of comfort and save your arse long distance. Useful since I still think hard-tails are better at climbing.

Before I went FS I used one - it helped. IIused a USE alien. I buggered up the allen key adjustment bolts on it but you can buy it off me very cheap if you like, let me know. Cheers.

Anonymous

funny you should mention you had/have a USE one, im looking at getting a USE XCR Carbon with the sumo head. pricey at 75 quid and I know the post isnt going to perform miracles but it might make me more inclined to use the p7 and not just buy stuff for it (even though strictly speaking thats what i'm doing again!!)

i' ll see how i get on come payday.

teacherman

The thing about riding hard tails is that you pick your lines well in advance to avoid giving your spine a battering. Whenever I've riden full 'sus that's all gone out the window - you just ride over the top of pretty much everything.

I hate suspension seatposts. You don't feel as connected to the bike. Putting one on something as beautiful as a P7 is a terrible idea. If you really can't get on with the bike stick a THOMPSON on it instead and sell it!

Post a picture of the bike - I'd love to see it. 8)

teacherman

You have! Beg pardon!

Now that's what I'm talkng about. That's one menacing HT.

passout

Teacherman - I take your point but if you are riding tough terrain for more than say 3 hours than your arse does get a hammering. Over the longer distances a suspension seatpost will make you feel less beaten up. I find that they can help on tricky, seated climbs, too. You don't get thrown about quite as much and sit back more - but unlike FS you can still stand if need be. On the flats they work well too. However they obviously don't help at all on the descents when you are usually out of the saddle. I think that they are the way forward for HT riders, especially long distance. Of course you could just have sus and rigid seapins (plus 2 saddles) and swap depending on duration and type of ride.

Sus seatposts are also ideal for touring or cyclo cross.

Anonymous

thanks teacherman, ill put new pics up of the p7 later as it now sports mavic cossland wheels and a shiney new revelationfork.

i completely understand the fact that i should be picking lines more carefuly but the main problem for me is that i find being stoodfor a long timet on the trail is very exhausting, a sus post might make it more possible for me to remain seated for longer during the ride thus making the bike more enjoyable.

this is all theoretical of course as ive never used one, i just wanted to find out in advance if anyone can tell me if they've used on and what they thought of it.

timbooth

I have a suspension seatpost on my tourer and it does take the sting out of tow paths and bridleways, but this bike doesn't go totally off-road.

Problems are:

Weight - to be honest, 150g extra is the same as mud/sheep shit sticking to the frame
Noise - can make squeaks as they move - sounds irrelevant - drives you crazy
Lateral movement - some of them do loosen causing seat to twist

Ignore comments about suspending bike vs suspending rider - both work.

Finally I would be careful which USE you go for - if the Sumo head has big bolts, then that's fine, but the old aliens have the worst system ever - tiny 4mm bolts that round out and are impossible to adjust.

(I have a 400mm gold USE Alu rigid post for sale, it anyone is interested - I can's stand adjusting it any more!)

Anonymous

TimBooth wrote:

Problems are:

Weight - to be honest, 150g extra is the same as mud/sheep shoot sticking to the frame
Noise - can make squeaks as they move - sounds irrelevant - drives you crazy
Lateral movement - some of them do loosen causing seat to twist

cheers for the input, these are the facts i'm trying to discover before i part with my hard earned.

i dont want to add a part to the bike which solves the comfort issue but then adds a whole "office chair" scenario to the whole issue

Anonymous

as promised before, the new bike pics (of all machines to be honest) are in my signature.

passout

Yep the USE alein (like mine) aren't the best designed clamp in the world.

I'd go for Post Modern (carbon) or Thudbuster.

MattBlackBigBoysBMX

I have a RockShox sus post on my GT (was standard fit).
I always said that I would never have put one on if it hadn't of come with the bike, but after trying a rigid post in my very rigid ally frame I was thoroughly convinced.

I don't really understand the comment about not feeling connected; it's not like you put much downward pressure on the seat when you're riding on the limit anyway. :?

I say go for it.

Anonymous

i know this thread is a bit old but i have found a solution to the uncomfortable ride of the p7, i sold it and bought this.

i rode the same trail today as the one which inspired this thread and couldnt believe the difference! i rode for much longer and wasnt any where near as worn out by the bike, i dont know if its down to a different sadle bu id like to think its the shiny new carbon frame.

i am fully aware that the components fitted to the bike are a bit pump, project enlightenment will be under way soon!

brasso

Nice looking machine. Glad you've found a solution