Folding Bikes - Thudbuster really does the job

About a week ago I installed a Thudbuster LT on my NWT and it really works well. It seems to take away the roughness of the road and absorbs well small bumps without giving the bike a 'soft' feel.

One down side is that it requires significant clearance (about 140mm) so I need to get the seat must cut to get to my optimal riding position.

Kam

Your thoughts on its taking away from pedaling efficiency?

Your thoughts on its taking away from pedaling efficiency?

I did not notice any inefficiency but I am not an experience rider. Other may provide more accurate information.

Kam

I've got several Thudbusters and there's no doubt in my mind that you lose some efficiency, especially when pedaling uphills but based on how I use my bikes it just plain old doesn't affect anything.

For instance tonight I met my wife at the grocery store and I took the long way. Maybe a 35-30 ride. If I lose a little efficiency it's probably a good thing.

Now lets talk about comfort. I'd way rather have a Thudbuster under me than to lose a percent or two of pedaling efficiency uphill.

I don't do it but I'm sure you could put stronger elastomers in the LT to make it a much stiffer and more efficient transfer. I bought mine for the comfort.

John

Is there any extra weight compared to a normal seatpost ame lenght? I am trying to compare Thudbuter to a sprung Brooks.

I bought one for my wife’s Dahons. I bought a Dahon 16" model (HT660) from China. Low quality, but good for a 2 km commute on a cycle path. The seat post is the same length as 20" Dahon bicycles, but the minimum insertion mark was too close to the saddle. Result is a seatpost that is 3–5 cm too low.

Options were to just live with it (it’s not her only bike, and her need for that bike is limited), or buy a Dahon seat post extension. We then got a 2nd Dahon: A Mµ P8, which is awesome. She kept asking for a “cushy” saddle, but I was unsure what to do about that, since it’s difficult to test saddles. So I got the Thudbuster LT. Good thing is now she can move the seatpost between the Mµ P8 and the cheaper Dahon, depending on which she rides. As the Thudbuster is much longer than the cheaper Dahon seatpost, she’s pedaling more efficiently on the cheap Dahon.

And she has less “ride fatigue” from longer rides.

When it is available, I ride the Mµ P8 as well, and I use the standard Mµ P8 seatpost. But I have tried out the Thudbuster, and it is niiiice. As both of us are not high-end riders, neither have noticed pedalling inefficiency.

A disadvantage is that since she’s much lighter than I am, she uses a different set of elastomers than I do. So when we are cycling together, it’s not possible/recommended to swap bicycles.

The Thudbuster LT (including shipping) cost more than the cheap China-bought Dahon.

Your thoughts on its taking away from pedaling efficiency?

The short-travel Thudbuster is all I've ridden. Inefficiency negligible. Nowhere close to the inefficiency of a suspended front-fork or a true soft-tail.

First put one on my Boardwalk S1 - and yes, it cost more than the bike - but what a difference. A very harsh riding bike became very comfortable with the LT, foam hand grips and 1.75 tires.

Liked it so much, I ordered our Bike Fridays with them (wife just had to trust me since she had no interest in trying out the S1). After riding her Crusoe for over a year, she's sold on the comfort of the Thudbuster. They are an updated design compared to my original one, and take the next higher elastomer combination to match the post on the Dahon.

I don't feel the 'up and down' at all, on either of my bikes, but I know it flexes and can see the wife's seat post flexing as we ride. Being "Experienced Casual Riders" we are not super critical. However, with the prescribed elastomers on the new seat posts, the ride was too soft, in my opinion. I know I don't want to feel like I am riding on a sofa. (At 200 lbs I'm riding with Blue/Black on the S1 and Black/Black on the NWT.)

To re-inforce Kamtsa's comment about having to cut his NWT seat post: Our BTO Fridays were spec'd with the Thudbusters so they both came with seat post tube shortened by a couple of inches.

Just like our Dual-Drives, they add a bit of weight, but are a highly recommended product.

most likely the most apreciated accessory I am selling, despite the high price
( Its made exquisitely and works as advertised, maybe better even ..)
http://www.thorusa.com/dahon/accessories/seatpost.htm

thor

find the dimensions and weights on the link :-)

I also have only good things to say about my TBs.

Although 2 instances I didn't like it: Once I commuted with one on my Mini - well that didn't work. The susepnsion and the TB combined to give a supper-sloppy ride, awful.

The other case was my Swift, for some reason I didn't like it at all. Maybe with the stiffest elastomers it would be better. But on the Swift it's wasted anyway - adds a lot of weight on my weight-weenie folder. Plus the long carbon post does a good job of flexing to soften bumps anyway.

Useful info, thank you. Want a solution for two rigid 20" bikes that I am going to use a lot since I am trying to reduce number of bikes. Weight is of course an issue, but not the most important. got 20x1,95 maxis BMX tyres now but thinking of going a bit slimmer and then some seat / seatpost suspension. I`ll do some experimenting.