General Cycling Discussion - any good bicycle upgrades?

Hi, i am looking into some possible bicycle comfort upgrades some of you may done. I just wanted to see what was out there and what real people thought of them.

I had seen suspension seatposts and thought i might look into them, anyone tried any? Thanks

It might help to know what kind of riding you're doing and on what kind of bike.

The #1 item is the bike itself, right material and size that fits. No. 2 is a saddle that works for you. Tires have some effect on comfort.

Suspension seatposts aren't normally used for road riding.

I am currently looking for a new bike and saddle. Just wanted to know what comforts people have added to thier bikes. I do mostly road riding with a few dirt trails.

A higher handlebar stem, and fatter tires help.

I converted an old Univega Nuovo Sport to 650B. The 38mm wide tires with 50lbs pressure or less are good for lousy roads and dirt trails are good on trails and rough roads. I use a Brooks B-17, but not everyone likes them. Saddles, handlebar shape and height are personal preferences so you have to find what suits you.

A fork with a bend near the drop out might absorb road shocks better than a stright fork.

What are you riding now?

This site obsesses over the minutiae of upgrades, in the mechanics section,

for the less OCD, talk to the folks in your LBS they will be most helpful .
and can see you and how you fit on the bike..

I upgraded to a Rohloff 14 speed Internal Gear Hub, with my last bike purchase,
from Bike Friday, in my State.

thanks

Hi, i am looking into some possible bicycle comfort upgrades some of you may done. I just wanted to see what was out there and what real people thought of them.

I had seen suspension seatposts and thought i might look into them, anyone tried any? Thanks

Yes, one of my bikes, a Trek Navigator, came with a suspension seatpost, which adds a modicum of comfort, though the saddle itself (which I upgraded) and the stock front suspension fork probably make a bigger combined difference in providing a very comfy ride at moderate speeds. The wide, relatively low-pressure tires also help.

The suspension seatpost certainly hasn't given me any reason to complain or swap it out. Remember that as you add suspension components, you'll be adding weight to the bike.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/town/recreation/navigator/navigator_3_0#

The thudbuster seatposts work, I had the LT model on a long range tourer for a while...it was fairly cool. When I lightened the bike I got rid of it, but I'll give it a thumbs up for comfort.

IME - there are not too many good bicycle upgrades.

And don't even think about trying to fit your bike to your body. That would just be stupid.

Grand Bois Hetre tires @ 45-50 psi (650b wheels required), lower pressure for dirt and mean city streets, wide handlebar, and Cinelli gel cork ribbon tape.

Comfort upgrades for the rider: gel padded gloves, wide shoes, UV protective long sleeve jersey, Voler Sol Skin head covering. The Voler Sol Skin was a biggie for me, no more sunburned scalp or neck, cool head in the summer, warmer in the winter, traps sweat that would normally drip into the eyes & glasses, and improved helmet comfort.