boston blackie

I think santa is going to bring me a thudbuster. Which is more practical the LT or the ST? I choose the ST, but I'm not sure why.

kesroberts

I've used an LT on a mountain bike and think that the ST would be fine for riding on the road (even in Boston).

Foldable Two

Your choice might be determined by how much "seat post room" you have available above the bike frame. The LT requires an absolute minimum of 5 1/2" (6" might be more appropriate) between the bottom of your seat rails and the top of the seat clamp on the bike frame.

FYI: Bike Friday actually makes their custom bikes with a shorter seat post frame member if you order a Thudbuster on the bike.

I do not know how much room the ST requires - should be less - maybe some else here can provide that info.

Lou

GeorgePaul

From the Cane Creek website:

"The suspension mechanism requires at least 144mm (LT)/98mm (ST) from the saddle rails to the bicycle frame."

BTW, a standard ST weighs about 100 g less than a comparable (i.e., same diameter) standard LT.

boston blackie

I could be wrong (and often am) but it seems to me that this is a non-issue on a folder. If there is one thing that a folding bike has, it is plenty of seat post real-estate.

Foldable Two

That extra space on wife's custom Crusoe allowed me to adjust the seat w/Thudbuster down to where our 5'1" grandson could ride his 5'8" grandmother's bike this last Summer. The seat post is somthing like 2" shorter than it would have been if the Crusoe had been ordered with a normal seat post.

Otherwise, you're right for most folders since they seem to have relatively short frames that result in a lot of seat post showing even for average height folks.

GeorgePaul

With the ST, you can push the seatpost down more than the LT when you fold the bicycle, resulting in a more compact fold.