Originally Posted by
Phil_gretz
Then you're not testing them properly. They are "doing" exactly what they were designed to do. If you were to measure the effects from a sudden bump, fall into a pothole or off of an unexpected curb, you might find that your decceleration will create several g's of downward force on those springs. At your weight, this might be 400 or so lbs, which would undoubtedly deflect the springs. Their purpose is to absorb those forces at a spring constant that reflects that intent. Your static weight is not the issue.
BTW, you wouldn't want the springs to deflect at roughly your weight, you'd wind up "bobbing" as you mashed the pedals under load. Ever followed a dual suspension mountain bike rider up a smoothly paved hill, expecially one with a low spring constant or underdamping on the rear shock? That bob is energy loss.
The springs on the Brooks B72 are stiff, too.
I'm a hot rodder. I've been modifying cars to perform closer to my liking for years. The springs may be doing what you say they're supposed to do. But, I want them to do what I want them to do. So it's time for me to modify/change/adjust my seat springs. I'm not going to add a seat post spring. I want to "fix" what I have. I understand what you're saying. I never ride over potholes and curbs. If I did, I'd just stand on the pedals. I want to try something in between the useless stiffness I have now and the soft bobbing you describe. I was hoping that this thread might save me some time before I jump in with my experimenting.