The Thudbuster DT FS. (See pix)

I could not even approach my normal riding position with the stock DT FS seatpost (even with the seatpost in the illegal zone), so I decided to hacksaw the top of the stock seatpost off and telescopically add a 25.4 mm Thudbuster. The measurements, and a test with a generic 25.4 mm seatpost, indicated it should work ... and IT DOES!! I'm now very close to my road bike riding position on a DT FS, and both seatposts are well within the legal zone.

I cut the stock seatpost close to the top, hoping to keep the solid part, and was successful. The solid end would become the new seatpost base. What was the seatpost base became the top (giving a true fit for the new seat collar). I slit the seatpost (see pix), filed a V at the top of the slit to allow more compression, put on a Pyramid 31.8 mm seat collar (had to tighten it considerably, but it tightened up just fine), inserted the 25.4 mm Thudbuster ($88 from eBay), and dialed it it. What a difference between being cramped and having a full roadie position.

The results ... I put a fav road seat, a Xenon, on the DT FS TB ("DFT"), and went out looking for bumps. The ride is terrific, but I had some trouble separating the elation of having my roadie position (at least the saddle to pedal part) and the feel of the better suspensiion. I can say there's more difference adding the TB than between a non-sus bike and an FS bike, e.g., between a Speed P8 or Helios P8 and a DT FS. In riding the "DFT", you feel the forks react, then the seat, then the swingarm, when hitting bumps. I'm a happy camper, and somewhat relieved that the purchase of the TB worked out. A non-sus 25.4 mm seat post would, of course, fit as well as the TB, but you wouldn't obtain the "steal me now" impact.

Yan, here's your improvement over the Speed TR.