Suspension seatpost - any good?
 

I commute about 13km each way. Most of the road is pretty good, but in some stretches the surface is badly cracked, patched and potholed.

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience using a suspension seatpost? :confused:

I have this suspicion that the bounce from the seatpost is going to be annoying on smooth road.

I used a suspension post for several years before I went back to a rigid one. For short rides on bad pavement (up to 30k or so) suspension posts are great and there is no noticable bounce on smooth pavement.

But on long rides a suspension post is not so great. The problem is the half inch of preload- every time you adjust your position on the saddle you must lift up a half inch and then relocate. You end up not moving around on the saddle as much as you should and that leads to more soreness. Think about how many times adjust your position on a 100 mile ride.

Ive seen many models become worn and loose after a few months regular use. Once the saddle starts to wobble around it makes cycling so much harder.
They are OK for occasional leisure riders. Maybe some high-end sus posts are more reliable.
If you want some reliable bounce, check out some of the lighter weight sprung saddles from Brooks. The extra weight of the Brooks saddle is not a factor if you use a lightweight seatpost.

http://www.branfordbike.com/saddles/saddle7.html#item1
http://www.wallbike.com/

Even the non sprung leather saddles have quite a good absorption of bumps.

Bounce is more useful for stretches of rough or rutted track, than for potholes. Standard technique is to stand as you hop holes, esp on a road you know well.

I will not ride a bicycle without a suspension seatpost. There are some good suspension seatposts out there and there is junk. I think most of you guys have been buying junk. Rule of thumb when buying seatposts. DO NOT BUY A SUSPENSION SEAT POST UNDER $100. 00

I happen to like the Cane Creek Thudbuster and the Tamer PivotPlus XC Ti Seatpost. I have them on all my bikes and can ride 20 miles without saddle pain. You can buy both of them at this site.

http://www.sunsetcycles.com/seatposts.html

A suspension seatpost cushions the shock on a roadbike and don't even think of getting a 20' wheel folding bike without it. These post do not move from side to side and without that little bit of give, your butt would absorb the road.

Buy one.. You won't regret it.

I had back problems several years ago and my suspension post allowed me to resume riding earlier and and for longer distances. Wouldn't consider riding without one now.

I have been using suspension seat post on the stoker postions of tandems for years. On the road they seam to work well. Off road not so good.

Right now I have a USE post, so far so good. Before that a Tamer post, had lots of proplems with the Tamer post. They repaired it or replaced it four times under warrenty. The head that holds the seat would get sloppy. But the last time it broke off, leaving a jagged sharp rod... My stoker got a small gash and some scrapes on her inner thigh from the broken post when the head snapped off. This was the old Tamer seat post, they have stopped making that model.

Like anything with moving parts, they wear out and need repair from time to time.

What is the advantage of a suspension seatpost over a saddle with springs?

Since this is the Commuting Forum, I am guessing that it isn't a weight weenie issue (but I could be wrong).

For some of my commuters, I use leather saddles with spring suspension. The ride is smooth as silk and the additional weight isn't more than what I ate for breakfast.

You don't have all the placement issues that you do with suspension posts either.

Comments?