# Biker boy



## Biker man (30 Aug 2021)

Does any one have any experience of suspension posts on there saddle .All these pot holes and churned up tarmac doesn't do my old bones any favours.


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## cougie uk (30 Aug 2021)

Preferable to avoid the potholes in the first place. 
If you have to ride through rough roads - use your legs and rise up off the saddle slightly.


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## ColinJ (30 Aug 2021)

Biker man said:


> Does any one have any experience of suspension posts on there saddle .All these pot holes and churned up tarmac doesn't do my old bones any favours.


I have one on my old hardtail MTB.

Yes, it is better to try and avoid potholes, and 'rig for impact', but I got caught out a couple of times and my back took a battering so I fitted the suspension post. It significantly reduces the thumps from such impacts.

Mine is a 20 year old USE Shokpost. I don't think that they make those any more but similar products are available.


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## rafiki (30 Aug 2021)

I have a couple of Cane Creek Thudbusters. They work well.


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## HobbesOnTour (30 Aug 2021)

I think the advice to try to use your legs is sound.

I did have an inexpensive suspension seatpost on my old bike and we did some pretty rough stuff. A common problem with the cheaper ones, I believe, is that they are not very strong and can develop a side to side motion. Mine did.

On researching for my next bike I came to the conclusion that it would have to be an expensive one and I couldn't justify the cost. Big tyres, inflated properly and my legs are my suspension now.

Edited to add: Depending on your cycling you could consider a sprung saddle. I did try a sprung Brooks but the squeaking nearly drove me demented!


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## carpiste (30 Aug 2021)

Funnily enough I`ve been looking at seatpost suspension in the hope it will save my lower back from further injury! I have to admit when I first looked I had an eye popping moment or two when I saw posts for £200-300!
I`ve since looked around and there are some around the £20 mark that are both affordable and have decent right ups. I guess for £20 it`s worth a try so I`ll be going for one. Typically, the one I saw at Tredz is £19.98 so 2pence under the minimum for free delivery! Guess I`ll have to buy something else for the bike while I`m at it!


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## cougie uk (30 Aug 2021)

homebuilds said:


> The question was regarding suspension posts, not a how to guide on getting your butt off the saddle. No wonder people get sick of forums. They ask a simple question and some smart arse has to make a sarcastic reply


I think you're seeing sarcasm where it wasn't intended. 
I also noticed you had nothing to contribute. 

I'll take my four decades of cycling experience away shall I ?


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## Salad Dodger (30 Aug 2021)

My ebike came supplied with a suspension seatpost. It doesn't help much, to be honest. It's better to try and avoid potholes, or take your weight off the seat before hitting speed humps.....


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## richtea (30 Aug 2021)

I have one of these fitted:
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/seat-posts/sr-suntour-sp12-ncx-suspension-seat-post-350mm-x-272mm-black/

It definitely smooths the ride, and removes the harsher thwacks, but it doesn't have much rebound damping, i.e. you bounce back up a little on the deeper holes.
A little pricey as an experiment, but then again a good saddle can cost that much.
They occasionally appear on eBay for £50 or so, new, but be sure to check your stem width before purchasing.


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## carpiste (30 Aug 2021)

Salad Dodger said:


> My ebike came supplied with a suspension seatpost. It doesn't help much, to be honest. It's better to try and avoid potholes, or take your weight off the seat before hitting speed humps.....


Whilst I understand that it`s best to avoid potholes it`s not always possible to avoid them on busy roads and not always possible to see them in time on cycle paths/gravel paths. I`m also thinking that taking your weight off the seat, ie. standing up on the pedals could potentially cause injuries to the knees (long term)
I have front suspension on my e-bike which is a first for me. It wasn`t something I planned but in reality it has been a godsend. My wrists and thumbs have been giving me grief in recent times and the suspension has helped relieve the pain. I`m hoping the same will help the old knees and backside/ lower back!
Anyway, I went for it and just ordered a new post from Tredz so I`ll see how it goes. If it`s rubbish it won`t hurt for £20


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## homebuilds (30 Aug 2021)

cougie uk said:


> I think you're seeing sarcasm where it wasn't intended.
> I also noticed you had nothing to contribute.
> 
> I'll take my four decades of cycling experience away shall I ?



Nothing to contribute, true. I have no experience in using suspension posts. But I did learn 6 decades ago, lifting my arse off the saddle was the way to go going over bumps. I think the majority of cyclists already know that, don't you?


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## raleighnut (31 Aug 2021)

These are far better.


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## FrankCrank (31 Aug 2021)

+1 to Mr Raleighnut

Here's mine




Hairpin saddle not for the weight conscious, but the B66 is a good compromise


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## Drago (31 Aug 2021)

homebuilds said:


> The question was regarding suspension posts, not a how to guide on getting your butt off the saddle. No wonder people get sick of forums. They ask a simple question and some smart arse has to make a sarcastic reply


I don't believe it was sarcastic, and it was put politely enough.

And fundamentally its correct. A decent technique will yield far greater benefits than a pogo post. Why not politely advise someone of that?

The OP appears to have read it, and having considered that viewpoint has decided that its not for him, and has in turn said so politely enough,,so what's the problem?

So long as its politely and reasonably put its perfectly acceptable to promote an alternative, _yet still relevant_, piece of advice and last time I checked Cougie needed neither your permission nor approval to do so.

For my own part I agree with Cougie. While they can take the edge off their effect is nowhere near as good as simple technique, and you lose a fair degree of control with so much mass bobbing up and down at gravity's command rather than your own.

Nevertheless, if one absolutely must have one I would suggest a paralleogram type over the telescopic variety, something like the Suntour SP12-NCX if one can find one. They tend to give a smoother action, are less prone to wear and unwanted fore-afte play than the teles, and the elastomer gives a degree of progressive risng-rate that a coil spring can't emulate.

It would help a little if we knew what size post was needed, as not all are available in all the common diameters.

Let us know how you get on BM.


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## Arrowfoot (31 Aug 2021)

homebuilds said:


> The question was regarding suspension posts, not a how to guide on getting your butt off the saddle. No wonder people get sick of forums. They ask a simple question and some smart arse has to make a sarcastic reply


I think you read it wrong. My guess is 95% or more ride without suspension post by avoiding potholes and raising themselves off the saddle and placing weight on the pedals. The approach is the first thing you learn when learning to ride. It is also the basic posture for riding an MTB on a trail for an obvious reason. 

I tried one with a suspension posts and it was good on a normal road but not for potholes. Not worth the money. 

Maybe something like this will help.


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## Biker man (31 Aug 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I have one on my old hardtail MTB.
> 
> Yes, it is better to try and avoid potholes, and 'rig for impact', but I got caught out a couple of times and my back took a battering so I fitted the suspension post. It significantly reduces the thumps from such impacts.
> 
> Mine is a 20 year old USE Shokpost. I don't think that they make those any more but similar products are available.



Thanks to everyone who replied to suspension posts all good advice maybe I need them padded underpants , you can't always avoid pot holes with cars behind you and pushing past you keep cycling .


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## Drago (31 Aug 2021)

If you keep an appropriate primary, that leaves you a great deal of latitiude to change line and avoid potholes, and to do so towards the inside which moves you away from the traffic flow.


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## Arrowfoot (31 Aug 2021)

Biker man said:


> Thanks to everyone who replied to suspension posts all good advice maybe I need them padded underpants , you can't always avoid pot holes with cars behind you and pushing past you keep cycling .


Some potholes are dangerous enough to leave you with injuries, cars or no cars. Best to make an allowance for such an event.


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## Biker man (31 Aug 2021)

Arrowfoot said:


> Some potholes are dangerous enough to leave you with injuries, cars or no cars. Best to make an allowance for such an event.


I know but what can you do a taxi pushed me into one in Chester recently if people were more patience they would be a lot less problems.


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## Milkfloat (31 Aug 2021)

homebuilds said:


> What part of this have I read wrong?
> The question is asking for experience of suspension posts. Not advice in how to avoid pot holes, or what to do over bumpy sections.


I think that people are trying to point out that the Op may waste time and effort on a suspension seat post when other options like bigger volume tyres and a different riding techniques might work. If I made a post asking which sausage would be best to help me fix the dent in my car I would hope that people would point me in the right direction.


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## roubaixtuesday (31 Aug 2021)

Biker man said:


> Does any one have any experience of suspension posts on there saddle .All these pot holes and churned up tarmac doesn't do my old bones any favours.



My experience is limited to the stoker seat on our tandem, stokers being particularly prone to bumps as (1) they can't spot them coming and (2) the geometry of the tandem means the stoker takes a much bigger hit than a solo rider would.

We used to have a cheapo suspension post and replaced it with an eye-wateringly expensive Thudbuster (parallelogram type) after Mrs T got seatpost envy talking to another tandemer.

To cut a long story short, my recommendation would be either go the whole hog and get a Thudbuster or equivalent, or don't bother. Cheap ones aren't worth having.


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## ebikeerwidnes (31 Aug 2021)

To actually answer the question....
I had one on my old ebike - it came with it
I reckon it was pretty much useless - I don't see any difference with my current ebike with no rear suspension (apart from my knees as mentioned above)

I suspect that my problem was that it was cheap - it never seemed to give much
so probably just used by the manufacturer to make the spec look better at lowest possible cost

If you are buying one yourself you can choose one which will work with your weight and really help

I will actually need a new saddle soon - I will be looking at those springy one when the time comes!


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## Biker man (31 Aug 2021)

roubaixtuesday said:


> My experience is limited to the stoker seat on our tandem, stokers being particularly prone to bumps as (1) they can't spot them coming and (2) the geometry of the tandem means the stoker takes a much bigger hit than a solo rider would.
> 
> We used to have a cheapo suspension post and replaced it with an eye-wateringly expensive Thudbuster (parallelogram type) after Mrs T got seatpost envy talking to another tandemer.
> 
> To cut a long story short, my recommendation would be either go the whole hog and get a Thudbuster or equivalent, or don't bother. Cheap ones aren't worth having.


Thanks for your advice.


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