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I normally do the SDW and other long distance routes every year on a full suss for the relative comfort and when I did the SDW on a gravel bike 4 years ago it was murder.
The seated position on my Fargo with Jones bars is much better on the back and the benefit of having a frame or saddle bag for grub dry clothes would be handy, so I was wondering if suspension seatposts / stems actually work on slightly bumpy gravel tracks?
I've read various reviews but does anyone have any real world experience?
Thx
Rich
A friend had one of the telescopic suspension posts for a while. I had a quick pedal around on it and it was terrible. I think the issue was that it didn't abosorb the right sort of impact. By its nature of being effectively like a really damped fork:
medium impacts, where you actually wanted the cushion - like continually riding over rough xc fireroad/bridleway terrain (comparable to the rougher sections of the SDW route) it didnt really help.
Heavy impacts it would help but those are infrequent and you should be stood up anyway.
light impacts - ie just taking the edge off or removing flat trail buzz. maybe it helped but its hard to decouple from the effect of just having a nice wide appropriately pressured rear tyre.
Plus it ruins your seated position. If i tried the SDW on it I'd be phoning a knee surgeon before reaching QECP.
I run a Cane Creek ST Thudbuster on the gravel bike and really like it. Combined with 2.2 tyres it means I can stay seated and keep pedalling through lumpy terrain I’d otherwise be stood up and coasting.
Edit. Photo here so you can see the set up.
ridden with a USE suspension post over the years and have recently re-fitted one to my Cotic Solaris.
once you get the few mm sag set and set your post to where feels right when pushing gears (they lift a little under power) they are very good at enabling you to stay seated over rooty and rocky sections than a rigid post.
the 25.0 versions are on offer for £20 at the moment in the outlet store
https://www.exposure-use.com/Brands/Ultimate-USE/Outlet-Store/SUMO-XCR-250MM-BLACK-SOFT-SUMOXCRBKS
you can find the spring kits on there too, but also elsewhere, as the sale ones are soft sprung.
Anybody tried the PNW suspension dropper? I was thinking of one of those for my HT to take the edge off the harshness while keeping the ability to lower the saddle. Only go to 120mm though
If we are doing pictures..here's mine from today.Essential even on a fatty.
I recently fitted a USE Vybe to a hardtail with 2.25 tyres and it does a wonderful job of smoothing the ride on gravel paths and rutted tracks. It was £85 at Tweaks and I see factory seconds are £84 on the USE outlet linked above.
Mrs NBT uses a thudbuster LT on out tandem. We're currently riding a borrowed tandem that does nto have a thudbuster and the difference in comfort is noticeable
I've got a 80mm Redshift stem on the gravel bike which I like a lot. Recently paired it with Cane Creek eeSilk 20mm travel post which seems brilliant so far, so much so I could see the benefit on my other bikes. Spendy though, even after finding them reduced on the Alpkit Ebay Outlet store.
Now actively looking for an eeSilk plus (30mm travel) or short travel Thudbuster for the rigid 29er...
I also enquired of Redshift last year whether they were looking at releasing shorter stems; they said they had some in R&D and expected to release this spring, but has gone quiet since. The 29er takes a 50mm and 80mm still seems to be the shortest stem they offer...plus current seatpost is a layback so reckon i'd need a slightly longer stem if moving the saddle a touch forward
Been using the PNW Coast (120mm drop and 40-50mm suspension) post for a couple of years now. At full extension it is firm when seated pedaling. If you nudge the dropper remote and drop it half an inch it becomes much more active in the seated pedaling position. Its well made, reliable, easy to pump up as the valve is external (why don't other companies don't do this?) and sort of works if you want a firm pedal platform at full extension and don't mind dropping it a tad to get it going. Personally, I would like it to be active all the time but maybe you can't have the two functions (drop/sus) without this. Another thing to note is that its much more likely to give up its suspension when perched on the nose rather than the rear of the saddle - or maybe that's just me/arse.
I think I read somewhere that another company (x-fusion or someone?) is making a similar sus dropper with 150mm drop. Probably from the same factory...
I have been reading a lot about the new version eesilk, sounds like a superb bit of kit. I would only fit on longer rides so I’d go for alloy version since the bike would be loaded up anyway. The RedShift also looks good but my bike currently has 60mm so 80mm would be quite a leap.
Fitted redshift for the dirty reiver last weekend and think it helped a lot. Was expecting hand a wrist pain, but was in good shape. Hardly scientific, but I’ll keep using it.
@FOG
Managed to get a PNW coast suspension dropper.
Really impressed with it. A lot plusher than the Vybe it replaced. Easily tuned as it's an air spring.
The dropper aspect means I can ride down this on my way home.
Very happy.
I will add that their length of 400 mm includes the dropper actuator. I'm right on the insertion limit.
