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Stoker Seatpost reviews What works

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Stoker Seatpost reviews What works

Old 05-16-18, 07:30 AM
  #1  
stewclark 
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Stoker Seatpost reviews What works

Have been using Thud buster seat post for stoker for years....it is heavy and squeaks a bit now and then...

Any Suggestions on different ones to try out....

Is suspension seatpost really needed?
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Old 05-16-18, 11:39 AM
  #2  
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We use the Tamer Pivot Plus on both our tandems and the stoker loves them. Probably not much lighter than a Thudbuster, but the mechanism is closer to a real shock absorber and is adjustable for a wide range of weights and firmness. Oiling the pivot points keeps it limber and unsqueaky. The stoker says it's absolutely necessary!
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Old 05-16-18, 12:16 PM
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My stoker has used 2 suspension posts. On our Trek T900, she uses an inexpensive up and down lightweight Bontrager suspension post. On our DaVinci Grand Junction she uses a Thudbuster with the most flexible elastomer. She likes the one on the T900 better. I suppose everyone is different and terrain probably factors in as well. That said, more expensive and fancier engineering is not always better for everyone.

Have you tried replacing the elastomer on the Thudbuster? They come in different levels of flexibility and can be replaced over time.
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Old 05-16-18, 12:27 PM
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My stoker likes Cane Creek Thudbuster ST and Ergon CF3 seatposts. We've done a few rides over the years with rigid seatpost or cheap in-line suspension post -- those are not recommended by my stoker.
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Old 05-16-18, 09:04 PM
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We have tried various suspension posts including Thudbuster and Tamer. Bodyfloat is by far the best
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Old 05-17-18, 06:54 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by stewclark
Have been using Thud buster seat post for stoker for years....it is heavy and squeaks a bit now and then...

Any Suggestions on different ones to try out....

Is suspension seatpost really needed?
We have used the Thudbuster - very heavy and expensive , but effective, the USE SX, fiddly to adjust, but effective and reasonably priced, the Specialized CG-R, expensive, but my wife, who is not very heavy, likes it on our Macchiato, and finally, on our e-tandem, we have the Satori, only $29 and very effective.
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Old 05-18-18, 03:24 PM
  #7  
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We presently have a short travel Thudbuster, getting ready to replace it with a Body Float.
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Old 05-18-18, 05:16 PM
  #8  
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We've been using a Specialized Cobl Gobl-r for the past several years on our CoMo Speedster. Stoker is happy.
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Old 05-19-18, 06:39 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by jnbrown
We have tried various suspension posts including Thudbuster and Tamer. Bodyfloat is by far the best
Ditto here!
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Old 05-20-18, 03:08 PM
  #10  
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We're new to this, and not worried about ounces here and there (if we were, there would be fewer ounces on our old bones). Our stoker has a BodyFloat 2.0, and thinks it's great. We have no experience with any other type, but we've hit some significant bumps, and she's always thought the BodyFloat absorbed it like a champ.
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Old 05-20-18, 04:27 PM
  #11  
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Went through a bunch of suspension seat posts over a 20 year period. Best and last one was a Thudbuster that worked ok for about 3 years and ~10K miles before the pivots wore out. The last 5 years DW has been on a sprung Brooks B130 saddle. It looks goofy and is heavy as hell, but the stoker is comfortable so she rides more and longer
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Old 05-22-18, 07:46 PM
  #12  
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I'm not sure there is any substitute for trial and error, illustrated by the variety of opinions in the above posts. I think it varies from stoker to stoker and also varies by terrain.

I'll ad one more (outlying) data point: When we bought our latest tandem several years ago my stoker decided to give suspension seatposts a try. Previously she had only used normal aluminum posts. We tried the Thudbuster and one other that I now have forgotten but it was of the telescoping type. She didn't like either of them! She said they beat her up. She ended up with an Easton EC90 carbon fiber post which she preferred to her old alloy post. I'm not exactly sure what to make of this since so many stokers seem to think that a suspension post is a gift from the heavens.

I suspect that it may have something to do with the fact that almost every ride we do either begins or ends with a couple miles of gravel and hard-packed dirt. On those surfaces the suspension seatposts act more like pogo sticks that amplify the bumps rather than absorbing the bumps. Or maybe she is just an unusual woman (I always knew she was one in a million!) After years of riding flat bars she decided on this latest tandem that she prefers drop bars: Most of the stokers we know have gone the opposite way.
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Old 05-27-18, 02:02 PM
  #13  
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If anyone is interested, I have a nearly new Tamer Pivot Plus seatpost that I'd sell. 29.8mm seatpost size. Send me a note and I'll take some pics and come up with a price.
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Old 05-27-18, 03:12 PM
  #14  
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We've used the Thudbuster ST, and quickly replaced it because my stoker couldn't get adequate travel and damping. The problem is that Thudbuster uses elastomers rather than steel or air springs. Elastomers are obsolete for mtn bike forks and rear shocks because they're affected by temperature, and have a progressive spring rate (they becomes stiffer with more compression). It's ironic the Cane Creek forks and rear shocks use steel or air springs, while their Thudbuster is stuck with out-dated elastomers. The Thudbuster has only survived because of the lack of competition.

That's no longer the case because the Kinekt (formerly called "Bodyfloat) is far superior.. The Kinekt is plush because the steel spring doesn't stiffen near the end of its travel. The 2nd steel spring (and the adjustable preload) minimizes any bouncing at high cadence. It feels the same in cold vs hot weather.

I don't understand why anyone would pay $160-175 for the Thudbuster when the Kinekt 2.0 is only $200. It's not a close call.
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Old 05-27-18, 06:18 PM
  #15  
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We are currently using the Thudbuster ST on our Cannondale. My stoker says it's the best upgrade we've made to the tandem. However, I recently found the ShockStop Seatpost from Redshift. Looks like a pretty cool idea. Not available until January 2019, but I'm keeping my eye on them. Will probably try one once they become readily available (and hopefully offer more than just 27.2mm with shims).

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/s...ports-design#/

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Old 05-27-18, 10:16 PM
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We bought a Thudbuster ST a couple weeks back and so far the stoker likes it but it has messed up her saddle height and fore-aft position because it naturally sags a bit back and down when you sit on it. We feel like we have to re-fit her to the bike again.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much it damps the rear wheel, which benefits both captain and stoker on our very stiff AL Cannondale.
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Old 06-03-18, 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by obrentharris
............... After years of riding flat bars she decided on this latest tandem that she prefers drop bars: Most of the stokers we know have gone the opposite way.
Brent
As most we did go the opposite way..Wanting to ride more upright has been my wife’s evolution as a stoker . We started out with a rigid post for a few years. Then as we have aged she has wanted to be more and more upright in her position. That of course has transferred more weight to the saddle and thus more shock being transmitted to the crotch and buttocks instead of being absorbed by her arms. The wider brooks saddle and long spring travel finally fixed that for the last 5 years. But it has slowed our cadence and hurt our aerodynamics. Not a big deal we are just ride in the slower groups and a few less miles.
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Old 06-04-18, 06:22 AM
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obrentharris and MtSeymour both allude to resonance effects that can occur at certain (usually >80 ) cadences depending on stoker
weight and the spring constant, the stoker will start bouncing up and down when this occurs. Interesting to observe when it occurs
a 1-2" up down motion of the entire stoker body is seen. As Mtseymour points out there are ways of diminishing this by design,
which can partly account for cost variances. The resonance is mostly related to cadence, but could also be driven by road bumps.
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Old 06-04-18, 11:43 AM
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We don't use any special seatpost, but it seems to me that people have been happy with saddles with springs for generations, and if my wife wanted a suspension, this is what I would try for her first.
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Old 06-04-18, 07:24 PM
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We don use a special stoker seat post either. Wide tires, 700c x 44mm and a Brooks B67 saddle have met with approval.

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Old 07-03-18, 10:07 AM
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Thudbuster worked great for me to smoothing out the road/ruts. But the Thudbuster definitely bobbed whenever I pedaled hard uphill.

The Tamer Pivot Plus does not bob whenever I pedal hard, but, unfortunately, the Tamer either didn't activate on a bump, or if it activates, the Tamer doesn't push my saddle all the way back up. I have to lift up my butt off of the saddle for the Tamer post to rebound the saddle to the original position. I can't stand the Tamer Pivot Plus.

I will probably be looking for either the Body Float or Redshift's Stopshock seat post for a Christmas gift to myself.
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Old 07-03-18, 11:00 AM
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Solid stoker seatpost here. My wife was fitted to our tandem, we got a saddle for her and it seems to be working out well.
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Old 07-04-18, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by TigerMom
Thudbuster worked great for me to smoothing out the road/ruts. But the Thudbuster definitely bobbed whenever I pedaled hard uphill.

I will probably be looking for either the Body Float or Redshift's Stopshock seat post for a Christmas gift to myself.
The Cirrus Kinekt 2.1 (the new version of the Bodyfloat) uses two springs. One supports your body weight and the other spring (at a different angle) provides damping. The Redshift only uses one spring and has no damping. If you don't like bobbing while riding the Thudbuster, you'll be far happier on the Kinekt. The Kinekt with aluminum post is on sale for $200 while the pre-order price for the Redshift is $160. It's a small premium for a superior post that's widely used.
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Old 07-04-18, 12:26 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Artmo
We have used the Thudbuster - very heavy and expensive , but effective, the USE SX, fiddly to adjust, but effective and reasonably priced, the Specialized CG-R, expensive, but my wife, who is not very heavy, likes it on our Macchiato, and finally, on our e-tandem, we have the Satori, only $29 and very effective.
Another Trump's up for the Satori. Not much risk to try one.
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Old 11-05-18, 07:49 AM
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I just looked at the Satori web site and see many different models. Any feedback on the model used? Is it the Animaris?
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