Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Mountain Biking
Reload this Page >

Suspension seatpost, rigid forks.

Notices
Mountain Biking Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Check out this forum to discuss the latest tips, tricks, gear and equipment in the world of mountain biking.

Suspension seatpost, rigid forks.

Old 07-26-10, 09:08 AM
  #1  
meanwhile
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
meanwhile's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,033
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Suspension seatpost, rigid forks.

It's been pointed out to me that some "celebrity" blogger rides off road on a bike with rigid fork but a suspension seat post. For some reason I find this deeply disturbs my sense of How Things Should Be. Has anyone tried this, or would any suspension guru likely to comment on the likely effectiveness of this set-up? Perhaps, despite my misgivings, it is a good way of reducing Butt Shock while keeping the tight handling and pedaling efficiency of a rigid fork?
meanwhile is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 11:52 AM
  #2  
jboyd
Senior Member
 
jboyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 778

Bikes: Giant "Rainier"

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I love this question and look forward to responses.

I ride full rigid (GT Peace 9r Multi) and my posterior is sometimes unhappy

I love the rigid fork for climbing but am needing some cush.
jboyd is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 12:20 PM
  #3  
Zephyr11
Pint-Sized Gnar Shredder
 
Zephyr11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Somewhere between heaven and hell
Posts: 3,549

Bikes: '09 Jamis Komodo, '09 Mirraco Blend One, '08 Cervelo P2C, '08 Specialized Ruby Elite, '07 Yeti AS-R SL, '07 DMR Drone

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I do not have a suspension seatpost. However, I can see some potential problems with this setup. Suspension serves to keep your wheels tracking with the ground, and it also makes landings more forgiving. A suspension seatpost has the suspension in the wrong place to do this. Plus, if you're landing with your butt off the saddle (as you should be), there's nothing for it to absorb. If you want to go rigid, by all means, go rigid. But don't expect a suspension seatpost to do the same thing that a suspension fork or rear suspension will do.
Zephyr11 is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 12:53 PM
  #4  
Bighec
Senior Member
 
Bighec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 160
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I ride a HT, and plan on switching to a rigid fork in the not so distant future. I think that people use suspension seat posts to absorb some of the blow as opposed to using their tush. I don't think they believe it will act like a FS.
Bighec is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 06:01 PM
  #5  
meanwhile
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
meanwhile's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,033
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Zephyr11
I do not have a suspension seatpost. However, I can see some potential problems with this setup. Suspension serves to keep your wheels tracking with the ground, and it also makes landings more forgiving. A suspension seatpost has the suspension in the wrong place to do this.
You'd definitely need to come off the seat for jumps. But I don't seen any reason to think the blogger was using it for jumps. Anyone who was dumb enough to try doing this would realize it was a bad idea after his first jump and the consequent operation to remove his saddle and post.

Either he was just making his bike more comfortable ass-wise... or he was smarter than the rest of us and realized that a low travel post would do most of the work of suspending his body, keeping the height of his centre of gravity more nearly constant and thus reducing work lost to small height variations on rough ground. Without much loss of pedaling energy, because of the rigid forks and low travel nature of the post. Hmm. Would this work out?

I can't see any control problems that a suspension post would give with rigid forks... It just seems against the laws of man and nature. Like egg nog, or cucumber in gin and tonics instead of lemon - although turns out to be quite nice.
meanwhile is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 06:22 PM
  #6  
meanwhile
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
meanwhile's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,033
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by jboyd
I love this question and look forward to responses.

I ride full rigid (GT Peace 9r Multi) and my posterior is sometimes unhappy

I love the rigid fork for climbing but am needing some cush.
You could try one of the better cheap posts and then upgrade if worked well enough to tempt you.

There's also this:

https://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/...views/koobiPRS

- Saddles with tuneable elastomer shock absorb. I think the maker gives a 30 day money back period if you buy direct.
meanwhile is offline  
Old 07-26-10, 09:48 PM
  #7  
elcraft
elcraft
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Greater Boston
Posts: 819
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 144 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times in 72 Posts
I rescued and upgraded a Japanese built Raleigh Mixte for my wife (she prefers the 27 x 1 1/8" tires to her old MTB with 26 x 1.75"). One of the upgrades was a suspension seatpost. The tension is set pretty high, so it isn't too spongy during normal riding. She is very, very happy with this set up. Nashbar was the only supplier that stocked the odd size of 26.0 mm, though. It is very similar in its "bump dampening abilities as the Brooks Champion Flyer on my bike.
elcraft is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
YonathanZ
Commuting
33
10-31-14 08:14 AM
szvenig7
Framebuilders
7
07-18-14 02:57 PM
milesofsmiles
Fitting Your Bike
9
08-25-13 12:54 PM
Roadie607
Mountain Biking
2
04-14-13 11:36 AM
qmsdc15
Hybrid Bicycles
43
06-01-11 07:53 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.