Full Suspension Vs. Seatpost Suspension...which is best?

[bob armani]

Bob, I took your advice on another thread and purchased the Serfas DD seat and it's the most comfortable seat I have. Thanks for providing the link.

I have suspension posts on my pavement bikes but I don't think they work so well off-road, I have never seen a mountain biker with a suspension seat post although I'm sure there are those that do. I have an Easy Motion Rebel Lynx 5.5 FS and I can ride off-road all day without butt or back problems.

Great news Felize! I would not recommend unless I have had 1st hand experience. I have one on my pavement bike also (Easy Motion Jet) and it works great. I also have one on my FS bike, and it adds a lot more comfort to my rides opposed to the stock seat that came with the bike. They seem well made and they do perform as said by the company marketing their products. Comfort in any ride is key for me.

 

[ejr4578]

Hmm, I’m thinking go full suspension with a thidbuster... who’s with me?

JK

Seriously though, I think that if it were just for potholes and speed bumps etc. (large bumps) , a full suspension would do great. On dirt roads with small rocks or cracks (small chatter), a thudbuster on your hard tail might be best.

Maybe as a compromise between those two options you could do a full suspension mountain bike for big bumps and just add a very cushy seat (no thudbuster) to manage the smaller ones?

Im a newbie like you with some extensive experience as a teen riding neighborhood/golf course bmx and behind the bowling alley dirt bike action so use my advice with caution lol.

Good luck!

 

[byunbee]

Suspension seatpost does do a great job of absorbing rattle. I have the Thudbuster ST. For more pronouced bumps, the best way to describe it is, you feel it, but (not butt) is dulled.

 

[ruffruff]

I know this is an old thread but if it's revived....

IMHO a sore behind will not be fixed by FS bike it's a saddle issue. Before I switched the saddle on my FS I got SA(sore A55). Full suspension did not help with the crotch issue it was a saddle issue.

 

[Mike_V]

Duke!
Are 'ya kidding me?
Suspension or none ?
I have two eBikes now, sprung tight and tighter,
there's nothing like suspension . Duke.
Mike

 

[byunbee]

I know this is an old thread but if it's revived....

IMHO a sore behind will not be fixed by FS bike it's a saddle issue. Before I switched the saddle on my FS I got SA(sore A55). Full suspension did not help with the crotch issue it was a saddle issue.

I just installed Brooks B17. It'll be awhile before it's broken in. Let's hope the saddle further increases the comfort.

 

[penserv]

I've got a hardtail with the Satori Animaris seatpost, which I prefer to the Suntour NCX and the Ergon E-Mtb seat (preference over the Brooks B17). Before I went with the hardtail, I looked at FS bikes quite a bit and didn't find any that would fit my battery. Typically on a FS bike frame, the triangle between the upper and lower tubes can be quite narrow and the suspension spring also takes up a fair bit of space. That limits your battery choices, especially if you go the route I did and buy the battery before you buy the frame. That's why I have hardtail.

 

[Dallant]

While battery is certainly a consideration, my take is a lot different. I bought Trek/Bosch knowing I could get any type of ebike and share RIB battery form with all my ebikes. We now have three Trek ebikes that can share batteries. Two Allant+7 with front suspensions and Bontrager’s cheapest suspension seatposts with cush seats, and a Rail 5 FS with a pretty basic harder seat. I can tell you that even though I’m riding far less upright, the Rail w/FS is far easier on my bum right shoulder than the Allant w/front suspension fork. The seating is worse on the Rail but not much worse.

 

[ElevenAD]

you already have the perfect bike for the type of riding you do, all you need is a Thudbuster or some type of quality suspension seat post.

 

[Holland-Tim-Allant+8S]

Similar to Dallant, we have added Powerfly 9's to the Allant+8S's so full suspension from no suspension.

Uh, um, yeah, full suspension is better, and way better on paved bike trails. Why? 1) Much smoother and comfortable ride, 2) No more constantly scanning for bumps and maneuvering around them, 3) Easy to pass pedestrians by going off the paved trail on to the grass, swale, gravel, etc. Safer and less stressful for the rider, too. 4) Better grip from the grippier tires at lower pressure and better contact over bumps (no bouncing) so safer, 5) Dropper Seats are common on full suspension bikes like my Powerfly and add to comfort and safety by making it so easy to optimize the hip to pedal distance between riding surfaces plus the bonus of easy on/off with the seat dropped.

These are things I am just learning by comparing over 1,000 miles on the same paths with the Allant that I'm now doing on the Powerfly.

I do miss the Class 3 of the Allant!

 

[tomjasz]

Full suspension bikes will be very expensive. That is IF they use decent components. $300 suspension fork and nearly the same for a very good chainstay suspension component. I ride with a good seat post spring loaded. Evenspianl with my totally trashed back, advanced spinal stenosis, I find that seat suspension on a flat foot bike with a good soft saddle is all I need. Off-road? Dual suspension rulz!

 

[m@Robertson]

Full suspension is more comfy. I have bikes with full suspension (enduro with hi quality MRP Ribbon front fork and Rockshox coil rear tuned to my body weight) front fork + seatpost suspension (Wren Inverted + Thud LT, noname air + Thud ST) and for good measure my current favorite variation for cargo bikes that suffer a bit with a front suspension fork: A Kinekt suspension stem with spring and dampener upgrades, coupled to a Kinekt 2.1 XL2. I have also owned a bike with a Satori Animaris, which I replaced with a Thud LT.

I have wrist pain issues thanks to getting hit by a car a few years ago, plus lower back issues from life in general. Some thoughts on these suspension combinations

• Hands down, full suspension done right is the best option for overall comfort. You get the most travel and the 'done right' part involves setting the initial sag and making sure the flexibility does not trash your ability to pedal the bike. I like mine pretty firm and seldom use the lockouts. It costs rather a lot (my MRP fork runs about a grand, and the Rockshox Super Deluxe coil is probably another $550) but this is the way to go for a plush ride. However full suspension creates a host of other issues with chain length, battery placement etc. The danger is you buy a bike that does FS cheaply and you end up with crap.
• Thudbusters are in my view the best value. They are top quality and can take a pounding over time. Do not bother with the ST. Go straight to the LT. Maybe you think the LT looks a little goofy, but the new generation is basically a supersized ST and if you try both as I did you will kick yourself for ever buying an ST.
• The Satori Animaris was a good value at $50 when I bought mine. It took a licking and kept on ticking, although it developed a squeak (which I hear is common with them). However they now run $90+ and I'm not sure they are worth that.
• The Kinekt is a different animal as suspension seatposts go. I really do like it, but the nature of its springs means when you are pedaling at high cadence you can get a pogo effect in the saddle. It does however provide the most cush. Oh, and its insanely expensive at almost $300. I was building a bucket list bike so I went for it but a Thud would have been fine.
• The Kinekt stem is a leap forward in 'faking' full suspension. Its been a godsend for my screwed-up wrists. I had an early model and was totally unimpressed. Even with the stiffest spring, it bottomed out simply by leaning on the bars. However I called Kinekt not so long ago and found that not only did they now offer a stiffer spring, they also have a dampener kit to add in that, together, made for a night/day change. So now I have three of them. So I can put up a happyface emoji for that and my wallet puts up a sadface right beside it.
• Make no mistake... suspension seatposts and stems are faking the benefits of full suspension. They aren't as good. But they do let you have just enough shock absorption benefits to get your bones thru a day of riding where otherwise you might not be able to make it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

As a rider of several e-bikes from an unsuspended one but equipped with the Redshift ShockStop system to a full-suspension Giant Trance E+ Pro 2, I will dare to repeat myself:

-- Full suspension is meant for maintaining traction in rough terrain (including jumps) not for the rider's comfort. Full suspension does not dampen rapid road vibration (tyres do it).

If you disagree Tim, ride rough cobblestones on your Powerfly and report the ride experience Said a person who has ridden for 19,500 km (12,119 mi) since August 2019 on six different e-bike types

 

[m@Robertson]

ANY suspension vs. a pothole or similar, on or off road, will result in a difference in rider comfort. Front suspension of some kind vs. your wrists/shoulders over an extended period: Same.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

ANY suspension vs. a pothole or similar, on or off road, will result in a difference in rider comfort. Front suspension of some kind vs. your wrists/shoulders over an extended period: Same.

The Redshift ShockStop (a suspension stem and a suspension seatpost) dampen the road vibration including potholes, curbs, cobblestone, cracked asphalt to the level equivalent or better of what premium air-spring fork and damper can do. Rapid vibration is cushioned even better by the elastomer.

The only thing making suspension fork and damper better is off-road, where it is vital both wheels maintain contact with the ground at all times; and on finishing a jump. Yes, proper front or full suspension contributes to the ride comfort very much but not to the level believed by many. It is enough to mention I once was bombing rocky mountain fireroad downhill at high speed to notice later my FOX 36 (150 mm travel) suspension was inadvertently locked out... it was 2.6" lowly inflated tyres that did the job.

Necessary to mention gravel cyclist almost never use any form of suspension, and yes, they ride off-road.

 

[Holland-Tim-Allant+8S]

The Redshift ShockStop (a suspension stem and a suspension seatpost) dampen the road vibration including potholes, curbs, cobblestone, cracked asphalt to the level equivalent or better of what premium air-spring fork and damper can do. Rapid vibration is cushioned even better by the elastomer.

The only thing making suspension fork and damper better is off-road, where it is vital both wheels maintain contact with the ground at all times; and on finishing a jump. Yes, proper front or full suspension contributes to the ride comfort very much but not to the level believed by many. It is enough to mention I once was bombing rocky mountain fireroad downhill at high speed to notice later my FOX 36 (150 mm travel) suspension was inadvertently locked out... it was 2.6" lowly inflated tyres that did the job.

Necessary to mention gravel cyclist almost never use any form of suspension, and yes, they ride off-road.

• The ShockStop PRO Stem is only available in +/-6 degree angle and 1 1/8" steerer:
- 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120mm lengths
• Effective suspension travel:
- Up to 20mm (~3/4")
• The ShockStop Seatpost is available in two length options:
- 280mm and 350mm
• 35mm (~1-3/8") of active suspension travel

the above is copied from Redshift's website. i added the ~inches conversion.

i think Stefan is correct that for smaller amplitude bumps, full suspension is not necessarily better.

but i also think that for larger amplitude bumps, a longer travel full suspension can absorb more without upsetting the frame and rider.

my Powerfly is a 4" rear/ 5" front cross country type of suspension and will not handle larger bumps that a mountain bike 6" rear/ 7" front suspension travel will handle.

same for the mountain bike to downhill bike. the longer the travel, the larger the bump that can be absorbed.

obviously, longer travel has drawbacks, which is why i believe the cross country level of travel makes a lot of sense for an all-around on pavement-off pavement application like the Powerfly. tim

 

[Stefan Mikes]

but i also think that for larger amplitude bumps, a longer travel full suspension can absorb more without upsetting the frame and rider.

Yes, that will be off-road. That's why mountain bikes for riding technical single track are fully suspended, and the higher jumps are expected the longer suspension travel is used. During my over 1 year ownership of Trance E+ Pro (150 mm travel front, can't remember the damper travel) only half of the suspension travel was utilized max. It is because MTB forks are designed to withstand jumps, and I never jumped on my e-MTB.

Specialized install very expensive FutureShock suspension stem on their road/gravel bikes and e-bikes, and the 1.5 version has the 20 mm travel. Cannondale offers their Lefty suspension fork for their gravel e-bikes, and the travel is just 20 mm there, too. That's exactly what is necessary for the ride comfort. The rest is for the traction. (Necessary to mention such bikes and e-bikes are lightweight). Bear in mind proper suspension increases the weight of the bike very much.

 

[Holland-Tim-Allant+8S]

Yes, that will be off-road. That's why mountain bikes for riding technical single track are fully suspended, and the higher jumps are expected the longer suspension travel is used. During my over 1 year ownership of Trance E+ Pro (150 mm travel front, can't remember the damper travel) only half of the suspension travel was utilized max. It is because MTB forks are designed to withstand jumps, and I never jumped on my e-MTB.

Specialized install very expensive FutureShock suspension stem on their road/gravel bikes and e-bikes, and the 1.5 version has the 20 mm travel. Cannondale offers their Lefty suspension fork for their gravel e-bikes, and the travel is just 20 mm there, too. That's exactly what is necessary for the ride comfort. The rest is for the traction. (Necessary to mention such bikes and e-bikes are lightweightWe have some nasty exposed roots on my local trails. Potholes, too. Both are helped by full suspension.

Yes, that will be off-road. That's why mountain bikes for riding technical single track are fully suspended, and the higher jumps are expected the longer suspension travel is used. During my over 1 year ownership of Trance E+ Pro (150 mm travel front, can't remember the damper travel) only half of the suspension travel was utilized max. It is because MTB forks are designed to withstand jumps, and I never jumped on my e-MTB.

Specialized install very expensive FutureShock suspension stem on their road/gravel bikes and e-bikes, and the 1.5 version has the 20 mm travel. Cannondale offers their Lefty suspension fork for their gravel e-bikes, and the travel is just 20 mm there, too. That's exactly what is necessary for the ride comfort. The rest is for the traction. (Necessary to mention such bikes and e-bikes are lightweight). Bear in mind proper suspension increases the weight of the bike very much.

Exposed roots and potholes are what i like the full suspension for since I don’t jump much at 54 years of age. Tim

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Exposed roots

This. Here, the proper suspension excels. Riding rocks, too. Deep potholes found in forests? Of course!

Naturally, having full suspension in the city is good, too. I don't deny it.

 

[Latitude]

I have a fairly heavy hard tail Trek, that is ridden off-road more than on. Gravel and grassy trails, some of them pretty bumpy. I have added both Redshift stem and seatpost and changed my saddle to Brooks B17, which is quite a bit more comfortable than the stock Bontrager that I already thought was pretty good. For my conditions, I don’t feel the need for a FS bike ( do own a conventional, non-ebike FS model). But everyone’s conditions and health vary.