Suntour suspension seatpost

[Sandee]

It's almost April and I am ready to order my new e-bike. I'm getting the Radcity Step-thru. While snowbirding in the Phoenix, AZ area this past winter I had the opportunity to see and ride the step-thru and I really liked it. Before my test ride, the owner of the shop put on a Kinekt suspension seat post. I think she was trying to get me to purchase one. It cost $250 or a mere $200 if you ordered a bike from them. Although that is more than I am willing to pay I have to admit that thing was wonderful. I have had no other experience with suspension seat posts so here is my question. Do you think the Suntour suspension seatpost that Radcity sells for $109 would be comparible? And if I would order the Suntour from Radcity, does it come already on the bike or do you get the bike with the standard seatpost and the Suntour comes separately? Do you recommend another brand of suspension seat post, i.e. Thudbuster?

I appreciate any & all advice you can give me.

Sandee

 

[Feliz]

I think I have one of each suspension seat post and several that are no longer in production. I find you get what you pay for with seatposts, suspension seatposts like the suntour that use a spring inside the seatpost with a screw to adjust preload don't work well for me. It's like comparing a spring front suspension fork with an air or hydraulic (the best) fork......the spring doesn't cut it. This has been discussed ad nausium and everyone has their own opinion. There's been an ongoing thread on the Radpower Bike thread, take a look.

I like the Cane Creek Thudbuster. If you purchase a suspension seatpost with a new bike they should install it for you but they don't always do it. They don't always give you the original standard seatpost either, I just had a battle with a bike manufacturer (eProdigy) over the seatpost after I purchased a Thudbuster with my new bike and only received it after making a case with the owner. Good luck.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

It cost $250 or a mere $200 if you ordered a bike from them. Although that is more than I am willing to pay I have to admit that thing was wonderful. I have had no other experience with suspension seat posts so here is my question.

You may pay $90 more but it will make your rid far more enjoyable.
Sometimes, it is the nature of the business and the evolving market. Until someone makes a better seatpost, Kinect is the way to go.
While the SR Suntour is cheaper, it does not provide the same kind of isolation that Kinect provides. $90 more = two dinners but 100's of more enjoyable rides. Your call.

 

[Toomanycats]

I say this as someone who bought a hard tail: when you’re going at speed, you’ll feel the bumps in the road much more. Get the more expensive seatpost. Your nether parts will thank you.

 

[mako]

Take the stock seat post and see how it goes. You may like it for awhile and use the money for more immediate pressing needs. The KineKt is a superior seat post suspension method, but you can always upgrade to it later. And upgrades to anything you have owned for a bit can be kinda fun.

 

[Alaskan]

You may pay $90 more but it will make your rid far more enjoyable.
Sometimes, it is the nature of the business and the evolving market. Until someone makes a better seatpost, Kinect is the way to go.
While the SR Suntour is cheaper, it does not provide the same kind of isolation that Kinect provides. $90 more = two dinners but 100's of more enjoyable rides. Your call.

This was true 150 years ago when John Ruskin wrote it.

“There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money – that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot – it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”

I wouldn't own a bike without a Kinekt Body Float. I have bought a bike that came equpped with a Thudbuster, It did about half the job of the Kinekt and was replaced. I have not tried the Suntour as there are too many accounts of them wearing out quickly due to inherent design flaws.

 

[6zfshdb]

Everyone has a different opinion on which is the best seat post. There are a lot of factors involved and what works for some, won't work for all. I've tried Zoom, Suntour, Kinekt, Thudbuster ST, Thudbuster LT and a few more I can't remember. In general, you get what you pay for and the articulating design is preferable to the telescopic type. However, in my case, I found the Thudbuster LT to be a bit more comfortable than the Kinekt at almost $100 less. My wife on the other hand likes her inexpensive Zoom post. She is less than half my weight though and doesn't put in as many hours in the saddle as I do.

Keep in mind that many seat posts have to be adjusted or "dialed in". The Thudbuster and Kinekt for example need to be fitted with the proper elastomers and springs to fit you weight and riding style.

The best advice I can offer is to try as many as you can. I know this isn't easy since most of these seat posts are 3rd party aftermarket products.

Also, check the fit of the seat post with the frame of the bike you buy. Some bike frames, especially step thru's, have short seat tubes and a longer seat post may be required to get the proper saddle height. The converse may also happen. Large framed bikes have longer seat tubes which may not provide enough clearance for the suspension element on articulating seat posts. It's best to ask your dealer about this.

 

[Chopperbill]

If you got a fat bike play with the air pressure in the tires. Roads in my winter place are beyond ruff. I started at 20lbs, it road like a rock. Was looking at seat posts. Down to 10lbs now, you won’t believe the difference. When I get back for the summer I’m sure 20lbs will be efficient.

 

[Scott Eakin]

I put the Kinet Body float on my Haibike Trecking. Transformed my ride. In my opinion worth every penny.

 

[Sandee]

Thanks so much for your replies. You have answered my question. I ordered my Radcity Step-thru this morning with the stock seatpost. If I decide later I need a more cushioned seatpost I will get the Kinekt. I was hoping a cheaper option would work as well but from the responses I've gotten, that isn't the case. The Kinekt I tried in AZ was amazing. It must be the Cadillac of seatposts. I feel the Radcity is a reasonably priced bike so I can splurge on some creature comforts if needed.

 

[Alaskan]

The touch points (saddle, grips, seat post, pedals) are the items where you really feel the difference and getting it right delivers the most for the least extra $.

 

[ericlp]

I got the rad mini step-thru and the kinekt 420 MM for added seat height, with a cloud 9 seat. Should be nice!