Mountain biking can be an uncomfortable sport, especially when the terrain gets unruly. One of the ways to ensure a more comfortable ride is to purchase an expensive full-suspension mountain bike. But, as these sweet two-wheeled rides can cost over a thousand dollars, most people ride traditional hardtail bikes on the trails.
Just because you own a hardtail doesn’t mean you can’t have a cushioned ride for your butt. The solution is to purchase a suspension seat post, which helps to decouple your body from your bike as it rides over the bumps. There are many models of suspension seat posts, some costing as little as $25 at a department store. But, if your want the best for your backside, you’ll have to spend about $100 or so. The Cane Creek Thudbuster falls into this category, and for me it proved to be an excellent suspension seat post. Read on to learn more.
Overview
Cane Creek has been making suspension components for mountain bikes since 1995, so they are no stranger to the physics of bump absorption. Available online for about $115, the Thudbuster is not a post intended for casual riders. Instead, it is designed to perform on aggressive cross-country trails, where hardtail mountain bikers sometimes spend hours riding over roots and rocks. Unlike most suspension seat posts, which telescope in and out in a line parallel with the bike’s seat tube, the Thudbuster flexes in the direction that the bike’s rear wheel takes when it encounters a bump. This makes the post more responsive to the terrain. The Thudbuster uses a parallel-linkage design that squishes a pair of cylindrical elastomers between the linkage arms. The geometry allows for about 3 inches of travel.
Performance
I have my Thudbuster installed on a 2008 Gary Fisher Wahoo, and the difference between it and the stock rigid post is amazing. The Thudbuster does exactly what its name implies by taking the harshness out of the trails. Small bumps and vibrations are much less noticeable, and although large bumps are still felt, the edge is taken off. The Thudbuster makes it possible to stay seated over sections of rough terrain, thereby increasing the traction of the bike’s rear wheel. And, the best part is that you can ride much longer before your butt and back start to complain.
Adjustability
The Thudbuster comes with six elastomers that you can pair together to form the spring in the center of the linkage (see photo). There are two soft elastomers, two medium elastomers, and two firm elastomers, resulting in six possible spring rates (you can pair dissimilar elastomers together). Since the preload on the elastomers is adjustable by a hex wrench, the post has two levels of adjustability. First, you install the elastomers that match your weight (Cane Creek provides a handy chart of rider weight vs. elastomer color along with the installation instructions). Then, you adjust the tension on the retaining bolt to get the stiffness just right.
Installation
Assuming you picked the correct post size for your bike (there are multiple sizes available to fit bikes with varying diameters of seat tubes), installation takes about 10-20 minutes. The instructions are fairly simple, and there aren’t many steps. You’ll need an 8mm socket wrench and a 4mm hex wrench to remove the retaining bolt that holds the elastomers in place, and some bicycle grease to coat the elastomers with prior to installation. Basically, all you have to do is remove the center pin, position your greased elastomers of choice in the middle of the post linkage, and reinstall the pin. Then, put a light coat of grease on the seatpost itself and put it on your bike. Detailed instructions can be found here.
Limitations
The Thudbuster isn’t a replacement for a full-suspension bike, and it won’t hold up to freestyle riding, jumps, or drops. For really big hits, Cane Creek recommends that riders stand up and absorb the impact with their knees. Also, even with the stiffest elastomers installed, the Thudbuster cannot handle riders who weigh over 250 pounds. There probably is a design factor of safety here, but it wouldn’t be worth testing it out, as the point at which the post would break would be at the moment of a very big bump, possibly resulting in some very big bruises.
Verdict
I have a standard telescoping-model suspension seat post on my other hardtail, and the Thudbuster outshines that other post, which shall remain unnamed. And, when compared to a stock post, the difference is night and day. By installing a Thudbuster, you will be able to ride harder and longer–comfortably. Keep in mind your bike will weigh a little more with a Thudbuster than with a rigid post (Thudbuster weighs 570 grams, rigid posts weigh about 250 grams). But, whatever time you lose off your record ride from the extra weight will be regained tenfold by your increased performance, thanks to the comfort of the Thudbuster.
I bought my Thudbuster here (pricepoint.com)
