Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Suspension seatposts aren’t anything new. There have been various contraptions to suspend and cushion bike saddles since the dawn of cycling. However, many of them had a reputation for being, well, contraptions. Then, back in the early 1990s, the more advanced Thudbuster was invented by Ryan McFarland (the same gentleman who invented the Strider kids’ bike). Later, Cane Creek updated and improved the design to suit more modern bikes, making it the first reputable suspension seatpost on the market. More recently—as in the last couple of years—suspension seatposts have seen a resurgence, with new designs coming out every few months.
It wasn’t the novelty factor alone that made me take a second look at suspension seatposts, though. After sustaining a serious back injury in 2016, I had to pay close attention to the well-being of my lower back. Big tires provide a lot of cushion on their own, and certain frame materials also provide some vibration dampening, but suspension seatposts have the potential to further protect your back from the long-term shock that bumps and rough terrain can impose on your spine. And, based on testing a few suspension seatposts on different bikes, I think they might even have the potential to prevent acute injury by taking the sting out of jarring bumps that come at a surprise while riding on rough surfaces.
Suspension seatposts can also extend the amount of time you’re comfortable in the saddle by absorbing persistent small bumps and vibrations that come from gravel roads, doubletracks, and trails. This makes them an especially compelling component option for lengthy bikepacking trips and long-distance touring.
So, why not just use a full-suspension bike? Ultimately, a suspension seatpost coupled with a rigid bike (or hardtail) is probably a little more reliable for long-term bikepacking, and definitely more affordable and lightweight. Generally speaking, unlike shocks and linkages, suspension seatposts are relatively easy to install and maintain, and can be used with pretty much all types of bikes, from hardtails to gravel tourers.
In a nutshell, suspension seatposts typically offer a 10-50mm of travel by way of an internal coil, elastomer, or air spring system. Here are the three main types of suspension seat posts on the market:
Elastomer Suspension Seatposts
Elastomer suspension seatposts use a solid rubber “bumper” that cushions a hinged linkage or other type of system. The rubber pillion compresses with the linkage and dampens bumps and hits. Simplicity is the benefit of these types of posts, but one concern is that rubber elastomers may wear out over time. That said, it’s fairly simple to carry a spare for many of the more popular options, such as the Cane Creek Thudbuster.
Coil Spring Suspension Seatposts
Coil spring suspension seatposts are relatively new to the market and there are only a handful of options out there. Similar to elastomer suspension seatposts, they use a hinged linkage or stanchion tube set system, but instead of (or in addition to) a rubber elastomer, they feature a coiled metal spring to provide the dampening. One downside when compared to elastomer seatposts is softer coils can rob some of the power from the pedal downstroke, particularly when climbing.
Air Dropper Suspension Seatposts
Dropper suspension seatposts are the newest kid on the block. And while it may seem like way too much going on in a seatpost, for those who are accustomed to a dropper, it’s hard to return to the old ways. Adding a bit of dampening suspension is a natural progression. There is only one option available right now, the PNW Coast, which you can find in the list below.
Here’s our full list of suspension seatposts. As with our other Gear Index lists, find the ones we’ve tested at the top, marked with a “T” icon.
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$289
Cane Creek eeSilk
- Type: Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 20mm
- Diameters: 27.2mm
- Length: 350mm
- Offset: 8mm
CloseCane Creek’s eeSilk suspension seatpost offers 20mm of elastomer-based vertical compliance and is made from forged and machined aluminum with titanium fastening hardware. This emphasis on premium materials, along with the post’s minimalistic design, means the eeSilk weighs in at less than 300 grams–a comparable weight to many performance alloy seatposts.
The eeSilk Post comes in a 27.2 diameter and is 350mm in overall length. Interchangeable elastomers allow the post to accommodate riders ranging from 100 lbs (45kg) to 330 lbs (150 kg).
From Logan’s review: “After putting several hundred miles on Cane Creek’s new 295 gram eeSilk seatpost, it’s become one of my prized possessions. The eeSilk’s firm elastomer is barely noticeable at first, but once the bumps commence, it absolutely takes the edge off; a great addition for someone with a back injury.” Read the full review.
- Weight: 295 grams (10.4 oz)
- Price: $289
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan/US
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: JensonUSA
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$169.99
Cane Creek Thudbuster (ST)
- Type: Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 50mm
- Diameters: 25.4, 27.2, 30.9, 31.6
- Length: 345mm (27.2), 375mm (30.9/31.6)
- Offset: 0mm
CloseContinuing their 20-year suspension seatpost legacy, Cane Creek recently announced the all-new, fourth generation Thudbuster ST (Short Travel). Designed with touring, commutes, and e-bike trips in mind, it features 50mm of travel—up from 33mm on the original Thudbuster ST—to smooth out bumps and bounces on multi-surface rides. Building on the original Thudbuster’s parallel linkage, it also got a redesign for a higher rider weight limit (now up to 330 pounds), increased durability, and more travel.
The Thudbuster ST weighs in at 580g (31.6 version) and is built out of forged aluminum with threaded, hard anodized aluminum axles. Note that the new axles are serviceable, unlike those found in the previous version. This handy PDF from Cane Creek outlines the differences between the two versions of the Thudbuster ST.
The most interesting change on the new Thudbuster is its redesigned rubber elastomer system. Instead of having a large, oddly shaped cushion like the older version, it has a large, fixed in place, rubber elastomer holder with a diamond shaped cavity at its center. The small, proportionate diamond elastomer—which is what’s responsible for the suspension travel—is inserted into the cavity and snaps into place via a small rib around its perimeter. This allows for a tool-free, interchangeable system and on-the-fly adjustments. The Thudbuster comes with three elastomers: medium-firm (pre-installed from the factory), soft, and firm. They are marked with a small graphic representing their firmness as a series of (1-5). You can also purchase extra-soft (1 dot) and extra-firm (5 dots) elastomers separately. Overall, I found the elastomer to be fairly easy to remove and install, although it takes a little elbow grease. I left the medium-firm one in place as it seemed to work well for my weight. The animated image below shows me sitting on the medium-firm elastomer, so that illustrates the amount of sag the post has with my full weight (about 175 pounds) on the saddle.
The other really nice design change is the new single bolt seat clamp (above right). Similar in design to the Rockshox AXS dropper post I reviewed a while back, it makes it super easy to swap saddles and adjust the angle. It’s certainly one of the easier posts I’ve messed with.
I’ve only gotten four or five rides in with the new Thudbuster, but I’m quite impressed. The redesigned seat clamp is fantastic, and I found the new elastomer system to work very well. Unlike some of the softer, coil-sprung posts, the new Thudbuster offers a nice mix of chatter dampening and medium-hit suspension to take the edge off of sharper bumps. And, it doesn’t feel as if it has as much of an effect on pedaling efficiency as other, longer travel posts do.
While it’s not as sleek as the eeSilk, it seems to play nicely with a seat pack, too. And it would be pretty easy to carry spare elastomers. With that said, I think it could certainly be suitable for a bikepacking or dirt-road touring bike. But given my limited time with it, this isn’t a full review and I can’t vouch for its durability or reliability. I plan to ride it a bit more and update this down the road.
- Weight: 584 grams (20.6 oz)
- Price: $169.99
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan/USA
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Amazon Jenson USA
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$159
Cane Creek Thudbuster (ST) V1
- Type: Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 33mm (1.3”)
- Diameters: 25.4, 27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm
- Length: 353mm
- Offset: 11mm
CloseThe Cane Creek Thudbuster is probably the most widely used and recognized suspension seatpost on the market. Back in the early 1990s, the Thudbuster was invented by Ryan McFarland (the same gentleman who invented the Strider kids’ bike). Since then, Cane Creek took it on, updating and improving the design to suit more modern bikes, making it the first reputable suspension seatpost.
As shown above, version 1 of the Cane Creek Thudbuster is quite different than version 2, but it’s proven itself reliable over the years.Virginia put close to 1,000 miles on the previous short travel version in Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, and elsewhere without issues. Although the linkage is larger than others, it works with most bikepacking seat bags, particularly those with a lower seatpost strap. She used it with the Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion, which worked great. “As for the Thudbuster, I think it provides just enough dampening to alleviate some of the back strain and bum bruising that long days, riding over even minimal chatter, can create,” she said.
- Weight: 452 grams (15.9 oz)
- Price: $159
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan/USA
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Amazon
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$249.95
Cirrus KINEKT 2.1 Suspension Seatpost
- Type: Spring Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 35mm
- Diameters: 27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm
- Length: 350 or 420mm
- Offsset: 12mm
CloseThe Cirrus KINEKT 2.1 is an aluminum suspension seatpost that’s designed to isolate your body from surface vibrations and impacts to improve comfort and control. Each post comes with two extra springs so you can mix and match, creating a custom experience. The KINEKT post springs are available in five color-coded tensions for riders ranging from 50-320 pounds.
I got the Medium Kinekt, which comes with the Charcoal/Black stripe springs set for riders weighing from 150-200 pounds. I weigh about 175, perfectly in the middle for this size. However, as configured out of the box, it was the most active and squishy post that I tried. This might be desired by some riders, but for me it was a little too much and it affected pedaling efficiency quite a bit on that first ride. Fortunately, the post came with two other springs, one Charcoal/Purple (SM 100-150 pounds) and one Charcaol/Orange (LG 200-240 pounds). The Kinekt 2.1 has both an upper and lower spring, so I could only change the lower, which would theoretically make it tuned for riders in the 175-225 pound category. This certainly made a difference, but I honestly still found the Kinekt 2.1 a bit too soft and springy for my taste. I think for someone with a significant back or comfort issue, this could be an option. Otherwise, you could size up and it would likely be a little more firm.
One thing I really liked about the Kinekt is the saddle rail clamp. It has two simple screws to tighten and adjust the saddle. There’s a spring that keeps tension to separate the lower and upper plate. This self-fixes the nuts into place so you don’t have to hold them while loosening or tightening the plate into place. A nice touch.
From a bikepacking perspective, the Kinekt 2.1 suspension seatpost’s linkage is a little larger than all of the posts I tested, so it requires some maneuvering to strap a typical seat pack on to it. As shown, the Revalate Terrapin fit okay, but I had to move the strap down a little farther than normal in order to avoid it overlapping the lower spring. This isn’t a deal breaker, but if you have a seat pack that has a higher seatpost strap, it might not be possible to use with the Kinekt.
- Weight: 563 grams (19.9 oz)
- Price: $249.95
- Place of Manufacture: China (assembled in USA)
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Jenson USA
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$179
PNW Coast Suspension Dropper
- Type: Dropper Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 40mm
- Diameters: 30.9, 31.6, 27.2 (tested)
- Length: 385mm
- Offset: 0
CloseThe PNW Coast Suspension Dropper offers 40mm of suspension alongside 100 or 120mm of dropper travel for $179. The post comes in 30.9, 31.6, and 27.2mm models with internal or external cable routing, and is compatible with your choice of PNW lever, including their drop bar lever.
From our review (read the full review here): “All in all I’ve been quite happy with the PNW Coast Suspension Dropper Seatpost. While the suspension on the Coast is a little quirky, it works pretty well when tuned to your weight, and it has definitely saved my back from several big jolts on multiple rides. In addition, the dropper functions as expected with the right speed and power, and I’m guessing it will be as reliable as the Bachelor that we tested.”
- Weight: 540 grams (19 oz)
- Price: $179
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Amazon Jenson USA
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$229.99
Redshift Shockstop
- Type: Internal Spring Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 35mm (1.4”)
- Diameters: 27.2mm
- Length: 350mm
- Offset: 7mm
CloseThe Redshift ShockStop suspension seatpost is an internal coil sprung suspension seatpost that operates on a four-bar linkage system and promises to smooth out the rough stuff and reduce fatigue. The ShockStop provides 35mm of tunable suspension in a fairly minimal, subtle design, meant to blend seamlessly with the aesthetic of modern gravel bikes.
The Shockstop suspension seatpost is only available in one size at the moment—27.2mm in diameter and 350mm long. I tested it on a 30.9mm seat tube with a shim and it worked fine. The post is constructed mainly out of 6061 T6 Aluminum alloy and it appears to use stainless steel linkage pins and bushings held in place with internal C-clips, although Redshift doesn’t specify these details. Overall, the build seems pretty solid. There’s a small plastic plate that’s attached to the post via a small shock cord on the back. It has a magnetic protrusion that conforms to another magnet on the post. This acts as a fender to keep mud and grime from clogging up the linkage area.
When engaged, the suspension linkage compresses a steel spring inside the post’s column that’s sandwiched in between two plastic spacers. All of these innards are compressed against a hollow plastic pipe that seats against a threaded preload screw at the bottom of the post. Redshift also includes a smaller, secondary internal spring to provide additional firmness, depending on your desired ride feel. The photo sequence above shows me sitting on it set up out of the box—main spring only, with preload somewhere in the middle—with its sag affected by only my weight (about 175lbs).
On my first ride, with just the single spring as it came set up, the Redshift Shockstop post felt a little too soft and springy. I also noticed that when climbing, I immediately felt it sucking the energy from my legs, as it took away power at the pedals. But once I added the secondary spring—which easily slides inside the main spring—the sag is notably less than shown above and it didn’t feel as mushy. I ended up dialing it in with the preload screw at about three (as shown above right) and really like the feel of it now.
The Redshift Shockstop works pretty well with a bikepacking seat bag. The fender prevents pinching and the linkage isn’t overly bulky to interfere with the bag’s seatpost strap—shown here with the Revelate Terrapin. In terms of durability on a longer bikepacking trip, I’ve only ridden with the Redshift post a handful of times, so I can’t vouch for its reliability. That said, I’m planning on running this post on my Salsa Cutthroat for a while, so I’ll be sure to update it down the road.
- Weight: 565 grams (19.9 oz)
- Price: $229.99
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$176
Cane Creek Thudbuster (LT)
- Type: Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 76mm (3”)
- Diameters: 25.4, 27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm
- Length: 400mm (450mm, 27.2 xl)
- Offset: 13.5mm
CloseThe Thudbuster LT (Long Travel) has a larger linkage system than the ST with 3” (76mm) of travel via two barrel-shaped active elastomers. Cane Creek specifies that it’s usable for mountain bikes, tandems, tourers, and everything in between. The LT has a maximum rider weight of 250lbs.
- Weight: 540 grams (19 oz)
- Price: $176
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan/US
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Amazon Jenson USA
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$34
Kalloy Uno Suspension Seatpost
- Type: Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 40mm
- Diameters: 27.2mm
- Length: ?
- Offset: 20mm
CloseThe Kalloy Uno Comfort Suspension Seatpost provides 40mm of suspension using an internal elastomer bumper. There’s not a lot of info on it, but it seems to have some good reviews on Amazon, and it’s very inexpensive.
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Redshift ShockDrop
- Type: Dropper Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 35mm
- Length: 350mm
- Diameters: 30.9, 31.6mm
CloseRedshift’s latest creation is the ShockDrop suspension-dropper seatpost. The ShockDrop uses the same suspension system as the ShockStop seatpost, but doubles as a dropper. Although these are still in prototype stage, expect two versions for mountain and gravel/all-road bikes. Both prototypes have 35mm of suspension travel. The 27.2mm version offers 60mm of dropper travel and the larger 30.9 and 31.6mm models feature 100mm of drop. Stay tuned for more info as it arises.
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$280
Specialized CG-R Seatpost
- Type: Carbon Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 18mm
- Diameters: 27.2mm
- Length: 350, 400mm
- Offset: 25mm
CloseThe CG-R seatpost features 18mm of vertical compliance via a vibration damping carbon construction. The CG-R promises comfort and efficiency without adding weight or complication to the frame. The CG-R also has a cylindrical aluminum head assembly that adjusts fore and aft, and tilts with a single bolt.
Note the fact that this one is carbon, so you’d want to protect it with Shelter or helicopter tape if you use it with a seat pack.
- Price: $280
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$109.95
Suntour NCX Suspension Seatpost
- Type: Coil Spring Suspension Seatpost
- Travel: 50mm
- Diameters: 27.2, 31.6mm
- Lengths: 350, 400mm
CloseThe NCX seatpost features a patented parallelogram design that Suntour claims works well for small bump compliance. The post has a total of 50mm travel and was designed with low maintenance and long term durability in mind.
- 50mm of travel
- Stainless steel bushings
- Patented parallelogram design
- Preload adjustable
- Internal coil spring design
- Side clamp has a radial detent with wide adjustment range
- Stock standard spring is rated for riders of 140-180lbs
- Minimum insertion 110mm height
- Maximum extension of 300mm height for 350mm length
- Maximum extension of 350mm height for 400mm length
- 2 year manufacturers warranty included
- Optional hard and soft springs sold separately
- Optional cover sold separately
- 7mm rail saddle rail clamp diameter
- Weight: 765 grams (27 oz)
- Price: $109.95
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Amazon
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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£120
Ultimate Use Vybe Suspension Seatpost
- Type : Coil spring suspension seatpost
- Travel: 50mm
- Diameters: 27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm
- Length: 400mm
- Offset: 10mm
CloseThe Ultimate Use Vybe suspension seatpost has 50mm of tuneable travel designed to “reduce the effect of terrain on the body allowing energy to be concentrated on the pedals.” The Vybe features USE’s SUMO clamp, a quick fitting, simple to adjust system designed to ensure the ideal saddle position. The post is fully serviceable, adjustable for rider weight, and comes in three different spring options: soft, medium, or hard. There is also a preload adjustment screw at the bottom of the post allowing you to fine tune the suspension.
- Weight: 400 grams (14.1 oz)
- Price: £120
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$27.99
Zoom Alloy Suspension Seatpost
- Type: Coil spring and Elastomer Suspension Seatpost
- Tracel: 40mm
- Diameters: 27.2, 30.9, 31.6
- Length: 350mm
- Offset: 20mm
CloseThe Zoom Alloy Suspension Seatpost is made of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy and features a progressive coil spring and elastomer. The only link we could find is on Amazon, so there’s not much info on it floating around in the ether.
Suspension Seatposts Wrap Up
Considering that most of the suspension seatposts tested here were ridden by a single person, this wouldn’t be a proper wrap up without picking favorites. However, let me first discuss my takeaways from looking at the three types of posts: coil spring vs. elastomer vs. air/dropper. The way each of these three seatposts ride is completely different, and I think they each offer their own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Air-spring suspension droppers—of which there’s really only one, the PNW Coast—is just like any other dropper post, for the most part. It’s relatively firm (depending on how you tune it) and the real benefit comes in to play with larger bumps. It works as more of a back saver in the event of surprising hits. Unlike the elastomer and coil posts, it’s not advantageous for consistently dampening small bumps.
Coil sprung and elastomer based posts make up the bulk of the options on the market. And despite the fact that they tout the same benefits, they’re quite different. I found the coil sprung posts to be much more bouncy and, well, springy. I think they could better serve people with serious back problems over long rides as they are almost always moving and active, and react to more dips and dives in the terrain. There are consequences, however. I found the two coil sprung models to have a noticeable effect on pedaling efficiency, especially as they came tuned out of the box, which tended to be softer than I preferred. If I had to pick a favorite between the two I tried, I think the Redshift Shockstop is more elegantly built and I was able to tune it to have more of a supportive feel (and be less detrimental to pedal response). I look forward to testing this one further.
All that said, I personally prefer the two elastomer-based suspension posts I’ve tried. Similar to a well-tuned suspension fork, the elastomer posts seem to settle into their travel instead of being squishy and active all the time. As such, they provide more support off the top, and only become active when pushed (or when bumped). I spent a lot of time on the eeSilk, which is the most minimal, of course, and provides the least amount of cushion. But I also liked the new 4th gen Thudbuster and will be curious to see how the elastomer holds up over time.
As always, if you have any questions, opinions, feedback on posts you’ve tried, or suggestions, leave them in the comments below…
