The seat post with shock absorber is a special device designed to connect the saddle and frame. The shock absorber softens the ride on the bike on rough, bumpy roads. A distinctive feature of such a pin is its large weight.
What is it?
A seat post with a shock absorber for a bicycle makes the design heavier, so you have to choose between weight and ride comfort. The pin has special rails for fastening. They need to be put on the head of the pin and bolted. This design is part of the bicycle and is made in the form of a pipe connecting the frame and the saddle. It is attached with a clamp and fixed with a bolt lock.
The most common damping pin designs are telescopic and lever. In them, the elastomer acts as an elastic element. The telescopic type is used in inexpensive seatposts. When the lever structure comes into action, the seat moves back. It is rarely used due to the high price. Seatpipes are made of steel, carbon fiber, aluminum alloys. The most common pin diameters are 27.2 and 31.6 mm.
Design
The seat post with shock absorber is installed in the frame tube and secured with a clamp. In the upper part, it has a lock in which the guide saddles are fixed. If the clip is open, the seatpost goes up and down in the frame tube, adjusting the seat height. Structurally, they are divided into depreciation and hard. The classic hard pin has a thin-walled tube with a lock on the end. This design weighs little, is inexpensive, durable, reliable, but not very comfortable.
The cushioning pin is equipped with a special mechanism that softens and minimizes shock during the trip. Such pins are most often made of aluminum alloys. Design features include:
- Diameter (standard from 27.2 to 31.6 mm).
- Length (for highway bikes it is 270-300 mm, mountain 350-400 mm). The smaller the frame, the longer the pin you need to buy.
- Lock (fixes the guiding saddles, adjusts the inclination, longitudinal displacement). Locks are single bolt, double bolt, original, with displacement back, without displacement.
For example, a seatpost with a shock absorber of 31.6 mm in diameter, has a single bolt mount, is 35 cm long. The structure is movable and durable. Models of pins with parameters of 31.6x350 mm are manufactured by the Cycledesign brand.
How to install?
The seat post with shock absorber must be inserted into the frame tube and secured with a bolt or eccentric clamp. Saddle guides are locked. Single-bolt ones have a rough adjustment of the saddle angle, double-bolt ones precisely regulate the inclination. When adjusting the height, it is important not to install it in the seatpost above the mark on the pin.
Inside the pipe, it should remain for ten to fifteen centimeters. If the pin does not move down, stop at this point. However, before installing it, make sure that the diameter fits the frame. To do this, measure it with a ruler, a caliper. Use the simplest mounting method: if the pin has a narrowing at the top, it is inserted into the seat fixture and bolted.
Selection rules
The seat post with shock absorber improves the technical characteristics of the structure. When choosing, it is important to consider the following points:
- financial capabilities (a hydraulic pin with a shock absorber costs much more than usual);
- comfort level (if you want to enjoy riding a bicycle, improve its functionality, appearance, as well as get a saddle and adjustable height - stop on a model with a shock absorber).
A pin equipped with a shock absorber is not only comfort, but also the need for maintenance. If you want it to last a long time, follow the rules of operation. It is not recommended to raise it high, as the pin may break due to the high load. The disadvantages of parts with a shock absorber include the need to take into account the pin drawdown when adjusting the saddle when a cyclist sits on a bike. Over time, it increases.
Depreciation works in the direction of the pin axis. This means that she is not able to completely get rid of the feeling of discomfort while driving on bumpy roads. If the cushioning mechanism is tight, it will be bad at eliminating small shocks. The pins, which are adjustable in height, sometimes sag under regular load, have less strength, low-quality models do play and make rattling sounds.
Price
Suntour shock absorber seatpost belongs to the category of expensive bike components. Model SP12-NCX (27.2x400) costs 4500 rubles. This parallel-damper stiffener pin with adjustable stiffness weighs 765 grams. Pins without a shock absorber are cheaper. Such designs can be purchased for 500 rubles. Low-cost shock-absorbing structures include the VLX-SP09 with parameters of 25.4x350 mm.
Reviews
Should I buy a seatpost with shock absorber? Reviews of bike owners recommend switching to it. It adds comfort during a long trip, relieves stress from the spine. Cushioning pins in a bicycle design are relevant for injured athletes. The disadvantages of such elements include a high price compared to conventional ones. Often they are made of heavy metals, so the pins make the bike heavier and adversely affect speed. A seatpost made of carbon or aluminum alloy is lighter than steel, but more expensive. It improves both the appearance of the structure and its functionality.