Can’t understand that much of a mismatch. I value quality and precision over quantity, but it seems that many manufacturers have a different view on that. No other explanation comes to mind. hand market (and local bike shops) is where I’d look. With a wallet in one hand, and accurate & precise callipers in the other. 🙂 Concerted efforts have been made in recent years to further squash out the road buzz that can translate to fatigue over long miles.

The same brand is also responsible for bringing dropper seatposts to the road audience: the Specialized Diverge, in its S-Works form, features a 'Command' dropper post. The theory is that those riding the adventure road bike, like mountain bikers, will want to be able to adjust their saddle height to suit the terrain. Enve's 2nd generation head is better than the old one but still not that good IMO, and it's expensive, overpriced as most things Enve. 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. For easier managing, table 2 gives an overview of seatpost diameters most commonly used on modern bicycles (from the end of the 20th century to now). Seatpost diameters most commonly used on “modern” bicycles.

Tell us how tall you are, we'll help you find the right size.

If you don’t have calipers, you’re hard-pressed to get the diameter. An adjustable wrench can be used as calipers, then measure the gap on the wrench. However, it’s almost impossible to distinguish 0.2 mm increments with a tape measure. When it comes to cancelling vibrations, there are several steps brands take to aid this in frame construction: using thin seatstays; placing the seatpost clamp lower down so that more seatpost is exposed (allowing for more flex); and using a narrower seatpost A carbon seatpost is effectively an additional step; a cherry on top. It can be seen from picture 2 that the seatpost is marked as 31.6 mm wide (and 410 mm long), while it really measures only 31.42 mm. This means the seatpost will probably not fit firmly enough to stay in place inside a seat tube meant for 31.6 mm wide seatposts. Always measure! 🙂 Painting, or chrome plating could also be done – just take it into account when machining to not have the new seatpost too narrow, or too wide.

Getting a saddle straight in the clamps can, at times, be a minor faff. Too often the clamp mechanism can be slow to react or overly sensitive to the tightening of the bolts. Not here. I had my saddle set and tightened almost immediately. It really was that simple. Once on, the seat looked reassuringly solid in its level position. I trusted it would remain so once I got riding… Enve carbon seatpost - the ride 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. Standard outer diameter dimensions were important so that derailleur clamps etc. could be made in exact matching sizes (derailleur clamp inner diameter needs to match the seat tube’s outer diameter). Higher quality frames are usually made with thinned down tube walls to reduce the weight of the frame. This meant that a wider seatpost diameter usually meant a higher quality (and lighter) frame. So high-quality frames with 1 1/8″ seat tubes usually had 27.2 mm wide seatposts.

But measuring the circumference means you only have to distinguish a 0.6 mm difference (because everything is multiplied by 3.14…), which is doable. 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.

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). As is consistently the case, aluminium is perfectly adequate and will do the job. Carbon seatposts, however, offer greater dampening from road vibrations and are lighter.

Suspension Seatposts Wrap Up

If you don't feel your bike needs to be any more comfortable, and you're not fussed about 100 grams, then aluminium seems like a smart choice. If you want to drop the weight or add some cushion, look to spend more.