My achin' baaack! (suspension question)

bluegoatwoods

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
I've been avoiding this because I want to be sensitive to the shocks that my bike absorbs. But I think that riding a hard-tail is causing me too much back pain. Unless I'm just sleeping on it wrong. That's been known to happen.

Anyway, I'm about ready to design myself a well suspended seat and post. I"ve got an idea in mind.

But before I do; does anyone know of a commercially available, well sprung seat post. It can not be the typical spring loaded seatpost. I'm a fairly tall guy and the nose of my seat must be behind, or at least directly above, my downtube. Otherwise the bike's too small for me.

Picture a seatpost that's well laid back. Now picture that laid back post with some kind of spring. Is there such a thing available?

Thanks.
 
Would a simple springed seat work for you? I've got issues also, and it seems to do OK.......I don't know if I could tolerate it for an all day ride, but does fine for what I use it for.
 

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I feel your pain. I use a Selle Royale Drifter seat which really helps absorb the bumps.

- Chaz
 
Wheelbender, that is very, very nice. I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea. And by borrow I mean copy it and tell all my friends that I designed it. Don't worry, I don't have any friends, ha ha. But seriously, that photo should be in/on a sticky somewhere.

- Chaz
 
I'm not sure if you have front suspension or not, but that will help with some of the impact as well. In fact, I found that my lower back and elbows were subjected to far less road impacts after installing front suspension. My first suspension fork was from a Walmart Roadmaster that I found in the trash. It had a little slop when I first got it, but I took it apart and fiddled around and got rid of the slop. Now I've got a custom cruiser with a 98cc minibike engine, and I'm using Suzuki K10 motorcycle forks. Unfortunately, the stockpile of K10's that was being sold on ebay is now gone, but there are other motorcycle forks that can be mated to a bicycle. I'm not saying that motorcycle forks are the only way to get quality suspension, but if you can find a pair for a good price, its worth it. I got mine brand new for $50, others have found similar forks for $100 or less. If you can fabricate your own front suspension, it would be even cheaper.
 
Chaz - It's OK to use other members' ideas. My springer seat is a variation of several similar ones that I have seen on this forum. The location of my rear rim brake (on the chain stays, behind the kick stand) is something I adapted from another member as well.
 
Okay, folks. Thanks for your suggestions. At the moment I've done nothing to 'soften' the bike. Two reasons for this. One is that I really do believe in keeping my bike unsuspended and being the one and only shock absorber. Also I'm not sure that my bout of back pain is entirely due to the bike, though it's likely a contributing factor. There've been times when my back has gotten sore after a week or two of riding my motorized bicycle. What I usually do is switch to my plain old pedal bike for a week or two. Mostly I regard my motorized bicycle as my 'foul weather' bike. But now that I'm in my 50s I'm finding that all of July and August are too foul for me. Even taking it quite easy I'm covered in sweat, my eyes are burning from the salt, etc. So I must rely on my motorized bicycle until mid-September at least.

So what I've done, instead, is to adjust my riding stance. I've changed the handlebars. The ones that were on had my hands in almost exactly the same place as the original 'cruiser' bars that came with the bike. I've changed to something that is closer to mountain bike style bars. They still have some rise and sweep. But my hands are closer to side-to-side than running 'lengthwise'.

Also changed the seat. I had on a Suntour (?) Cloud 9. They certainly look and feel like a nice seat. Yet I've always had trouble being quite comfortable on them. On more than one bike. Switched to an old Bell gel patched cruiser seat. The type you get at Wal-Mart for 25 bucks or so. Mostly had better luck with them. We'll see.

Between the seat and the handlebars I have more room to adjust my 'attitude' on the bike. I'm getting myself a bit more leaned over. When I can find the right balance, I'm sure I'll be able to protect my back better.

Just for the heck of it, here's a photo.
014.jpg

On an unrelated subject, note the mountain bike bar ends mounted inside the grips and levers. They make a terrific mirror mount.
 
http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odk....Xmushroom+grips&_nkw=mushroom+grips&_sacat=0

These help absorb impacts. I won't run without them! They are on my
bike right now!

Get a good springer seat with alot of cusion. I even have a fake lambskin wrapped around my one bike seat.

And get up on your pedals when you get into the rough stuff, like when you hit a drain basin type speed bump. The bike pivots without you getting hit by the force of the
quick up and down, or it reacts more quickly without your ass getting in way of it pivoting. Watch dirt bike riders through whoop de doos....
 
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It's true; the fat grips are a good idea and I'm going to have to consider it.

Also, I did follow bigbutterbean's suggestion and replaced my fork with a shock absorber type off of a mountain bike.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was reluctant because I wanted to be the one and only shock absorber. But there's no sense carrying a good idea too far, after all.

The shock absorbers up front do make one heckuva difference. I just might be converted.
 
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