A Comparison of Spring and Polymer Suspensions
When it comes to upgrading your bike, one of the first things to consider is your seat post. A suspension seat post can help to absorb bumps and vibrations, making your ride smoother and more comfortable. Two popular options on the market are the Kinekt Suspension Post and the Cane Creek Thudbuster. Both offer a level of suspension, but they use different technologies to achieve it.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Kinekt Suspension Post and the Cane Creek Thudbuster and compare their features to help you make an informed decision.
KINEKT Suspension Post
The Kinekt Suspension Post is a spring-based suspension seat post that uses a unique parallelogram design to provide up to 30mm of travel. The parallelogram design allows the saddle to move independently of the bike frame, which helps to absorb bumps and vibrations to your spine. The Kinekt Suspension Post also features a preload adjustment that allows you to fine-tune the suspension to your weight and riding style.
Spring suspension, as the name suggests, uses a spring to absorb vibrations and impacts. The spring is typically located between the seatpost and the frame of the bike. As the bike goes over bumps or rough terrain, the spring compresses and expands to absorb the shock, providing a smoother ride. The spring is usually made of steel, titanium, or composite materials such as carbon. In the case of the Kinekt, it uses steel, which is well known for its flexible quality.
Spring suspension can be adjusted to suit the rider’s weight and riding style by adjusting the preload on the spring. The preload refers to the amount of tension placed on the spring before it is installed in the seatpost. This allows the rider to fine-tune the suspension to their specific needs, and can be adjusted on the fly.
Spring suspension is considered to have a progressive spring rate, meaning that the resistance to compression increases as the suspension is compressed. This means that the suspension is stiffer at the beginning of the travel and softer at the end of the travel.
Overall, spring suspension is considered to be a more customizable option compared to polymer suspension, but it requires more maintenance and is more prone to wear and tear.
CANE CREEK THUDBUSTER Suspension Post
The Cane Creek Thudbuster is a polymer-based suspension seat post that uses a parallelogram design to provide up to 50mm of travel. The parallelogram design allows the saddle to move independently of the bike frame, which helps to absorb bumps and vibrations. The Thudbuster uses an elastomer (polymer) instead of a spring which offers a more linear suspension travel.
In a nutshell, polymer suspension (also known as elastomer suspension) works by using a flexible polymer material to absorb vibrations and impacts. The polymer material is typically in the form of a small rubber-like cylinder or puck and it’s placed between the seatpost and the frame of the bike. As the bike goes over bumps or rough terrain, the polymer material compresses and expands to absorb the shock, providing a smoother ride.
The polymer material is typically made of a high-performance rubber-like compound that is designed to be durable, resistant to wear and tear, and able to withstand a wide range of temperatures.
The polymer suspension is considered to have a linear travel, meaning that the suspension travel is consistent throughout the travel. Unlike spring suspension, the polymer suspension does not have a progressive spring rate, which means that the resistance to compression does not change as the suspension is compressed.
Overall polymer suspension is considered to be a simpler, more reliable and maintenance-free option compared to spring suspension, but it also offers less adjustability.
Summary
Both the Kinekt Suspension Post and the Cane Creek Thudbuster are designed to absorb bumps and vibrations, but they use different technologies to achieve it. The Kinekt Suspension Post uses a spring-based suspension, which can be adjusted to your weight and riding style. The Cane Creek Thudbuster uses a polymer-based suspension, which offers a more linear travel.
When choosing between the Kinekt Suspension Post and the Cane Creek Thudbuster, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you’re looking for a suspension seat post that can be fine-tuned to your weight and riding style, the Kinekt Suspension Post may be the best option. If you’re looking for a suspension seat post with a more linear travel, the Cane Creek Thudbuster may be the better choice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the Kinekt Suspension Post and the Cane Creek Thudbuster Suspension Post are excellent options for upgrading your bike’s seat post. They both offer a level of suspension, but they use different technologies to achieve it. The Kinekt Suspension Post uses a spring-based suspension, which can be adjusted to your weight and riding style, while the Cane Creek Thudbuster uses a polymer-based suspension, which offers a more linear travel. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference, so it’s worth testing them both out before making your decision.
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