Is a suspension seatpost/fork worth it for casual city cruising?

Posted by Everybodys_Me@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 17 comments

My first ebike will be for upright casual cruising on NYC streets + bridges. I'm deciding between two bikes that I can't test on roads beforehand:

1 - used Velotric ST 1 Plus (no suspension; 40mm tires)

2 - new Vanpowers Urbanglide Pro (fork and Zoom seatpost suspension; 60mm tires, costs hundreds more)

I was able to test a Lectric Xpress mid-step yesterday (probably similar suspension post and fork to the Vanpowers, but flatter bars and you can't flip up the stem), but came away feeling like the extra suspension was... okay. My high-tensile steel regular bike (32mm tires) is certainly bumpier... but I'm not sure it's a game changer. At least not that particular setup. Maybe once I'm more upright the front suspension won't matter much anyway because I'm not leaning on it (?). Maybe the seatpost could've been tuned better for me (?). Maybe that Zoom pogo type of seatpost isn't that great anyway (?). Maybe the difference adds up over time and I'd appreciate it more on a longer ride (?).

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unseenmover@reddit

Rode a OG t1 st for a time. The 40c tires, low stack and long reach makes it pretty prone to a harsh ride on rough streets and trails if you plan on riding any of those. I replaced the stem/bar set up and installed 45c schawble g one alrounds and it helped. I wouldnt bother with a susp fork and a dropper p[ost would be near impossible to install on one.

Ayeaux@reddit

Looking for new tires for my t1st plus. Would you agree that 45c is the widest that will fit the rear?

How much did you notice in ride quality going from the kenda to the schwalbe? Thanks.

Ive seen folks put 50c s on um but i thought the rim was too narrow and that iot would throw the sensors off so i didnt go that route. I forgot to add that the schwables are also e 50 rated for 50kph. I really liked um alot regardless of how much they were they were worth it.

Everybodys_Me@reddit (OP)

Honestly, I'd like to get the Urbanglide but something just doesn't feel right about ordering from this Vanpowers company. I can't even get them to answer simple pre-sale questions via chat or email.

classaceairspace@reddit

Fork not really, but parallelogram seatpost yes. I wouldn't pick a bike based on the suspension seatpost as 99% of the time unless you go super high end it will be an inline suspension which don't work very well as the forces act near enough perpendicular to the suspension travel. I'd say with an inline you get maybe 10-20% the performance you can get from a parallelogram post, they're worth every penny.

chuckwolf@reddit

a Seatpost definitely is but don't get a Zoom one, get a Suntour NCX they cushion the ride even more

slacknsurf420@reddit

frankly moving from 26er to fat tires 24 x 4 with rear suspension is an absolute game changer and I was worried more about mobility originally but the fat tires are quite nimble if anything they're almost a bit too nimble and take a tighter grip or the steerer would woo me loose with enough torque

HovercraftOne2275@reddit

Nimble? We have quite different definitions I think. I equated my 2 fatties to a semi truck experience.

I put a suspension seatpost like those zoom posts on my T1st plus. It does help. I also changed the saddle to something narrower and more comfortable.

However... You will have to unplug the rear light to change the seatpost. The stock post is hollow allowing the wiring to run to the saddle mounted rear light. You could probably run the wiring outside the frame with some extra work.

xtcbike@reddit

30 dollar suspension seat post took 80 percent of shock from my back. No more sore back.

derping1234@reddit

I put a suspension seatpost on my e cargobike which already had front fork suspension and it makes a big difference. I can go through a pothole at speed and I don’t need to get out of the seat. There is a big difference in quality out there though. I use a. BySchulz G.2 ST and it does wonders. Make sure to get one with the travel and weight rating suited to you and the type of riding you do.

boshbosh92@reddit

Yes suspension seat post is probably the best upgrade you can do for comfort

Ok-Impression-4766@reddit

suspension dropper post

niffcreature@reddit

My problem with them is that I usually want to stand/put pressure on the pedals a little bit to have more control when riding through rough terrain, and obviously seatpost suspension doesn't help with that.

doublereverse@reddit

if you’re good at getting off your seat for bumps, I’d say the suspension may not be worth it. It can really add to bike weight - particularly the front fork suspension, so there’s a real tradeoff- even little things like positioning your bike for locking are more of a pain with a very heavy bike, and some suspension e-bikes are HEAVY. I have seat suspension (not fork) and it only comes into play either when I miss spotting a bump, or at the end of a particularly long ride and I’m worn out and just don’t do a good job of getting off the saddle for bumps. If you ride at night and can’t see the bumps, that might be another time for it. For me, I’d rather have an almost 10lb lighter bike than the version of my bike with front fork suspension. But if you are bad about getting off your seat, the extra shock absorption will make a big difference in your comfort.

Severe_Ad_8475@reddit

You can just buy a suspension seat post for 30$. For road riding they don't really make a difference. Going onto sidewalks at intersections they do a bit A suspension seat post should not sway your decision.

dananapatman@reddit

Yes. Loved my suspension seat post on my commuter ebike. I think it helped a lot. I have a brooks flyer saddle on my current ebike for similar effect.