#267 - USE Sumo XCR ShokPost

I had to nick this pic from ChainReactionCycles.com
as I don't have a close-up picture of my suspension seatpost

 I have learned this long ago (during my RC days). Constant racing

normally forces you to look into your technique and endurance. This

means you (I mean me) tend to spend on just the necessities like gels

and recovery drinks.

 

No racing means boredom and no training ... and hence more time

checking out stuff in ChainReactionCycles.com

 

To make the story short, I ordered this suspension seatpost

from USE through CRC because I wanted to use my aluminum

hardtail more. Especially in Malaysia Jamborees.

 

It says here that I did get the USE Sumo XCR ShokPost
27.2mm in diameter, aluminium, 390mm in length and
medium spring

I ordered the one with Medium spring rate because it says

there in the CRC website that it can accommodate a person who

is 120 to 170 pounds (or 55 to 80 kg). I am around 66 kg, so just

nice. Anyway, without further ado here are the pros and cons of

the seatpost :

 

PROs



1. bouncy bouncy boing boing boing - supposed to be 2.5" of travel !

I used it in T15 and Tampines YOG Trail and you really can

pedal on the places with small stones and your butt will

thank you for it.

 

2. relatively cheap - I get the impression that the alternative

for this seatpost would either be a Syntace P6 Carbon Hiflex

or a Lynskey Titanium Seatpost 

 

CONs

1. very heavy - this is the price you have to pay for comfort.

How heavy? I didn't even bother weighing. Just heavy. Trust me.

 

2. When you mount this on your bike, be prepared to give some

allowance for the saddle height. Remember that this is a suspension

seatpost ... and therefore there will be some sag. So when you are

NOT on your bike, there's no sag ... when you seat on your saddle

then there will be sag. How much sag? Not sure ... there's nobody

to measure it for me ... but maybe 10mm?

 

3. Related to #2, imagine you are seated on your bike, pedalling

happily along T15. In this situation there is sag on your seatpost.

You then see a downhill section and you go and stand on your

pedals and get OFF your saddle. What happens? The seatpost will

extend. Now, pretend the DH section is over. You want to get back

to seating on your saddle ... just remember that the saddle is now

higher than when you left it and that your shorts may snag on it.

 

4. Related to #2 and #3 ... this is not so bad ... pretend you are

spinning. But you are a bad spinner. If you are on your full sus bike,

maybe the bike would begin to bounce. BUT if you are on your

full sus bike, the distance from the saddle to the BB does NOT change.

Using a suspension seatpost, that distance from your saddle to the

BB changes when you bounce ... I didn't feel any negative effect

but know that this might play havoc on your knees.

 

 

So with sooo many things going against this suspension seatpost,

will I use it again? Hmmmm I already bought it, so most probably

I will play with it. But now that you know all these things, it's up

to you to decide if this seatpost is for you.

 

By the way, I first thought of buying this seatpost when I saw

one of my friends have a seatpost on his Ragley hardtail with

a rubber accordion on it. I immediately assumed that he had

a USE ShokPost on his bike. I didn't even ask him about it.

Now that I wrote this ... did I really see a USE ShokPost on

his bike or was it a Gravity Dropper Turbo ??? Both have

rubber accordions?! Argghh

 



The USE XCR ShokPost mounted on my aluminium Brand-X frame.
... and yes, it is mounted backwards




Do you guys still see this at the PCN in T15?
I haven't been there for a while.

 

 

 

 



Titanium Seatpost



as the saying goes, a picture is worth 201 grams ....



Nice? :-)

Last Monday, I walked to Tay Junction which is like 3 HDB blocks
away from my office. I wasn't planning on buying anything.
Especially after I was quoted 95$ for Ti barends at their
Bukit Timah branch.

While browsing around, I saw a sliver of Titanium peaking from under
a bunch of black anodized aluminum seatposts.... I asked the
saleslady if that seatpost is 27.2mm. She confirmed with
one of their mechanics that it is. I asked how much while
knowing that eventually the price will be beyond my reach.
Then she said : 100$, sir. Upon hearing the amount,
I didn't hear what else she was saying. All I could hear
was Annie Lennox singing 'There must be an Angel' (right title?)
inside my head. So, this time, I gladly paid for the seatpost and
went home happily.

The Ti Seatpost that I got looks like the Soul Titanium Seatpost
advertised in the Soul Bikes website. I can only see two differences.
First, the Soul sticker is missing. Second, the Soul seatpost is 150$.
What a difference a brand name makes ;-) Also, this seatpost trimmed
off a few grams from my bike's overall weight as it is only 201 grams.
The amoeba seatpost that I used to use for my Inbred weighs 306grams.

I used this on my Two Hills ride last night. All that I have heard
about Ti damping trail chatter (in this case, it's the bricks in the
HDB walkways) is true. I indeed can feel that my ass can feel
less unevenness in the roads.

Now I am happy with my bike :-) I have a steel frame, Ti seatpost,
tubeless wheelset and an airfork.... but wait... Eggbeater 2s are
lighter than my Candy 2s! Maybe ......   :-)