Suspension post and/or seat replacement?

Fikey

New member
Local time
10:46 PM
Joined
May 13, 2024
Messages
3
Location
Bonners Ferry, ID
My wife and I recently bought Aventon Aventure 2 bikes. This is strictly for cruising down mostly gravel roads. At 20 miles, we certainly are feeling it in our seat. My research shows that there are several seat replacements with springs (I assume to ease the jarring) as well as suspension posts. Are both necessary to soften the ride? Also, what seat would be good for our senior citizen behinds?
 
Welcome to the forum!

You really can't tell by the looks of the seat.

If you want one to really coddle your backside and you're not leaning forward at all, I had one of these that was pretty good. Only problem is that the butt support is so wide that it can chafe the back of your thighs as you pedal:

You have to be careful with how you mount and dismount it though; because it is so wide, when you put your weight on the very edge, it applies a lot of leverage to the mounting point.

The one that I really like and have bought two of us this one:

It has a good mixture of good cushion, a bit of ventilation in the middle and no pressure points in the prostate area.

It would not be a good seat for something leaned forward; it's more for an upright style bike. I think you Aventons would be good for it.

I have an Aventon Level.2 myself and I find the stock seat is just OK.

As for the suspension, I bought a Suntour NCX post for my Level.2. (I was OK with the stock seat for my rides of under an hour, but my butt is only 47 years old. ;) ) This is a nice one and is a good compromise between the super expensive $300 ones and the cheap, short ones. It uses a cantilever design in which there is a long spring that goes down into the post, rather than cramming it all into a 2" section of shock absorber:

We hope you stick around and join the community, rather than just get a quick answer and off you go. Share your experiences and some pictures, then mentor the next generation of eBike newbies!
 
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
+1 on the Sun tour seat post. I also added a Cloud 9 seat and padded shorts. All help but after a 30 mile ride I still feel it.
 
+1 on the Sun tour seat post. I also added a Cloud 9 seat and padded shorts. All help but after a 30 mile ride I still feel it.
That's a good point; padded biker shorts make a HUGE difference, no matter the seats. It will feel like you're wearing a diaper when you're off the bike, though.

When I was a motorcyclist, I used to wear padded biker shorts for the longer rides.
 
+1again on feeling like you're wearing a diaper when you're not on the bike!
 
Welcome to the forum!

You really can't tell by the looks of the seat.

If you want one to really coddle your backside and you're not leaning forward at all, I had one of these that was pretty good. Only problem is that the butt support is so wide that it can chafe the back of your thighs as you pedal:

You have to be careful with how you mount and dismount it though; because it is so wide, when you put your weight on the very edge, it applies a lot of leverage to the mounting point.

The one that I really like and have bought two of us this one:

It has a good mixture of good cushion, a bit of ventilation in the middle and no pressure points in the prostate area.

It would not be a good seat for something leaned forward; it's more for an upright style bike. I think you Aventons would be good for it.

I have an Aventon Level.2 myself and I find the stock seat is just OK.

As for the suspension, I bought a Suntour NCX post for my Level.2. (I was OK with the stock seat for my rides of under an hour, but my butt is only 47 years old. ;) ) This is a nice one and is a good compromise between the super expensive $300 ones and the cheap, short ones. It uses a cantilever design in which there is a long spring that goes down into the post, rather than cramming it all into a 2" section of shock absorber:

We hope you stick around and join the community, rather than just get a quick answer and off you go. Share your experiences and some pictures, then mentor the next generation of eBike newbies!
Thanks. The seat looks great. Your link on the post took me to a 27mm post and my dealer says it's a 30.9. Did that change? Also, the post says it works with seats with 7mm rails and I cannot find that data on that seat. I assume it will work?
 
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
I bought mine after measuring my seatpost, you should do the same to make sure.
They'll take a return if it's unused, but if you ordered the wrong size, you'll pay for return shipping. ;-)
 
The search for comfy seats can take you down a rabbit hole. Each person's butt is different, sit bones are spaced differently, personal preferences vary, sitting position varies. I found that firmer seats are better because they don't squish into areas they should not be. Ideally you sit on your sit bones, so a narrower seat is better for avid riders with a lean-forward position. I tried many different types of seats from leather Brooks, Selle Italia, to Specialized Body Geometry saddles on my traditional bikes.

After all that, I find the stock seat on my Denago Commute unexpectedly comfy, to where I ride for an hour without thinking about it much. It's wide, but firm, and it moves a little with me when I pedal. This is good, because it's holding my 210lbs while I sit upright without chafing. Some of the movement is in the suspension seat post, and some is the in the seat. I always adjust my seats to where they are horizontal front-to-back, with a tiny tweak to taste. This is important as it keeps you from sliding off your seat while you ride.

image (38).png
 
I have a thudbuster on my fat bike that helps a lot. For help with a bike seat some local bike shops have a device that measures your sitbones and can help with seat selection.
 
Wider doesn't always mean more comfortable, If your butt isn't on the large side, and even if it is the bones that take the pressure of sitting are the same distance apart either way, and like Jeremy said it makes pedaling uncomfortable.

This is the most comfortable saddle I have found so far https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ME1JA4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Full disclosure though, I wouldn't have a butt if I didn't carry a wallet.

I have a full suspension bike so no need for a suspension seat post but my wife's hard tail bike has this seat post. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NMWP4M9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1
It's pricy but it works really well, it comes with two sets of springs and you can use the two soft springs or the two firm springs or one of each to get the right spring force for your weight. It gives a pretty cushy ride. And she has this saddle also very cushy, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WWVGVLW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

There are lots of options, good luck finding what works best for you. Amazon is good for their easy returns, try something and if you don't like it return it and try something else.
 
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
Lots of good advice here!
- You can’t tell by looking, or even holding and squeezing in a shop. You’ve got to try it properly.
- I’m not alone in buying several at a time off Amazon with free returns. Wrap the mounting rails with masking tape or a Posit-it note and it should stay unmarked.
- Get a Suntour suspension seat post. They are very popular and universally rated. They're way better than the cheaper telescoping designs that don’t move in the optimum direction.
- Sliding the seat back and forth and adjusting the tilt can make a big difference. Repositioning the handlebars does the same.
- Riding regularly will condition your butt!
- FWIW I’ve ended up with this curvey Selle SMP https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FFYY5LQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1
 
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
My two bits:
There's no getting away from the contact point between saddle and butt, as said before; softer, wider and bigger is not always better.
It is amazing what you (your butt) gets used to. After enough time on the bike you don't notice it anymore.
What my senior body doesn't like are jarring from uneven road surfaces, and a suspension post is the best money ever spent (more so than a saddle). As said earlier you can't beat the comfort and value for money of a Suntour NCX. Its like cloud nine.
 
The ISM Touring Saddle is unconventionally shaped but very comfy. Designed for an upright riding position. If you look at how the sitting bones are shaped anatomically and how to angle them on the saddle. I haven't looked back since I got one.
 
Links to Amazon may include affiliate code. If you click on an Amazon link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
I have a Redshift seat suspension post for my Aventon Pace, and love it. Was pricey, somewhere around $250 IIRC, but made a big difference on my ride.
 
Back
Top