by Rick Schultz
Rating:
Hot
- Wow, this seatpost really works!
- 4 different post diameters with 2 post length options for each post diameter.
- 4 spring combinations offering support for riders weight of 50 lbs. to 250 lbs.
- 2 setback options (12mm, 25mm)
- 0-35mm travel
- Made from 6061 Aluminum
- Stainless Steel hardware
- Only other option to turn a hardtail into a suspension bike is to buy a new one.
Not
- None identified
Price MSRP:
2.1 (Aluminum): $249 TESTED
3.2 (Carbon): $329
Source: Bike shops, Websites
Features: Replacement springs to handle rider weight from 50 lbs. (22.7 kg) to 250 lbs.
8 (eight) different post diameters and post lengths
How obtained: Sample from KINEKT
Summary: Low cost solution turns hardtail gravel, cross, road, MTB into a suspension bike
First Thoughts
Years ago, I bought a semi-custom DEAN carbon-wrapped titanium hardtail. Adding a complete *XTR groupset made it complete. At the time, I used it mainly for trail riding. I also used it as my commuter bike riding back and forth to work. That was when I was younger.
Now, that I am a little older, I don’t seem to be able to absorb all of the little bumps along the trail anymore. The DEAN is a hardtail, so there’s really not a lot of options to soften the ride.
*How I ended up with the XTR groupset is a quick story that I hope won’t get you, the reader too upset. It turns out that the private middle-school that my daughter attended, was also attended by Kozo Shimano’s two daughters. Our daughters never really knew each other since my daughter was into sports and his daughters were into music, dance, etc. During a school event that we both attended, I was able to speak with him and he invited me to stop by Shimano offering me a ‘friendship’ price for the groupset. His generous offer was too good to not take him up on it. And, being XTR, it’s still ‘alive and well’ many years later!
My Options
Doing a little research, I found 3 options;
1. Get a new full-suspension mountain bike. But, new XTR level MTB’s are EXPENSIVE, $10,000 to over $12,000.
- I would have to consider SRAM, or
- I would have to move down a step to XT or even further down the rung to SLX and maybe all the way down to DEORE.
After riding XTR, these aren’t really options.
2. Buy a dropper post, but two issues
- quality ones are expensive ($450-$800)
- and they do not come with suspension.
So that leaves this option out as well.
3. Get a suspension seatpost. Doing an initial search showed that there are junk ones ($20-$30), or quality ones ($175-$300). Current recommendations seem to point to Cane Creek and Kinekt. Cane Creek’s $300 seat post can hold more rider weight but gives up on the amount of travel (20mm for the Cane Creek vs 35mm for the Kinekt).
After researching, the Kinekt looks like the best deal out there, especially since you can purchase different springs for different weights as well as to fine-tune. The Kinekt is quality manufactured. This thing is SOLID!
First Impression
The DEAN had a custom Titanium seatpost, which I had to wrestle out. Comparing the seatposts, weight was the first thing I noticed. Both posts were 400mm. The DEAN Ti MTB seatpost weighs 179g (6.3 oz, 0.39 lbs.), the Kinekt is 563g (19.9 oz, 1.24 lbs.). The Kinekt is 214.5% heavier than the DEAN Ti, but, the main reason for this is that the DEAN MTB was built for light weight, including the seat post, the Kinekt is built as a very durable suspension seatpost and includes steel springs.
After going through their website’s setup procedures, I found that I wanted a little more firmness. It was just a little too bouncy for me. Kinekt added several different springs so that I could fine tune. I quickly and easily swapped out one of the BLACK springs for an ORANGE spring. I watched their how-to video and it was super easy. There are also videos on SETTING-UP and choosing initial springs, ADVANCED TUNING and ADJUSTING PRELOAD, SPRING SWAP OUT, HOW TO CHANGE BUSHINGS and FINE-TUNING by mixing springs. All-in-all, a very useful website.
After inserting the seatpost, it was very easy to install the saddle because
a) the design of the clamp allows plenty of room for the saddle rails
- all you need to do to install a saddle is rotate the saddle 90°, place over the clamp, rotate back straight then tighten. Eazy-peezy.
b) the clamp bolts are at an angle allowing plenty of room for your allen wrench when tightening.
Trying It Out
After setting the preload, I setup the saddle height. Once set, I took it around the block and out onto a local trail. WOW, what a difference this seatpost made! It was almost as if I had a full suspension MTB, it roade that good. Out on the street, it was a cushier ride as well. Much more comfortable.
Summary – Highly Recommended: 5 out of 5 stars!
This seatpost can be used to soften any ‘hard-tail’ bike. Kinekt recommends this seatpost for
- E-bikes
- Gravel bikes
- Cruisers
- Mountain bikes
- Commuter bikes
- Tandems
- Fat bikes,
- Youth bikes, and even, yes,
- Road bikes!
This is a product I’m keeping.
Coach Rick Schultz is an avid cyclist who trains, races and coaches in Southern California. Rick is an engineer by trade, and in addition to being a coach, he's a bike fitter and prolific product reviewer. He's the author of Stretching & Core Strengthening for the Cyclist and Bike Fit 101: Your Toolset for a Great Bike Fit in the RBR eBookstore. Check his product reviews website, www.biketestreviews.com, and his coaching site, www.bikefitnesscoaching.com. Click to read Rick's full bio.
That does seem like a great seatpost, but one and a quarter pounds for something that small? I think I’ll wait for a newer generation to come out which I’m sure will be lighter.
And what about the springs rusting? Kinekt sells a waterproof wrap so there must be some concern if it gets wet it will rust?
It would be good to see a comparison test vs. Cane Creek’s posts. The review makes a brief reference to Cane Creek’s eeSilk, which is slightly more expensive ($289) but dramatically lighter (295g). But a better comparison might be the Thudbuster ST, with 33mm travel, at $171 and ~470g (depending on diameter).
But the Cane Creek only has 20mm of travel, and the Thudbuster is another tank.
And of course, if you don’t already have a couple inches of seat post showing out of the end of your seat tube, suspension posts won’t work. Shoulda bought a 54 cm frame instead of a 56.
But then what happens if the 54 is too cramped? Most of today’s bikes use a sloping top tube anyways so there should be plenty of post space.
The best seat post I’ve tried! Did 30 miles after 1 year of no riding! Super comfortable!
If you’re going to spend that kind of money, you can get an Ergon CF3 post that weighs a mere 220 grams. I’ve also found that Cannondale’s SAVE seatpost takes some of the sting out of a hardtail, but doesn’t have the travel of a suspension post. It weighs just 212 grams for a 400mm post.
I think the Ergon is a rip off post! It’s way overpriced at around $400. While the Canyon S13 VCLS is basically the same principle as the Ergon for about $200 less.
You do known that ergon is owned by the brother of the owner of Canyon? So talking of ripoof when they work together quite often…
So it’s not a ripoff? Ok, I’ll buy that if there is a good explanation as to why the identical Canyon post is $200 cheaper.
Maybe you will find extra info there.:
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/five-soft-riding-road-seatposts-tested-in-the-lab-and-on-the-road/
You can get the Cirrus cycles Kinekt suspension seat post for just $211 on Amazon, it’s the same post: https://www.amazon.com/Cirrus-Cycles-Aluminum-Diameter-150-200lbs/dp/B07G5DLBM4/ref=asc_df_B07G5DLBM4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312065280674&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13182121641620707111&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016343&hvtargid=pla-569165302559&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62425943472&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312065280674&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13182121641620707111&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016343&hvtargid=pla-569165302559
But these suspension seatposts weigh a lot, and the Kinekt is about 565 grams, that’s a pound and a quarter! And you’re wanting to put that on a lightweight bike you bought because you wanted a lightweight bike? I think not, I wouldn’t even put that on my touring bike!
I looked at the Canyon S14 VCls 2.0 and it’s not remotely the same as the Kinekt, it’s a split seatpost with carbon springs, and it weighs a lot less, but it’s no longer in production…however there is another one called the DCB dual flex Ergon CF3 seatpost that looks exactly like the Cannon for only $125 and weighs the same as the Cannon: https://www.diycarbonbikes.com/products/dcb-flex-seatpost-ergon-cf3?variant=21276627337296¤cy=USD&utm_campaign=gs-2019-08-01&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1pjqvraG5gIVE9tkCh1bGgnIEAQYECABEgIlvPD_BwE I think if I wanted a suspension seatpost for my touring bike I would probably look at that one further.
There’s also another one from Redshift Sports Shock Stop seatpost, this one has 35mm of travel, more than the Kinekt, and it weighs about a third less than the Kinekt but it’s still portly in my thinking and it cost $230: https://www.bikebling.com/Redshift-Sports-ShockStop-Suspension-Seatpost-p/redshift19-shockstop-sp.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1pjqvraG5gIVE9tkCh1bGgnIEAQYGiABEgLvSPD_BwE&Click=120514&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shoppingengine
I guess if I needed to take some vibration off I would probably look at the DCB Ergon post.