Nobody likes getting a sore butt (or numb “other areas”) while cycling, yet a lot of cyclists also don’t want the added weight of a suspension seatpost – even a snazzy one like the BodyFloat. Well, those individuals may well be interested in Ergon Bike Ergonomics’ forthcoming CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost. Made from two parallel carbon fiber leaf springs, it actually weighs less than some conventional carbon seatposts.
The CF3’s two flexy springs both connect to a central “head” at the top, where the seat is mounted. According to Ergon, “[when] a bump through the bike pushes the bike upwards, the seatpost flexes in the exact opposite direction, allowing the bump to be neutralized.” Bearings in the head allow it to pivot fore and aft in relation to the springs, keeping the saddle horizontally level when the springs bend back.
The result is a zero-maintenance suspension seatpost, that reportedly weighs in at just 220 grams (7.8 oz) – not the lightest seatpost ever created, but definitely no slouch, either. Although it’s intended for use on road bikes, a report on BikeRadar indicates that a version for mountain bikes may also be on the way.
The CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost is scheduled to hit the marketplace next year, at a price of US$250.
... and if some readers think it looks a little familiar, well, we can only guess that some convergent evolution took place. You see, back in 2009, Germany’s Fraunhofer research group unveiled a prototype seatpost that it had developed, which looked quite similar to the CF3. When we asked Ergon about the similarities, a representative told us that the CF3 had been developed in-house at Ergon Germany over the past five-plus years. Fraunhofer has yet to respond to our query.
Source: Ergon Bike Ergonomics via BikeRadar
