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Urban Transport

Ergon's CF3 seatpost will put a spring (or two) in your ride

By Ben Coxworth
October 05, 2012
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Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon suspension seatpost
A rear view of Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost
A front view of Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost
Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon suspension seatpost
Front and rear views of Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost
A side view of Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost
View gallery - 5 images

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.

A side view of Ergon's CF3 Pro Carbon seatpost

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

View gallery - 5 images

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Urban TransportFraunhoferSeatCyclingComfortSuspension
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Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.
5 comments
The Hoff
I don't think a seat that tilts on springs and hinges can be energy efficient. You wont see this or any other suspension seatpost on any competitive bikes because you loose power every time it moves. The pain from a seat comes from lack of padding and how it fits your anatomy and the fact that you can't change position on it enough to make a difference. Try some different seats to see what works for you and get bike shorts because most people don't know that they are all padded. Why do they pad your butt and not the seat? My best guess is so that you can change position on the seat more easily with this configuration, but I'm not sure about that fact.
Keith Reeder
"The pain from a seat comes from lack of padding"
No, it ABSOLUTELY does not. Any seasoned cyclist will tell you that padded seats are the worst thing, comfort-wise, in the long term.
What deals with the pain is time in the saddle - that's it. A harder, but well-designed, saddle is fantastically comfortable, once you're used to it.
ZekeG
Make it from Basalt for like 4-5 times less money!
mgb
I am sorry folks, but a s long suffering cyclist who has tried everything, this and any other form of shock absorption will not do it, as long as a male rider remains male and in possession of his "equipment", a traditional saddle-fitted, upright (non-recumbent) bike will forever be a problem and "a pain in the crotch", period. Recumbents are the only solution to a sore/numb crotch. But the tragedy is that the mass production of recumbents will never happen and we will always be faced with having to pay too much for such such long-overdue common sense bikes as a solution to this chronic problem.
moreover
While recumbents are not the be-all, end all they've come a long way. I've ridden recumbents for over 25 years and only recently have they come down in weight. I'm currently on a carbon recumbent weighing 18 lbs and hills no longer bother me (and I'm talking about the Rockies). The riding comfort is unsurpassed.
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