I recently electrified my beloved steel tourer, and the extra speed combined with worsening road surface in my area is making me want a bit more comfort. Getting older might be a factor as well 😛
Has anyone tried suspension seatposts? Are they effective? Are there any downsides, besides a small amount of extra weight?
If you want to actually improve the comfort of your ride then I advise you to look at changing your tyres before adding novelty items like suspension seat posts. It will change the riding characteristics a lot more on the bike.
I’m not sure how much bigger my frame will accommodate - I think my current tyres are 40c and I could go up to 45, or 50 at a real push.
Do you think moving up to 45 would be noticeable?
Depends on the terrain but 40 up to 50 is a 25% increase so I would imagine so.
The tyres themselves will make a different depending on the suppleness and thickness of the rubber used as well as tread patterns.
What type of inner tube you use or moving to tubeless will also change the ride charactaristics.