Bestrider Pump Pro 20: Frameset, Handlebar, Seatpost, Saddle

It's time to disassemble the Bestrider Pump Pro 20, before starting the modifications! As there are some  stock components that are pretty good, I will be reusing them. As for the other parts which do not meet my requirements, I will swap them out for something better.

Bike frameset with most of the components removed!

Only the aluminium frame left!

Frame weight is 1370 grams, with one headset bearing. It was stuck and I could not remove both to weigh.

Using sealed headset bearings, which is much nicer than loose ball bearings.

Aluminium front fork, with the super tall crown and large width.

Front fork is 507 grams, which is pretty heavy. It can be lighter as proven by the Fnhon front fork.

Stock super short stem weighs 85 grams.

Stock stem length is just 35 mm, which is like a MTB stem.

Lightweight carbon headset spacers weigh 8 grams.

Freshly cleaned and ready for new components to be installed!

As mentioned in the earlier post, the stock riser handlebar is too wide and too high. Therefore, I will be changing to a straight handlebar that is also narrower.

On the previous Bestrider Pump Pro 16, I got a new carbon handlebar in the preferred width, so that I don't need to cut it myself. However, for this new handlebar, I could not find a stock handlebar that comes in the preferred width, so I need to cut it to the correct length myself.

New carbon handlebar with a width of 580 mm

After cutting to the preferred width of 520 mm, the weight of the carbon handlebar is 131 grams. 

I used a very general formula to calculate the ideal handlebar width. Based on this guide, the handlebar width should be about 0.44 of the rider's height. This gives a handlebar width of 520 mm. The weight is pretty OK but there are lighter ones available. The one I used on the Birdy is just 107 grams for 580 mm width. Not sure why this one is significantly heavier, probably because I got a cheaper one.

As mentioned in the first post, the stock seat post and saddle is pretty bad, which is why I have to change them. 

Stock saddle and suspension seat post! Let's see how much they weigh.

Saddle is only 185 grams which is light, but that it because it does not have saddle rails for adjustment.

Stock suspension seat post is heavy at 408 grams, despite the short length.

The saddle and seat post which I got for the Bestrider Pump Pro 16 was good, which is why I decided to get another set for this bike.

Stock carbon seat post of 350 mm length before cutting. Diameter is 27.2 mm.

As the seat post length is too long to insert into the bike frame, I had to cut 60 mm to ensure it can fit at the lowest saddle position. Weight is 203 grams after cutting.

One more SDG Fly Junior saddle for the new bike!

Blue colour was chosen to match the new bike frame

Weight of 260 grams, which is pretty heavy considering the smaller kids size.

The weight of the original saddle + suspension seat post is 185 + 408 = 593 grams. Changing to the new SDG saddle and carbon seat post is 259 + 203 = 462 grams, a savings of about 130 grams.

There are other new components for the Bestrider Pump Pro 20 kids bike, they will be introduced in the next few posts.

Specialized Aethos: PRO Stealth Team Saddle + Camera Mount

A new saddle is needed for the Specialized Aethos, as it is an additional bike to my bike stable. Normally if I am replacing a bike, I will just transfer the saddle from the existing bike over to the new bike.

As you may already know, I am very comfortable with the PRO Stealth series of saddles, ever since I did a proper bike fitting at LOUE Bicycles. In fact, I bought many PRO Stealth saddles to replace most of my existing saddles.

The first Stealth saddle that I got was the PRO Stealth Superlight, which is found on the Focus Paralane all-weather commuting bike. Subsequently I also changed to the PRO Stealth Off-Road saddle on the Cervelo Aspero gravel bike and also the Fnhon DB11/12 folding bike.

Although there are many other saddles that are lighter than the PRO Stealth series, comfort and compatibility is more important. I would not want a superlight saddle that looks good but is not as comfortable. Therefore there was no doubt that I would get another PRO Stealth saddle for the Specialized Aethos.

Some additions to the PRO Stealth saddle lineup included the Stealth Team saddle, which is also a lightweight saddle that is different from the original Superlight model. This new model looks more appealing to me as it costs less, although it does weigh a little bit more. Check out the differences below and also at this link.

New PRO Stealth Team saddle, with an edgier appearance. This is the version with 142 mm width.

Fnhon DB12: Dura-Ace R9100 Crankarms and PRO Stealth Saddle

A few months ago, before I converted the Focus Paralane from a 1x11 speed to 2x11 speed road bike, I had the Dura-Ace R9100 crankset available and not in use on any of my bikes. This is the original R9100 crankset that I had on the Canyon Endurace, since year 2017.

Therefore, I decided to put this Dura-Ace crankset on the Fnhon DB12, because it is black and matches the frame well. Prior to this, an Ultegra 6800 crankset was in use.

Dura-Ace R9100 crankset with the Wolf Tooth 44T chain ring for AXS 12 speed chain.

Looking good with my signature 4 colour chain ring bolts!

Bestrider Pump Pro 16: Saddle and Seatpost Upgrade

The Bestrider Pump Pro 16 kids bike came with a decent small saddle for kids, but the lack of adjustability is a problem. Only the saddle height can be adjusted via the seatpost height, while the saddle fore/aft and tilt cannot be adjusted at all. This is because the saddle attaches to the seat post via a pipe-fitting interface (refer to pictures below), instead of using the common saddle rail interface.

Another issue was that this pipe-fitting interface had looseness between the saddle and the seat post which could not be eliminated. To be honest, this kind of interface is not good at all, and only used because it is cheap.

Therefore, to optimize the saddle position for proper riding, I decided to get a new kids-specific saddle for this bike. As the stock seat post does not have a clamp for saddle rails, I also had to get a new seat post at the same time.

I found that it was nearly impossible to get a decent kids saddle that is not too big or with overly-thick cushion. There are very few options available.

Finally I found a source which had this SDG Fly Junior saddle that is highly rated for kids. There was practically no second option for a good quality kids saddle.

SDG Fly Junior kids saddle!

Some of the features of this saddle.

It was not available in red to match the bike frame, nor all-black. Therefore I had to settle for orange colour.

Standard saddle construction with normal saddle rails.

Tough side material to prevent scuffing when the bike is rested against the ground or wall.

Comparing it to a standard adult road saddle.

Although it is shorter than the adult saddle, it can actually be even shorter and will still be fine.

Narrower to suit the kids' narrower sit bones. You will be surprised how many kids saddles are too wide.

Comparing the shape of the stock saddle (on the left) with the new saddle. Original saddle is even shorter.

Stock saddle has a large plastic bottom shell which matches with the stock seat post. This is what I meant by pipe-fitting interface.

Stock saddle has a cutout at the rear of the saddle, for an adult to hold the saddle using fingers when guiding the kid on the bike.

Stock saddle is chunkier as well, with a very thick and soft cushion.

As for the seat post, a standard 27.2 mm diameter seat post is needed. Since I already had the carbon handlebars, I might as well get a carbon seat post as well. There are many available online, but I decided to get one from Toseek which is of better quality. I'm not too concerned about the strength of these carbon seat posts, because it will only need to take a kid's weight and not an adult. Also, as long as you don't get the super lightweight type, the strength is usually more than sufficient as they will just use more carbon to ensure sufficient strength. The risk comes when you buy lightweight carbon parts from unknown sources.

New carbon seat post! Definitely needs to be cut to fit the kids bike frame.

Dual bolt top and bottom clamp, pretty standard stuff. However, the resting surface for the saddle rails is rather short as it is limited to the centre portion.

Standard bolt and clamp interface, similar to Litepro seatposts.

There is actually an open slot at one of the clamping areas, which is not such an ideal design. I did not notice this when I ordered the seat post.

Wall thickness is equal around the circumference, and more than thick enough.

Weighs 221 grams, which is decent but not really lightweight for a carbon seat post. That's perfectly fine as I don't need to worry about insufficient strength.

After measuring and cutting off almost 90 mm of seat post...

...the seat post weight is now reduced to 194 grams which is great.

New SDG Fly Junior saddle is 260 grams which is so-so. I expected it to be lighter as it is smaller than the usual adult saddles.

New saddle plus new seat post weighs 454 grams.

Stock seat post and saddle only weighs 254 grams! That is really very lightweight.

A lot of the seat post weight comes from the saddle clamp area, not the aluminium or carbon tube. Also, the steel saddle rails on the saddle accounts for a lot of the saddle weight as well. The stock seat post and saddle design eliminates both of these heavy components, which allowed it to save a lot of weight. However, this sacrifices the option of saddle adjustability. 

New saddle and seat post installed on the upgraded 3 speed kids bike! Unfortunately the orange saddle does not really match the red frame.

Finally we can adjust the saddle tilt angle...

...and also the fore/aft setting to optimize the pedaling ergonomics.

Overall, this seat post and saddle upgrade actually caused a 200 grams increase in weight, which is unusual. The better saddle quality and position adjustment comes at a cost of heavier weight.

Bestrider Pump Pro 16 (Single Speed)

5.6 kg without pedals and kickstand, in stock condition.

About 6 kg with larger Early Rider pedals (266 g) and kickstand (102 g).

Bestrider Pump Pro 16 (3 Speed)

After upgrading to 3 speed drivetrain, new SDG saddle and seat post.

- 6.6 kg without pedals and kickstand.

- 7.0 kg with Early Rider pedals (266 g) and kickstand (102 g).

At 7.0 kg for a 3 speed kids bike, I think it is a very good weight. Probably very difficult to go any lower unless you change to carbon wheels or carbon frame/fork.

Cervelo Aspero: Scenic Rides on PRO Stealth Off-Road Saddle

With a gravel bike, every ride is fun as I don't feel restricted to riding on the roads or nicely paved paths. In fact, almost all my rides on the Cervelo Aspero never goes according to plan, as I like to take detours to check out interesting places that would not be possible on my road bike.

Here is a collection of pictures from some of these random rides, which don't really belong in any particular blog post.

For those who have been here, you definitely remember the ride. At the top of the Lorong Sesuai slope.

With a low gear ratio of 24.4 gear inches, climbing this slope is not too tough.

At Jurong Lake Gardens!

Paint job looks amazing in the sun. Also check out the custom frame bag.

A front single drivetrain with a mix of different components!

Lovely weather for riding

The PRO Stealth Off-Road saddle was installed on the Cervelo Aspero recently, in order to provide a bit more cushion over bumpy terrain, and also to improve the saddle comfort after a professional bike fit at LOUE Bicycles.

Using the measurements from the bike fit to duplicate the saddle position from the Focus Paralane road bike to the Cervelo Aspero.

Trying my best to set the saddle position (fore/aft, height, tilt) properly.

PRO Stealth Off-Road saddle installed! For a detailed comparison between the road and off-road versions, check out this post.

A dedicated gravel bike setup, at the Green Corridor.

I love riding the gravel sections of the Green Corridor, as this gravel bike just floats over it.

The GRX ST-RX815 Di2 shifters are really good for off-road riding compared to road shifters.

PRO Vibe Aero Superlight Handlebar on the gravel bike, which is a mismatch. I love the RX8 gravel shoes in Cactus Berry colour!

Nothing much to conclude here, just a post for me to share miscellaneous photos of the Cervelo Aspero on random rides.