Sweat

[Psycholist]

I’m a new Cruzbike rider and avid Zwifter. How do y’all deal with the sweat? I just did 45 miles and, despite the room being 70 degrees and a very good fan, my back and backside were soaked, and my seat pad is like a saturated sponge. Do y’all wash the seat pad regularly? Do you have several? Are there alternate seat pads that handle sweat better?

 

[Always-Learnin]

I'd consider a Ventisit pad... you will still have to clean the seat off from time to time but the pad is very easy to maintain.

 

[Psycholist]

I'd consider a Ventisit pad... you will still have to clean the seat off from time to time but the pad is very easy to maintain.

Do the ones from Cruzbike come with velcro in place? I’ve emailed them to ask, but it could be a while before I hear back with the holidays.

 

[Always-Learnin]

Do the ones from Cruzbike come with velcro in place? I’ve emailed them to ask, but it could be a while before I hear back with the holidays.

I believe that is included but if not, you can purchase a roll or strips of heavy duty velcro.

Amazon.com : heavy duty velcro strips with adhesive

 

[CruzLike]

There are two other area to watch for. If I ride over an hour, the puddle under my bike grows into a pond. I use a flat tray to collect and contain the drops.

I ride a V20. The frame collects sweat an needs to be drained occasionally. Watch for that.

I drape a t-shirt over my back tire to protect the wheel and hub from sweat rain. Prior to the shirt my quick release would corrode and freeze up.

Sweat is your enemy.

 

[Psycholist]

There are two other area to watch for. If I ride over an hour, the puddle under my bike grows into a pond. I use a flat tray to collect and contain the drops.

I ride a V20. The frame collects sweat an needs to be drained occasionally. Watch for that.

I drape a t-shirt over my back tire to protect the wheel and hub from sweat rain. Prior to the shirt my quick release would corrode and freeze up.

Sweat is your enemy.

Thanks! I’ll bet there are some big differences between sweating hard on the V20 and what happens with my indoor setup on the S40. I can imagine sweat getting into your frame via the headrest tubes? That can’t really happen with mine. And my rear wheel is off. Smart rollers. Fun setup that works beautifully on Zwift. I keep an eye on that rear thru-axle to make sure it’s holding up and not backing out.
i just ordered the Ventisit. I hope that helps some. Right now, it’s primarily the small of my back that ends up soaking wet with sweat.

 

[benphyr]

I see a few things, best solutions in this order: preventing the wet, getting it dry, deodorizing, washing.

1. Preventing excess sweat build up, puddling, etc.
-Cool, dry air - a dehumidifier or air conditioner may help depending on your situation.
-more airflow. Tilting your fan down a little from where it is in your picture... aim it approximately at your crotch, it will cool your legs significantly which will decrease the sweating of the upper body as well, and then the air will flow past your whole body. You may have to fiddle with the aim until you get it where you like it.
-I plug the fan into a power bar next to my bike so I can warm up and then turn on the gale force winds.
-I also have a second fan that blows more on my upper chest and face.

2. The ventisit will help a lot. Air flows better through it than anything else. Indoor I ride shirtless with the thinnest indoor jersey slipped over the seat so it only has one very thin layer between the ventisit and my back, the other side of the jersey is below the seat and may catch air from the fan.

3. Getting everything dry is more important than washing. That is, if everything is dried well you won’t have to wash as often or as hard.

4. I have a Odour Eliminator from Norwex that I spray on the seat and in my shoes then place my shoes in front of the secondary fan set on low which dries everything.

5. Every now and again, maybe once a month, or if things smell a bit funky I take the seat pad in the shower with me and rinse it thoroughly and wipe down the seat and very occasionally put the shoe soles through the wash in a delicate bag.

In addition to the head rest holes there are holes in the frame beneath the seat-back.

Thus endeth my two cents. Hope it helps.

 

[Psycholist]

I see a few things, best solutions in this order: preventing the wet, getting it dry, deodorizing, washing.

1. Preventing excess sweat build up, puddling, etc.
-Cool, dry air - a dehumidifier or air conditioner may help depending on your situation.
-more airflow. Tilting your fan down a little from where it is in your picture... aim it approximately at your crotch, it will cool your legs significantly which will decrease the sweating of the upper body as well, and then the air will flow past your whole body. You may have to fiddle with the aim until you get it where you like it.
-I plug the fan into a power bar next to my bike so I can warm up and then turn on the gale force winds.
-I also have a second fan that blows more on my upper chest and face.

2. The ventisit will help a lot. Air flows better through it than anything else. Indoor I ride shirtless with the thinnest indoor jersey slipped over the seat so it only has one very thin layer between the ventisit and my back, the other side of the jersey is below the seat and may catch air from the fan.

3. Getting everything dry is more important than washing. That is, if everything is dried well you won’t have to wash as often or as hard.

4. I have a Odour Eliminator from Norwex that I spray on the seat and in my shoes then place my shoes in front of the secondary fan set on low which dries everything.

5. Every now and again, maybe once a month, or if things smell a bit funky I take the seat pad in the shower with me and rinse it thoroughly and wipe down the seat and very occasionally put the shoe soles through the wash in a delicate bag.

In addition to the head rest holes there are holes in the frame beneath the seat-back.

Thus endeth my two cents. Hope it helps.

Thank you very much for all that! I gather you’re a serious indoor trainer, as I am. I knew for folks like us this had to be a worthy topic and, being new to recumbents in general and the Cruzbike, specifically, it’s new territory for me. Your thoughtful reply is much appreciated!

 

[AlexisBV]

+1 for the Ventisit. In the many years I've had the S30, I've not once used the original seat pads, it's been ventisit from day 1. I live in a colder climate (Montreal) and I've never felt cold in my back (at least not before feeling cold elsewhere), so IMHO Cruzbike should just ship ventisits instead of the original pads.

By the way, if anyone wants some never-used S30 seat pads, I'd be willing to give mine away if you pay for shipping

 

[trplay]

I gather you’re a serious indoor trainer, as I am.

Yes, as Cruzlike stated, sweat is your enemy. This shows the result of having saddle bags under the frame and not noticing. Now, no saddle bags, No grip tape, no nothing, to give sweat a place to hide. The solution is simply to clean often and thoroughly. Don't forget a good spraying with wd40 inside the tube. And If you are a serious indoor trainer you really should check out our virtual training group. Lots and lots of expertise there.

 

[AlexisBV]

Yes, as Cruzlike stated, sweat is your enemy. This shows the result of having saddle bags under the frame and not noticing. Now, no saddle bags, No grip tape, no nothing, to give sweat a place to hide. The solution is simply to clean often and thoroughly. Don't forget a good spraying with wd40 inside the tube. And If you are a serious indoor trainer you really should check out our virtual training group. Lots and lots of expertise there.


View attachment 14302

I'm having a hard time understanding what I'm seeing. Is that a solid layer of salty crust??

I don't know if I just don't sweat as much and/or if the fan (19-inch diameter, tornado-strength) is evaporating most of it, but even when I was at the top of my fitness, I never saw any sweat reach the frame, just the seat. I also didn't see anything reach the floor (or the wall behind me), except when I'd squirt some fresh water on my head.

 

[trplay]

I'm having a hard time understanding what I'm seeing. Is that a solid layer of salty crust??

That's the paint pealed to the bare frame caused by sweat damage! This part of the frame is now bare and I put wd40 on it occasionally for a light coat of oil. I had canvas saddle bags on it. They would absorb the sweat which then worked underneath the frame. I saw the sweat line on the bags but didn't bother with it. Surprise, surprise when I took the bags of! After that weekly wipe downs are minimum!

 

[Addryn]

Now it seems to me that I am not training effectively enough, because I do not particularly observe such a problem. Of course I sweat, and the seat wears out over time, but this does not bother me much.