Seat Mod

[ratz]

On the V20 with 25mm tires; the comfort pad helps kill the chip-seal road vibrations. I definitely was more warn down riding the standard version. Anything under 2.5 hours the standard version was fine. Beyond that I would notice. I did about 300 miles of comparative testing. But that's a very subjective result.

 

[snilard]

On the V20 with 25mm tires; the comfort pad helps kill the chip-seal road vibrations. I definitely was more warn down riding the standard version. Anything under 2.5 hours the standard version was fine. Beyond that I would notice. I did about 300 miles of comparative testing. But that's a very subjective result.

Thank you for your experience. I only have to decide what to do with my actual standard version

 

[ratz]

Thank you for your experience. I only have to decide what to do with my actual standard version

Save it for your the cold weather when your heavy weather coat will push you closer to the pedals. Swap pad and poof; perfect fit preserved.

 

[RojoRacing]

Every time I think I've got my seat and neck rest dialed in I toss in a new variable and find I'm still soooo far from a prefect fit. Yesterdays variable was the repeat climbing of a 3,800' mountain over and over. I've been adding foam lays under my shoulders to get my shoulder more inline with my neck to keep my upper vertebrae from contacting anything which almost ended my 24hr last year with extreme pain after 9 hrs. I'm not exactly sure what changed between last weekend and this weekend but during my first assent of the mt I was struggling to see the road, especially through the corners. I found I was lifting my head to see through the corners which was making my neck very tired very fast. The reason I was lifting my neck to focus on the corners wasn't because I couldn't see them, it was because I could only see left corner with my left eye and right corners with my right eye. So apparently with my head tilled back my nose was blocking the view of my outside eye and my brain can't filter out the unneeded data of my nose so I can't focus correctly on the corner. Once at the summit I removed 1" of foam from under my shoulders and immediately found I could see better now that my lower shoulders tipped my head forward. I'd say the tipping of my head was about half of what I really need but 9hrs into my right that highest vertebrae started killing my again and is still very tender today as I type. So now I'm thinking I need a seat that started at at a low 20degs like the vendetta but wrapped up 10-15 degs back at the shoulders so my neck can be more inline with my shoulders and be tipped forward enough to see correctly.

I remember seeing the pics of this thread awhile back as I was browsing though the forum and now I'm more then a little curious. Rick do you ever head south toward the S.F. bay area or Sac to ride? I'm probably going to just order the thor seat and stuff this week and hope for the best but I'd love to take a more detailed look at your setup in person. Do you have any pics from the side with you on the bike?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Hi Jason, sorry, I rarely ride those areas, like almost never. I rode the American River Trail in Sac about 4 years ago.

The Thor or any standard hard shell seat offers the lift and support in the upper shoulder area you are looking for.

I can get some better pics and send them too you and possibly a side shot with me or my wife. With your machining and tooling expertise you could probably build a better mounting bracket. There are two points of contact for the seat front and back, and very easy to setup.

 

[RojoRacing]

Couple side shots with you on the bike would be cool. Did you say you got the MED? I'm 5'10" and right at the bottom of the LRG size range but I'm of the long legs and shorter torso side of things so I'm not sure.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Yes, I have the MED. My original height was 5'10" - long legs - short torso also. But from spine degeneration, I've shrunk to just under 5'9".

 

[RojoRacing]

you feel cramped at all on the med? I just sat in my chair and held my tape measure from my tail bone to the highest vertebrae that sticks out and I get 63cm or 24-3/4" when sitting strait up and 68cm or 26-3/4 when hunching over. Do you think you could similarly measure yourself?

With you last comment I'm now more puzzled about which size to get and I'm very tempted to jump on the Motorcycle and blitz up there to pay you a visit today or tomorrow if your around.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

No, I don't feel cramped at all.

There are some others here on forum that have purchase the Thor and Hostel Shop seat.

I'm very tempted to jump on the Motorcycle and blitz up there to pay you a visit today or tomorrow if your around.

Today is bad, tomorrow would be fine.

 

[RojoRacing]

let me get back to you tonight then

 

[Rick Youngblood]

let me get back to you tonight then

Sure!

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

No, I don't feel cramped at all.

There are some others here on forum that have purchase the Thor and Hostel Shop seat.


Today is bad, tomorrow would be fine.

Just to add some reference information,
I have the large Volae seat from the Hostel Shop, the Ventisit seat pad, and the ADEM headrest on my Vendetta. I'm 5'-9.5" with a 42.5" x-seam. Once I got the headrest adjusted correctly (which was not simple) I have had no problems with comfort. Also, I don't like anything behind my shoulder blades, so I prefer a narrow seat, such as my Volae seat. But the large size seat is not too big for my size. It fits me perfectly.

 

[RojoRacing]

Just to add some reference information,
I have the large Volae seat from the Hostel Shop, the Ventisit seat pad, and the ADEM headrest on my Vendetta. I'm 5'-9.5" with a 42.5" x-seam. Once I got the headrest adjusted correctly (which was not simple) I have had no problems with comfort. Also, I don't like anything behind my shoulder blades, so I prefer a narrow seat, such as my Volae seat. But the large size seat is not too big for my size. It fits me perfectly.

M A-270 B-230 C-275 D-770 E-880
L A-265 B-225 C-270 D-815 E-930

So these are the Thor seat dimensions and I'm wondering how the Volae compares in the A&D dimensions. I'm a rather lean rider so my scapula on ether side tend to protrude past the sides of the stock Vendetta seat just enough that I can feel the folded edge of the carbon against the bone. I'd think if my current seat was just a little wider I'd have an issue with unwanted contact back there. I can't find any documentation with the Volae seat dimensions.

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

M A-270 B-230 C-275 D-770 E-880
L A-265 B-225 C-270 D-815 E-930

So these are the Thor seat dimensions and I'm wondering how the Volae compares in the A&D dimensions. I'm a rather lean rider so my scapula on ether side tend to protrude past the sides of the stock Vendetta seat just enough that I can feel the folded edge of the carbon against the bone. I'd think if my current seat was just a little wider I'd have an issue with unwanted contact back there. I can't find any documentation with the Volae seat dimensions.

Here are the dimensions from my large Volae seat. Note that A (the shoulder area) tapers from 230 at the lower area to 150 at the top or neck area). A: 230 - 150 mm. B: 230 mm. C: 288 mm. D: 765 mm. E: 910 mm.

 

[RojoRacing]

Well today's 420 miles journey to check out Rick's seat setup bored unexpected fruit. I just went up the there to get some ideas before ordering something from Europe. I didn't expect to come home with one of his older spare seats that he didn't quite mesh with. Where there's a will there's gorilla tape. Thanks Rick for the loaner, I'll be getting this thing dialed in ASAP.

Z

 

[super slim]

Necessity is the mother of invention!!!

It took me a while to figure out what the photo was!!!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Nice pic, Jason. Had a blast chatting with, good luck on the seat mod and up coming event!

 

[PeteClark]

I purchase a hard dense rubber block off eBay (it’s normally used by jewelers). It’s extremely dense, but easy to work with using your normal array of garage tools – drill, saw, sander. It’s also easily formed using sandpaper. I cut it, drilled 2 holes in, and then rounded the ends to follow the lines of the underside of the CF seat. This is what I mounted the front of the seat to. I cut it think enough so that the seat once mounted and bolted, the ribs will clear the “seat mount wings” by about an 1/8″-1/4″

Rick, I'm thinking about copying your seat mod. Did your mod move you forward or back on the bike, requiring any boom adjustment? It seems the seat is only supported by relatively small rubber blocks at the front and rear. Have you noted any stress on the seat, or the frame? It seems that by cutting the front support block thick enough so that the seat ribs clear the "seat mount wings" you've raised the seat pan about an inch above the frame. Did you consider cutting the ends off the seat mount wings so the seat pan could be lower?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Rick, I'm thinking about copying your seat mod.....

Hello Peter. Depending how and where you place the seat, you may need to adjust the boom a little...or not.

These seats are designed to be to suspended in the front and back, with the ribs giving structural support.

No stress problems with frame or various seats. 9200 miles on Vendetta and 3600 miles on Silvio.

I would recommend not cutting seat tabs for resale value. But there is no other reason not to otherwise. The front of the seat sets .5" - .75" higher - no big deal to me and others, as these the Silvio and Vendetta have lower seat height than other highrace recumbents, especially the Vendetta.

 

[JOSEPHWEISSERT]

Hello Peter. Depending how and where you place the seat, you may need to adjust the boom a little...or not.

These seats are designed to be to suspended in the front and back, with the ribs giving structural support.

No stress problems with frame or various seats. 9200 miles on Vendetta and 3600 miles on Silvio.

I would recommend not cutting seat tabs for resale value. But there is no other reason not to otherwise. The front of the seat sets .5" - .75" higher - no big deal to me and others, as these the Silvio and Vendetta have lower seat height than other highrace recumbents, especially the Vendetta.

I duplicated Rick's seat mod and have had no problems. I really love that seat functionally. And it looks better than the stock seat, so my wife approves from an aesthetic perspective.