T50 seat advice needed
- Thread starter Brad R
- Start date
ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
Just remember you're the one that gave her the fast bike; so she's probably right, and your wallet concurs.
trapdoor2
Zen MBB Master
I had to laugh when I saw the "marketing" quote about the T50 being like a "Model T". Anyone who has ridden in or driven a Model T will tell you that they were/are about as uncomfortable and intractable as they were revolutionary. Hmmmm. Perhaps the T50 is like a Model T!
I have to keep going back to my experiences with the V2/k (which has the same seat...just different mounting arrangement). I had to do a lot of 'tweaking' on the angle of the seat to get where I could put more than 20 miles on it at a time. I had to get the weight off of my butt...and that took leaning the seat back further and further until I found the sweet spot. @ 45 degrees, I'm very comfy for around 30/40 miles. If I want to ride further than that, I have to get on the V20...I have no doubt I could ride centuries on it with no recumbutt.
I do mostly agree with @trplay, the seat pad (quality control issues aside) is a minor player in this problem. While I don't think I would ride it without a pad, getting the settings just right for you will far outweigh everything else.
I'm also laughing (quietly, at myself) about the rattling seat rack. I really, really, really hate a noisy bike. I have always removed any sort of rack or fenders or basket or whatever from any bike I've ever owned...and now I'm building up a T50 that is simply awash in such things. I test mounted the fenders this weekend. OMG. After an hour of fiddling, I wanted to tie them in knots and set fire to them.
I have to keep going back to my experiences with the V2/k (which has the same seat...just different mounting arrangement). I had to do a lot of 'tweaking' on the angle of the seat to get where I could put more than 20 miles on it at a time. I had to get the weight off of my butt...and that took leaning the seat back further and further until I found the sweet spot. @ 45 degrees, I'm very comfy for around 30/40 miles. If I want to ride further than that, I have to get on the V20...I have no doubt I could ride centuries on it with no recumbutt.
I do mostly agree with @trplay, the seat pad (quality control issues aside) is a minor player in this problem. While I don't think I would ride it without a pad, getting the settings just right for you will far outweigh everything else.
I'm also laughing (quietly, at myself) about the rattling seat rack. I really, really, really hate a noisy bike. I have always removed any sort of rack or fenders or basket or whatever from any bike I've ever owned...and now I'm building up a T50 that is simply awash in such things.
I test mounted the fenders this weekend. OMG. After an hour of fiddling, I wanted to tie them in knots and set fire to them. 
Vicki C.
T50 Trailblazer and Silvio newbie
Not many, but they are like your Brooks that molds to your behind after awhile. And your behind to the seat. And I think leather is more forgiving than sheet metal. But I do agree that the angle one is perched on the seat can definitely have an impact. Pun intended. I developed calluses after years on a diamond frame over my sitz bones. But I don't want to sit totally upright on the T50. I did shove the back down a little further, but I think it's as far as it is supposed to go, or maybe even past that point. Maybe just a bit will make a difference. I will check that this evening on a "help the beginners" ride for our bike club.
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Vicki C.
T50 Trailblazer and Silvio newbie
I had to laugh when I saw the "marketing" quote about the T50 being like a "Model T". Anyone who has ridden in or driven a Model T will tell you that they were/are about as uncomfortable and intractable as they were revolutionary. Hmmmm. Perhaps the T50 is like a Model T!
I have to keep going back to my experiences with the V2/k (which has the same seat...just different mounting arrangement). I had to do a lot of 'tweaking' on the angle of the seat to get where I could put more than 20 miles on it at a time. I had to get the weight off of my butt...and that took leaning the seat back further and further until I found the sweet spot. @ 45 degrees, I'm very comfy for around 30/40 miles. If I want to ride further than that, I have to get on the V20...I have no doubt I could ride centuries on it with no recumbutt.
I do mostly agree with @trplay, the seat pad (quality control issues aside) is a minor player in this problem. While I don't think I would ride it without a pad, getting the settings just right for you will far outweigh everything else.
I'm also laughing (quietly, at myself) about the rattling seat rack. I really, really, really hate a noisy bike. I have always removed any sort of rack or fenders or basket or whatever from any bike I've ever owned...and now I'm building up a T50 that is simply awash in such things.
You made me giggle. Yeah, rattles are the worst. Well, maybe not, but close. I did take the little light mount tab off. There is only one other thing that might be causing it and that is the adjustment bars with the holes. When I push on the rack I can feel it move a little, as if the bolt in there should fit a bit tighter. I will see what happens tonight. I do like the idea of a rack, particularly for rides involving clothing adjustments due to weather, which happens on the coast or spring and fall around here.
ADDENDUM: Short ride tonight. Rattle rattle rattle. Grrr. I will research rattling Axiom racks to see what solutions might exist. If any.
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I started my recumbent life with a trike. Then learned that I could ride a bike at RCC in Chicago. I bought a used Haluzak Horizon and learned to ride it. The Horizon was easy to ride but hard to start and stop on because it wasn't easy to get a foot flat on the ground.
I plan to reward myself with a fast bike at some point. The geometry of the Silvio and Vendetta appeal to me because the allow for big wheels and getting my feet on the ground.
I bought the T50 to see if I would like MBB format. And so far I like it a lot. In truth I have no experience on comparable high racers. So, I might have been just as happy on a used Schlitter Encore for the same or less money than I have in the T50. But I may never know.
I would like to get comfortable enough to have this T50 be my main ride and to be able to do 20 to 60 miles in comfort. I have never had a problem with the mesh seats on the Haluzak or on my trike. This T50 is my first hard seat. I am unpleasantly surprised by the level of discomfort on the stock seat.
My plan was to be in your group 1 for a while and eventually move to group 2. I will say that if I had known that the S40 was coming, I might have gone straight to the end point without buying the T50.
I hope the Thor seat that should be arriving soon will fix my comfort problems and put me in group 1 until I feel the need for more speed.
I'll let everyone know how it goes.
@Vicki C.
Here are a couple pictures showing effect of raising the mounting point on the seat back.
I don't have a drill press. I used the bracket as a guide. I drilled a new set of holes that make a square with the original 2. I marked a line parallel to the original by leaving one screw in original hole and rotating the bracket (placed on front of seat for convenience) 90 degrees and using the other hole to locate the mark. Then repeated for the other side. Then I drew a line between the marks and extended beyond.
Then I used a clamp to hold the bracket on the line and let the holes in the bracket act as guides for the drill bit. This put the holes the right distance apart.
It was not too hard. Even if alignment of holes is not perfect, there is enough play in the seat stays to make up for it.
I put the rear mount of the seat pan one hole above the lowest possible position.
The extra recline afforded by this mod helped quite a bit. For me, it did not require a head rest. I did not have to cut the seat stays.
Here are a couple pictures showing effect of raising the mounting point on the seat back.
I don't have a drill press. I used the bracket as a guide. I drilled a new set of holes that make a square with the original 2. I marked a line parallel to the original by leaving one screw in original hole and rotating the bracket (placed on front of seat for convenience) 90 degrees and using the other hole to locate the mark. Then repeated for the other side. Then I drew a line between the marks and extended beyond.
Then I used a clamp to hold the bracket on the line and let the holes in the bracket act as guides for the drill bit. This put the holes the right distance apart.
It was not too hard. Even if alignment of holes is not perfect, there is enough play in the seat stays to make up for it.
I put the rear mount of the seat pan one hole above the lowest possible position.
The extra recline afforded by this mod helped quite a bit. For me, it did not require a head rest. I did not have to cut the seat stays.
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defjack, did you cut and rewelded? How could you do that? Please show us some steps!
DavidJL
Well-Known Member
I confess that I cut the struts and the brace on the table saw, using a 150 tooth HS steel blade made for cutting aluminum, cutting the struts just enough to still show part of the old holes (1 1/8 inches). Used a drill press with a high enough fence to enable drilling the stress relief holes dead center in line with the old holes. Then set up table saw with sufficient stops to carefully cut the slots, using the parts of the old holes to guide me. If I had a machine shop, I would have just milled the struts. If I go shorter I will make different struts, so I can revert to stock. I was very careful about cutting the slots. Also I replaced the normal clamps with scooter clamps tightened with seat QR levers, so seat angle can be adjusted without tools.
I mounted my Thor seat. The seat came Friday, but I had a busy weekend and was not able to finish mounting until late this evening. So no test ride yet.
I mounted the seat onto the stock brackets. The stock brackets are about 4 inches wide and the space between the carbon fiber rails was only about 3.5 inches. So, I used stacks of neoprene washers to hold the seat far enough from the brackets to prevent contact between the metal brackets and the seat rails.
If you are willing to cut the bracket, you wouldn't need as many rubber washers.
The intermediate result looks like this
This angle is too steep and puts me too close to the front part of the frame. I will be cutting the seat stays. I will measure more carefully before I cut, but I think it will require about 3 inches off the outside tubes and about an inch off the inside tubes.
I hope that cutting the seat stays gets the job done. I may have to move the seat bottom back a little on the lower bracket. However, that would expose the front of the bracket to my legs when I put my feet down at a stop.
I'll report back on effectiveness as soon as I get to go on a long ride.
I mounted the seat onto the stock brackets. The stock brackets are about 4 inches wide and the space between the carbon fiber rails was only about 3.5 inches. So, I used stacks of neoprene washers to hold the seat far enough from the brackets to prevent contact between the metal brackets and the seat rails.
If you are willing to cut the bracket, you wouldn't need as many rubber washers.
The intermediate result looks like this
This angle is too steep and puts me too close to the front part of the frame. I will be cutting the seat stays. I will measure more carefully before I cut, but I think it will require about 3 inches off the outside tubes and about an inch off the inside tubes.
I hope that cutting the seat stays gets the job done. I may have to move the seat bottom back a little on the lower bracket. However, that would expose the front of the bracket to my legs when I put my feet down at a stop.
I'll report back on effectiveness as soon as I get to go on a long ride.
I intend to have at at about 40 degrees. I have to cut the seat stays to get it there.
I bought the sport because I was concerned that the low bottom bracket would cause interference with leg and front lip of the seat on the GS Easy.
The front edge is a little farther back than on the stock seat. But the stock seat has a longer "seat pan" area.
