Thor seat on S30v2 vs. handlebar height

[castlerobber]

Using the instructions from several seat/neckrest threads, I've installed a small Thor Sport G seat on my S3ov2. After a few short rides, I like it--I can even ride without a neckrest. But now I need help with handlebar positioning. The seat put my shoulders a lot farther forward, making my reach to the bars uncomfortably short. I can only move the bars away from me about half an inch; any more, and my thighs hit (not just graze) the handlebar. I need at least another inch to make it fit right.

The curved slider, turned to raise the bars, seems like it should give me enough clearance. I notice that @tiltmaniac used one on his S30.

Thoughts? Does anyone have a curved slider they aren't using and would like to sell?

 

[Rampa]

You could also use a stem riser to gain a few inches of height, instead of whole new slider.
https://www.amazon.com/Handlebar-FOMTOR-Bicycle-Extender-Mountain/dp/B075FL6JXP

 

[telephd]

Could you try pushing the bars out and the slider in? Loosen both collars and push the bars away until your reach feels about right. Then bring the slider in until your pedal reach is good. You might have to do a hacksaw adjustment to the slider I just did that with my new V20 build, minus the hacksaw action, to get some more room between my aerobelly and the boom mounted water bottle. Worked well.

 

[tiltmaniac]

I also wanted to be able to sit up without encumbrance, so the bars had to be far enough away from my chest.
I had to resort to moving the bars up (I used the curved slider) because my legs would start hitting the bars as I pedaled if I pushes 'em any farther from my chest at the same height.

 

[tiltmaniac]

@castlerobber (and it was on my S30v2 build )

Did you go with the 'thermoplastic' version of mounting the seat (as in the linked thread), or the block-of-rubber method?

If the latter, the 'thermoplastic' version has the seat as low as possible. Gets you another half inch perhaps of clearance.

 

[ak-tux]

Nice bike! My dream favourite and rare cruzbike S30 model!

Use a stem riser to extend the steerer height and raise the handlerbar which will increase clearance from your leg. You can then push the handlebar forward slightly. It would be cheaper than buying a curved boom. The stem riser extenders are also available on ebay


You appear to me to be using flat handlebars. Is that the case? Consider a road bike style dropbar like Soma gator they will work with your existing flatbar components but give you more forward reach.

Your bike will look something like this:

 

[mzweili]

Shorter cranks result in less leg movement. You will get your knees away from the handlebar.

 

[ChaleJake]

Choices, choices. I just installed a curved slider but downward for greater visibility. It looks like you have plenty of visibility. However, the other options for you to try are great ideas. I like to tinker so the riser seems like a great option and the handlebar swap. I use the Salsa Woodchipper bar. It is narrower than the original bar. I like it much better than the original bar that came with my S30. I also use shorter cranks. It is amazing how much a little change makes a big difference. It is also interesting that comfort at 20 miles might change at 60 miles. Have fun.

 

[castlerobber]

Could you try pushing the bars out and the slider in?

There's plenty of room to move the slider away, and I pipe-cutter adjusted the boom (inner part) by several cm when I built the bike up. The bars won't go out any farther without hitting my legs, though.

You could also use a stem riser to gain a few inches of height, instead of whole new slider.

Use a stem riser to extend the steerer height and raise the handlerbar clearance from your leg.

That may be what I'm looking for. Definitely cheaper than a new slider!

You appear to me to be using flat handlebars. Is that the case?

No, those are the stock handlebars, turned upside down and backwards. I learned that mod from @ReklinedRider. I have considered a different handlebar, though.

Shorter cranks result in less leg movement. You will get your knees away from the handlebar.

Already using 150mm cranks. Wouldn't want to go much shorter.

It is also interesting that comfort at 20 miles might change at 60 miles.

True. My arms are so bent as to make steering slightly squirrely, so I know I have to move them out some more. Also still working on a neckrest, which I suspect I'll need for longer rides.

 

[castlerobber]

I also wanted to be able to sit up without encumbrance, so the bars had to be far enough away from my chest.
I had to resort to moving the bars up (I used the curved slider) because my legs would start hitting the bars as I pedaled if I pushes 'em any farther from my chest at the same height.

Yes, the bar is close enough that it makes sitting up all the way problematic.

Did you go with the 'thermoplastic' version of mounting the seat (as in the linked thread), or the block-of-rubber method?

Block of rubber, though your thermoplastic method looks interesting. The front shim is only thick enough, less than 1 cm, to get the ribs of the seat away from the wings.

 

[tiltmaniac]

Yes, the bar is close enough that it makes sitting up all the way problematic.


Block of rubber, though your thermoplastic method looks interesting. The front shim is only thick enough, less than 1 cm, to get the ribs of the seat away from the wings.

And in the rear it is close too? Moving the rear up moves your torso closer, making for less space too.

On the various Silvio's I've done it on:
Silvio S30v2 + Sport G XL
This has the upper recurve near the top headrest-tube-clamp hole. Requires about a cm of shim at the seat area, and around one mm in the back/recurve area.

Silvio S30v2 + Volae Comfort Carbon M
The lower headrest-tube-clamp hole was near the recurve (and what I used to mount the seat up there). Also needed around a mm of shim, primarily to prevent the seat from rubbing the frame and damaging things.

Also needed around a cm near the bottom since I didn't want to cut off the standard seat 'wings'.

The S30v1 with the Volae XL was about the same as the S30v2 with the Sport G XL.

 

[castlerobber]

And in the rear it is close too? Moving the rear up moves your torso closer, making for less space too.

On the various Silvio's I've done it on:
Silvio S30v2 + Sport G XL
This has the upper recurve near the top headrest-tube-clamp hole. Requires about a cm of shim at the seat area, and around one mm in the back/recurve area.

The upper recurve on my size S starts just above the second large hole in the frame, about where the lower screw for the headrest clamp goes. My shoulders are a good 2" (5 cm) farther forward than with the stock seat. By height (65"/165 cm), I fall on the line between small and medium. @Greg recommended the small, based on my shoulder-to-hip measurement.

The seat's "natural" position--where it's the best fit to the frame contours, with the least shimming--puts the front of the seat pan about 1" to 1.5" (25 to 40 mm) higher, causing the front edge of the seat pan to interfere with my thighs at full pedal extension. I rotated the seat backwards just enough to clear that up.

 

[tiltmaniac]

The upper recurve on my size S starts just above the second large hole in the frame, about where the lower screw for the headrest clamp goes. My shoulders are a good 2" (5 cm) farther forward than with the stock seat. By height (65"/165 cm), I fall on the line between small and medium. @Greg recommended the small, based on my shoulder-to-hip measurement.

The seat's "natural" position--where it's the best fit to the frame contours, with the least shimming--puts the front of the seat pan about 1" to 1.5" (25 to 40 mm) higher, causing the front edge of the seat pan to interfere with my thighs at full pedal extension. I rotated the seat backwards just enough to clear that up.

Hmm. On the ones I tried, the front edge of the seat was almost touching the frame, and was part of the reason to shim under the bottom (to avoid that contact by giving a couple mm of space).

It sounds like you have everything under control, but do you think you could post a couple pictures of the bike/seat, so we can see?

I recall there being two 'natural' positions for at least two of the seats (one much more laid back, but with some raising of the seat bottom, the other with almost no raising of the seat bottom, but a hair more upright).

Here are pictures of the S30 and Volae XL seat in both leaned-back and upright positions, for reference.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uN5kz2MF3L6CAFzt5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/T7ADtLrt1JYwQMx88

 

[castlerobber]

It sounds like you have everything under control, but do you think you could post a couple pictures of the bike/seat, so we can see?

Sure, I'll do that tonight.

I recall there being two 'natural' positions for at least two of the seats (one much more laid back, but with some raising of the seat bottom, the other with almost no raising of the seat bottom, but a hair more upright).

I could only find one that seemed truly natural; the position I chose is sort-of natural.

By the measurements on the Thor web site, your XL seat is 5.3" (13.5 cm) longer than my S seat in the D-dimension, and 4.5" (11.5 cm) longer in the E-dimension. That's bound to affect the positioning somewhat.

 

[rfneep]

So I have had that problem with my S30 also. I am 5'7" with short legs and the handlebars end up right in my lap/gut and are very confining. I found two approaches to be satisfactory.

One is to use the curved riser; it does not strongly extend your arms more but does open the cockpit while maintaining an elevated BB. I presently use that with a medium Volae carbon seat.

The second is to simply replace the chain stay with the shorter one available for the S30. This lowers the BB but really raises the handlebar to make it easy to sit up on the bike without interference. The picture below shows my S30 with a medium Thorseat and the short chain stay. A very roomy cockpit, and if I recall it seems to result in stretching your arms a little more.

Hope this helps.

Ray

 

[castlerobber]

The requested photo:

 

[tiltmaniac]

Without looking closer, it looks pretty good to me!

It also looks like the seat could move forward a bit if you wanted it to lay back slightly more with some more shim at the bottom area, maybe?

 

[rfneep]

FWIW, here is a (rather poor) photo of my S30 as presently configured with the curved slider and a Volae seat. As I hope you can see, the slider does open up the cockpit quite a bit.

Sorry about the cluttered photo. I need to get some clean ones of this soon.

Ray

 

[tiltmaniac]

FWIW, here is a (rather poor) photo of my S30 as presently configured with the curved slider and a Volae seat. As I hope you can see, the slider does open up the cockpit quite a bit.

Sorry about the cluttered photo. I need to get some clean ones of this soon.

Ray

View attachment 7054

Some of the things I love about this thread:
1) So many pictures of the elusive S30v2. It is *such* a pretty bike!
2) The sense of disbelief I get at your having called that 'cluttered'!
3) All the rest of the thread!

.. also, apparently everyone has longer legs than I do.
.. and most everyone takes a picture of the bike pointing 'left'

 

[ak-tux]

Some of the things I love about this thread:
1) So many pictures of the elusive S30v2. It is *such* a pretty bike!
...

May be one day we shall see "New and improved S30v2 .. aka S33 , back by public demand"