Vendetta 2.0 and lumbar support

[Eric Winn]

I had an interesting discovery yesterday - I did 70 miles in 4 hours ride time and averaged 17.5mph. For various reasons this was the first opportunity to put in some distance. Prior to this I had been doing somewhat aggressive 20 to 25 mile rides

Around 35 miles I was getting pretty uncomfortable around my lower back which kind of surprised me because I had no such issues with the Quest during my Sebring Century in February. I was riding with my Bachetta Brainbox with an assortment of tools, spare tube, 1.5L water bladder, 2 V8 Fusions - man I was carrying some weight and a rather large rag to wipe off chain grease should I get some on me.

I took the rag and folded it into an impromptu lumbar support and stuck it under the seatback cushion in the appropriate spot and poof - problem was solved! The discomfort went totally away and I had no problem completing the 70 miles.

Apparently something about the lower recline and longer distances requires a bit more lumbar support for me. I'm curious if this is just me or if other Vendetta owners and/or folks with bikes with seatbacks reclined as far as the Vendetta also experience this?

Ride data: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1376956

I did a u-turn at mile 21.5 and started riding with Bob Palmer on his Volae. Bob and I are both signed up for the N24HC (12 days from now!). I met Bob at the HPV races at the Waterford race track, May 18-19.

Bob has done the N24HC so many times he is about to go over 3000 cumulative miles for all the years he has been doing it. Bob tells me my usual training route is considered a good training environment for the N24HC.


-Eric

 

[KiwiGuy]

Lumbar support

Hi Eric

My current ride is a 2005 Volae Club. I've got the seat cranked down to around 20 degrees. Like you, I've found the need to add bulk under the lower back region useful.

In my case I have used closed cell foam from a cut-down camping mat. I have three layers of varying lengths under the seat foam.

The addition of the closed cell foam under my lower back has had two benefits - not only is it more comfortable, but it also makes bridging really easy when I'm climbing or accelerating. My butt just pops off the seat and is held up by the support under my lower back.

There have been a few threads about this on BROL in the past.

Kind regards...

 

[MrSteve]

Seat Recline and Your Back

As you may or may not know, I've built two custom seats for my bike.
No, wait, that's untrue:
I've built two custom seats to fit my back.

The first seat -33 degree recline- I built was modified to fit my back, evolving over
a few years of constant use.
It fits like it isn't there.

My second seat -18 degree recline- I built was further modified to fit my back.
Due to the greater degree of recline, I built the back-support both wider and taller
than my first seat;
I built the butt-support both narrower and shorter than my first seat.
This seat is just as comfortable as my first.

And, of more interest to you Eric, I built-in more lumbar support as part
of the second, more reclined seats' structure.
Why?
Because my back told me that it was needed.

Finally, my second seat has a built-in head rest, while my first seat neither needs
a head rest nor is it designed for one.

Closed-cell foam wedges work wonders!
I carved/shaped mine with 80-grit sandpaper.



Steve