All time favorite seat? [LONG}

[Tom Sherman]

Edward Dolan wrote:
>
> The number one problem with the full mesh seat is that it is just not comfortable for many folks.
> I start getting recumbent butt within a half hour on any mesh seat. In fact, horn or no horn, I
> have to use a foam pad if I am going to be comfortable on a mesh seat. Yet I do know that others
> find the mesh seat to be quite comfortable....

Are you sinking too far into the seat when you sit on a full mesh seat? This will put lateral
pressure where the seat contacts the rider on the sides, which can lead to discomfort. (An extreme
example of this is the rubber sling seat swings used on some types of playground equipment).

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

[Edward Dolan]

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Edward Dolan wrote:
> >
> > The number one problem with the full mesh seat is that it is just not comfortable for many
> > folks. I start getting recumbent butt within a half hour on any mesh seat. In fact, horn or no
> > horn, I have to use a foam pad if I am going to be comfortable on a mesh seat. Yet I do know
> > that others find the mesh seat to be quite comfortable....
>
> Are you sinking too far into the seat when you sit on a full mesh seat? This will put lateral
> pressure where the seat contacts the rider on the sides, which can lead to discomfort. (An extreme
> example of this is the rubber sling seat swings used on some types of playground equipment).
>
> Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

I have played with tightening and loosening the mesh every which way possible and it is just a no
go. A too tight mesh is worse than a too loose mesh. And I have ridden other's mesh seats which they
find comfortable and they don't work for me. But I am not alone in this. There are many others for
whom mesh seats don't work no matter how they are adjusted. I believe even your Dragonflyer has some
kind of pad over laying the mesh if I am not mistaken. The foam padded seats came about for good
reason. I have talked to many other Vision owners over the years and there is almost universal
agreement that the Vision seat with it's seat horn and pad is by far the most comfy seat in
recumbentland. Robert Bryant is one of the few apparently who do not find it so.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Dave Larrington]

It is all moot. *I* believe that the most comfortable seat in recumbency is the HP Velotechnik
combined seat/tailbox, and the nastiest the RANS I tried a Several of years ago. YAMV. Recommending
seats is like herding cats.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Tom Sherman]

Edward Dolan wrote:
> ... I believe even your Dragonflyer has some kind of pad over laying the mesh if I am not
> mistaken....

The Earth Cycles seat has an about 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) Sunfoam [TM] pad with an environmentally
friendly industrial hemp cover.

> ... I have talked to many other Vision owners over the years and there is almost universal
> agreement that the Vision seat with it's seat horn and pad is by far the most comfy seat in
> recumbentland....

I do not believe there will ever almost universal agreement about recumbent seats. I do not have
much of an opinion about the ATP Vision seat since I have little personal interest in their SWB
bikes for other design reasons. [1]

[1] The BB is too low relative to the seat for my preferences. I also believe that the disadvantages
of having the front wheel close to the rider [2] outweigh the advantage of minimizing foot/wheel
interference.
[2] Poor weight distribution, a longer and more flexible boom, and the head tube too close to the
seat for proper OSS setup.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

[Edward Dolan]

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Edward Dolan wrote:

> > ... I have talked to many other Vision owners over the years and there is almost universal
> > agreement that the Vision seat with it's seat horn and pad is by far the most comfy seat in
> > recumbentland....

> I do not believe there will ever be almost universal agreement about recumbent seats. I do not
> have much of an opinion about the ATP Vision seat since I have little personal interest in their
> SWB bikes for other design reasons. [1]

There is of course no universal agreement about recumbent seats in general, but there is near
universal agreement among Vision owners that their seats are the best. This is more than can be said
for many other recumbent seats where you often hear a litany of complaints about their shortcomings.

> [1] The BB is too low relative to the seat for my preferences. I also believe that the
> disadvantages of having the front wheel close to the rider [2] outweigh the advantage of
> minimizing foot/wheel interference.
> [2] Poor weight distribution, a longer and more flexible boom, and the head tube too close to the
> seat for proper OSS setup.

I have set up my Vision long wheel base and the BB height is perfect for my preferences. Most of
your other objections to the Vision SWB design are well founded which is why I have set mine up LWB.
Besides, I just plain like LWB better because I regard it as an altogether superior design for a
recumbent. The head tube is not too close for OSS setup provided you like your arms in the begging
hamster position. A problem I have with many OSS arrangements is that I am reaching too far for the
handlbars (I have long legs).

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Dave Larrington]

Ed Dolan wrote:

> there is near universal agreement among Vision owners that their seats are the best

Though this *could* be because people who didn't get on with Vision seats are no longer Vision
owners... I have no opinion on the Vision seat, BTW, as they are not a common sight hereabouts and
thus I have never tried one.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================