Bacchetta M5 seat vs mesh seat

[Don]

Can anyone tell me their experience with the Bacchetta M5 fiberglass seat vs the Bacchetta mesh
seat? The M5 is supposed to be lighter and give a lower effective seat height. How comfortable is
it? My guess is it is either very comfortable or very uncomfortable depending on how it "hits" the
riders body parts. I mean different riders would have different experiences. Does the M5 come in
sizes? Thanks, Don

 

[Robert Haston]

I have an M5 and had a Trek R200. I hated the RANS tractor/mesh seat.

I think the main issue is how strong of a rider are you. If you peddle along the bike paths at 10
MPH, you don't need a stiff seat.

If you go 18-20 MPH or more, you don't want to waste energy stretching seat mesh.

"Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone tell me their experience with the Bacchetta M5 fiberglass seat vs the Bacchetta mesh
> seat? The M5 is supposed to be lighter and give a lower effective seat height. How comfortable is
> it? My guess is it is either very comfortable or very uncomfortable depending on how it "hits" the
> riders body parts. I mean different riders would have different experiences. Does the M5 come in
> sizes? Thanks, Don

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

I have three century+ rides on my Bacchetta AERO with the M5 seat. I also have 3 centuries+ on the
Bacchetta STRADA mesh seat. I prefer the M5. I also have many past centuries on the RANS seat on
various models. They are both great seats. My M5 is at 30 degrees and the laid back position is my
cup of tea. You are correct about the fit varies as to "body styles" and may not be for everyone. I
suggest that if possible you give it a try. I keep one with Bacchetta hardware on it for those that
want to compare. There are to the best of my knowledge two sizes, regular and large. The large is
for taller riders not chubbier ones. I am 5'10" and weigh 185. The regular one fits me fine. My
competitive riding weight is 170 and my goal for June. The M5 also has a competitive edge
especially when sprinting and climbing since it is more rigid and energy is less apt to be lost to
the mesh and foam.

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone tell me their experience with the Bacchetta M5 fiberglass seat vs the Bacchetta mesh
> seat? The M5 is supposed to be lighter and give a lower effective seat height. How comfortable is
> it? My guess is it is either very comfortable or very uncomfortable depending on how it "hits" the
> riders body parts. I mean different riders would have different experiences. Does the M5 come in
> sizes? Thanks, Don

 

[Don]

Robert and Jude, Thanks for your responses. I see a bunch of threads are totally messed up with
posts missing. My original post is missing from this thread. If anybody posted to this thread and it
disappeared, please repost.

Is the M5 hot? It can get ugly in Sacramento in the summer. Rich Pinto tells me the M5 seet has a
lower effective height which would be good for me. It is also lighter which never hurts.

I will try to test ride a medium Giro on Wed. It may be too big for me to test. It would only be a
test to see if I like the Giro enough to order a small. It will have the mesh seat but other bikes
in the shop have the M5 seat so I can at least sit in one and see if the curves in it fit the
curves in me.

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

Don, If its a bent shop I personally think that its wise to keep an M5 seat with Bacchetta hardware
handy. My demo is on a small GIRO that is being test ridden by a rather small woman. She wants a
fiberglass one, which I have on order. I find that the M5 with the open cell foam is not at all hot,
the foam breathes and seems to wisk away the moisture.

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Robert and Jude, Thanks for your responses. I see a bunch of threads are totally messed up with
> posts missing. My original post is missing from this thread. If anybody posted to this thread and
> it disappeared, please repost.
>
> Is the M5 hot? It can get ugly in Sacramento in the summer. Rich Pinto tells me the M5 seet has a
> lower effective height which would be good for me. It is also lighter which never hurts.
>
> I will try to test ride a medium Giro on Wed. It may be too big for me to test. It would only be a
> test to see if I like the Giro enough to order a small. It will have the mesh seat but other bikes
> in the shop have the M5 seat so I can at least sit in one and see if the curves in it fit the
> curves in me.

 

[Pj]

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Don, If its a bent shop I personally think that its wise to keep an M5 seat with Bacchetta
> hardware handy. My demo is on a small GIRO that is being test ridden by a rather small woman. She
> wants a fiberglass one, which I have on order. I find that the M5 with the open cell foam is not
> at all hot, the foam breathes and seems to wisk away the moisture.
>

I think that there is a lot of interest in the M5 seats as upgrades for the Bacchetta bikes, the
challenge is to find one to purchase. I have been working on purchasing a standard preferably in
carbon fiber for a few months with no luck.

Pat Mc

 

[Bob Rogers]

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Don, If its a bent shop I personally think that its wise to keep an M5 seat with Bacchetta
> hardware handy. My demo is on a small GIRO that is being test ridden by a rather small woman. She
> wants a fiberglass one, which I have on order. I find that the M5 with the open cell foam is not
> at all hot, the foam breathes and seems to wisk away the moisture.
>
> Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and
> Sports, Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Robert and Jude, Thanks for your responses. I see a bunch of threads are totally messed up with
> > posts missing. My original post is missing from this thread. If anybody posted to this thread
> > and it disappeared, please repost.

Robert: Jude is correct; the M5 seat does come in two sizes. I'm using the larger one @6'3", 220# on
my Bacchetta Aero. I've got 1625 miles, all down in Palm Springs this winter (back up to Seattle
now). The open cell foam seems to work well - although I sweat a great deal, it seems to evaporate
well as there is enough air moving through the open cells that it never gets sticky, even when the
temp goes up. Of course, I'm not talking about really hot like Sacramento can get in the Summer but
I'm sure it is the equal of any of the mesh seats because the open cell foam does leave some space.
Even though the seat is hard and unyielding, it is, nevertheless, comfortable on our rides which
average about 40 miles, w/ a high of 60.
> >
> > Is the M5 hot? It can get ugly in Sacramento in the summer. Rich Pinto tells me the M5 seet has
> > a lower effective height which would be good for me. It is also lighter which never hurts.
> >
> > I will try to test ride a medium Giro on Wed. It may be too big for me to test. It would only be
> > a test to see if I like the Giro enough to order a small. It will have the mesh seat but other
> > bikes in the shop have the M5 seat so I can at least sit in one and see if the curves in it fit
> > the curves in me.

 

[Tom Sherman]

Bob Rogers wrote:
>
> Robert: Jude is correct; the M5 seat does come in two sizes. I'm using the larger one @6'3", 220#
> on my Bacchetta Aero....

At 220 pounds, the M5 seat must be made from depleted uranium!

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

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

Hey Pat, Call me at the 800# tomorrow between 9 and 5 EDST. I might be able to come up with a seat
for you. I'm closed on Wednesdays. One has to make time ride you know. .

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "PJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > Don, If its a bent shop I personally think that its wise to keep an M5
seat
> > with Bacchetta hardware handy. My demo is on a small GIRO that is being
test
> > ridden by a rather small woman. She wants a fiberglass one, which I have
on
> > order. I find that the M5 with the open cell foam is not at all hot, the foam breathes and seems
> > to wisk away the moisture.
> >
>
>
> I think that there is a lot of interest in the M5 seats as upgrades for the Bacchetta bikes, the
> challenge is to find one to purchase. I have been working on purchasing a standard preferably in
> carbon fiber for a few months with no luck.
>
> Pat Mc

 

[Don]

Guess I am a mesh guy. I rode a medium Giro tonight. It was a stretch because I barely fit on it. It
had the mesh seat which fit me well and felt comfortable for the short time I rode. The curves in it
seemed to give me more support than the straight Haluzak seat.

I also sat on a Bacchetta with a medium M5 seat. It poked me between the shoulder blades and
scratched me all over. It looked like it would shred clothes. It also did not feel good around my
legs although I was struggling on a tooooo big bike so my leg seat interaction was probably not
typical of riding. I can't believe anybody would ride that torture rack and actually consider it an
upgrade. You guys were funnin me, right?????

I am not an Indian Swami that can lay on a bed of spikes. I am a very sensitive person. I can feel a
pea under a mattress and pee on a mattress.

 

[Jude T. McGloin]

Don, First of all I will state again that hardshell seats are not for everyone. It appears that its
not for you. For those of you that are of the "chair and ottoman" variety the proper positioning of
the M5 seat is seen on the bike it was made for. The M5 which is the, IMO, the fully reclined
"LazyBoy" or "Barcolounger" vrs. the "chair and ottoman" I ride mine at 30 degrees, some ride them
at 25/28 degrees. IMO over 40 degrees creates the "torture rack" effect. As for the pad I find it
neither abrasive or water retaining unless my Depends leak. I have four centuries and many metrics +
on this seat and find it FOR ME to be quite comfortable. Yesterdays 75 miler was uneventful except
for Al's flat tire. However, it aooears the after two sedate century pluses of average speed of 15
mph its back to the races, sprints and breakaways in the mid 20's and hill bombing and attacking, so
at the end the 75 felt more like 100.

Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "Don" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Guess I am a mesh guy. I rode a medium Giro tonight. It was a stretch because I barely fit on it.
> It had the mesh seat which fit me well and felt comfortable for the short time I rode. The curves
> in it seemed to give me more support than the straight Haluzak seat.
>
> I also sat on a Bacchetta with a medium M5 seat. It poked me between the shoulder blades and
> scratched me all over. It looked like it would shred clothes. It also did not feel good around my
> legs although I was struggling on a tooooo big bike so my leg seat interaction was probably not
> typical of riding. I can't believe anybody would ride that torture rack and actually consider it
> an upgrade. You guys were funnin me, right?????
>
> I am not an Indian Swami that can lay on a bed of spikes. I am a very sensitive person. I can feel
> a pea under a mattress and pee on a mattress.

 

[Cbb]

"Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I ride mine at 30 degrees, some ride them at 25/28 degrees. IMO over 40 degrees creates the
> "torture rack" effect.

Or 20 degrees (my Optima Baron fully reclined) or ~10 degrees (the T-Bone I last saw George Reynolds
riding). I tried this bike out and even coming from a lowracer the seat was really laid back.

> As for the pad I find it neither abrasive or water retaining unless my Depends leak.

I agree with Jude, a hard shell is very comfortable for long rides if you are reclined. If you are
sitting up like in a chair then the seat base is much to small especially if you are large (like
myself). The seat pads really are not abrasive unless you go shirtless. Even then there are seat
covers available.

Craig Optima Baron

 

[Don]

Lighter, faster, and more comfortable:

Rotator Ti Pursuit

Len Thunberg

 

[Mikael Seierup]

"Don" skrev

> Probably a moot point because I am broad in the hips and shoulders and I felt like the narrow M5
> seat was cleaving me in twain. My multiple personalities started arguing over who got to go with
> who. It is never pretty when that happens.

HP Velotechnik seat is 25-26 cm wide with a nice groove for your spine. Might be wide enough for the
two of you.

M.