Innovative bike seat...or just plan weird?



B

Brian

Guest
I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...

http://www.spongywonder.com/

Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
ride for long stretches...

What do you think?

Brian
 
On 15 Jul 2005 20:00:36 -0700, "Brian" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...
>
>http://www.spongywonder.com/
>
>Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
>age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
>ride for long stretches...
>
>What do you think?
>


I think it's a POS.

This kind of gadgetry-in-search-of-a-problem is forever cropping
up in rbm & rbt.

I've seen posts regarding this particular seat design more than once,
on the newsgroups. Lessee...

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?q=spongy+wonder+seat&hl=en

File it under "P" for pointless, along with shaft drives,
"airfree" tyres and "automatic transmission" bikes.
 
On 15 Jul 2005 20:00:36 -0700, "Brian" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...
>
>http://www.spongywonder.com/
>
>Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
>age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
>ride for long stretches...
>
>What do you think?
>
>Brian


It has been discussed before. The consensus is that it creates more
problems than it solves.


Life is Good!
Jeff
 
Brian wrote:
> I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...
>
> http://www.spongywonder.com/
>
> Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
> age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
> ride for long stretches...
>
> What do you think?
>
> Brian
>


What a waste of money.
I love their sales pitch, too : "You Need and Deserve the Complete
SPONGY WONDER bike seat answer" I deserve it?! What the hell does
that mean?

-Bill H.
 
On 15 Jul 2005 20:00:36 -0700, "Brian" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...
>
>http://www.spongywonder.com/
>
>Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
>age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
>ride for long stretches...
>
>What do you think?
>
>Brian


Does the fact that the testimonials do not give names of people you
can call or email, give us a clue? I noted one physician who could be
checked out, but most are "faith-based." That's a synonym for
"worthless." The author should be embarassed to put them on his site.

I'd like to see some testimonials I could check out of those who
actually got a refund. And If there are 7000 of them out there, as the
promoter says, maybe he could tell us where we could see them in
action. Or the bike shops that sell them, if it's so good.

These *types* of seats go way back, but apparently most riders find
that the missing nosepiece is more of a disadvantage rather than a
plus.

However, I am not totally Mr. Negativity about these saddles. For
general riding on roads, you might be one who does find a benefit. I
have a somewhat similar saddle (among many saddles) that I like to use
occasionally, for long day rides.
http://www.yellowjersey.org/theseat.html

This one is only $30 for the vinyl one, about half the price of the
one you mention.

At first, I thought, "No way." It felt so different and I had to keep
adjusting the angle to get it right. But I ride mostly at around 15
to 16 mph on flats and rolling roads. That's the kind of riding I do.
This seat does indeed take pressure off Mr. Pud and his friends, and
after about two hours of giving it a good try, I found the seat
comfortable. Not having a saddle nose really feels strange after many
years of getting used to only saddles that did. I made sure I allowed
time for this to not be constantly attracting my attention.

I do not use this sadlle all the time, nor on all of my different
bikes. But it also offers to give you your money back if not happy
with it.

As long as you trust the money-back guarantee of either, try and and
see before prejudging, knowing that if they were for most people, they
would have wider circulation by now. But because most people don't use
them doesn't mean than none can find them helpful.

Ted M.
 
Brian wrote:
> I came across this interesting bike seat design tonight...
>
> http://www.spongywonder.com/
>
> Has anyone tried this type of seat..? It looks very funky and space
> age to me. It would seem to eliminate some of the problems for men who
> ride for long stretches...
>
> What do you think?
>
> Brian


I tried it, and promptly sent it back. The seat puts all your weight
on your glutes, rather than on your "sit bones" which compromises
riding power and comfort. Plus, it puts you into a riding position
that forces a lot of weight onto your hands. I emailed the seller, and
his suggested remedy for this was to install riser bars on my road
bike. No thanks.
 
>What a waste of money.
>I love their sales pitch, too : "You Need and Deserve the Complete
>SPONGY WONDER bike seat answer" I deserve it?! What the hell does
>that mean?


you've been very bad...

--
mac the naïf
 
See "Easy-Seat". Probably can be found under "failed bicycle designs of
the 1970's".

- -

"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 

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