Vision Seat Tension adjustment help requested.

[John D.]

Howdy all,

I have had my R40 SWB since April 2002 and have nearly 3000 miles logged on it but I still just
can't seem to get the seat to "feel" just right.

My question is what is the preferred method for adjusting seat tension? I generally have my straps
fairly tight which makes for a nice stiff seat. I have tried to loosen them up a bit on a few
occasions but I always end up feeling like I am more crooked than when it is tight.

So who has the magic solution? Do you make the seat back tight and loosen the seat bottom? Do you
loosen them both a bunch or a little? To you keep the bottom tight and make the seat back loose to
make a pocket?

No matter what I have tried I alway seem to be leaning toward the right. I have tried to reposition
my body on the seat and nothing seems to work.

Help please.

John

 

[John Riley]

When I had a Vision seat, I put a piece of coroplast under the pad. It worked for me.

John Riley

 

[Steve Christens]

In article <[email protected]>, "John says...
>
>Howdy all,
>
>I have had my R40 SWB since April 2002 and have nearly 3000 miles logged on it but I still just
>can't seem to get the seat to "feel" just right.
>
>My question is what is the preferred method for adjusting seat tension? I generally have my straps
>fairly tight which makes for a nice stiff seat. I have tried to loosen them up a bit on a few
>occasions but I always end up feeling like I am more crooked than when it is tight.
>
>So who has the magic solution? Do you make the seat back tight and loosen the seat bottom? Do you
>loosen them both a bunch or a little? To you keep the bottom tight and make the seat back loose to
>make a pocket?

I don't think there is one right answer. I've played with mine quite a bit, and the seat settings do
make an amazing difference in the feel of the bike. Started out with the seat all the way up, now
keep it half way back in recline. I like the seat back very tight to give more lower back support.
For the seat pad I used to keep it loose to give more of a bucket effect, which keeps you from
having that feeling of sliding forward. But I now keep it quite tight as well, which gives me less
rubbing on the back of the thighs

>No matter what I have tried I alway seem to be leaning toward the right. I have tried to reposition
>my body on the seat and nothing seems to work.

I've noticed this too. I even had my shop take a careful look at the bike to be sure everything is
straight with the frame, but it checked out fine. So I don't understand it - I just know not to EVER
take both hands off the handlebars.

Steve Christensen Midland, MI

 

[Geob]

> I have had my R40 SWB since April 2002

Think I have had mine since May.

> and have nearly 3000 miles

Criminey! You *live* on that thing??

> I still just can't seem to get the seat to "feel" just right.

Mine keeps changing.. the velcro keeps 'creeping' and I have to tighten them once in a while. I have
thought about trying a zip-tie system like Rans.

> My question is what is the preferred method for adjusting seat tension? I generally have my straps
> fairly tight

I like mine tight.

> I always end up feeling like I am more crooked than when it is tight.

Crooked? You mean in the same sense that Nixon "wasn't"?

I just straighten my body and all is ducky once more.

> No matter what I have tried I alway seem to be leaning toward the right.

Change your talk radio station, listen to more Norm Chomsky. Either that or move your wallet...

> I have tried to reposition my body on the seat and nothing seems to work.

I dunno... I occasionaly feel crooked but I adjust my position and everything is fine.

Shot inna dark. Seriously. Are your legs the same length? Are you using clipless pedals? Clips
adjusted same?

What I wanna know is how to get rid of the various creaks and squeaks from my seat. I tried wax
paper (thanks Ricky) but maybe I did it wrong. It helped but not all that much. I tried dabbing car
wax on the contact area, semi works but messy. I put construction paper there now. Lots quieter but
still has some creaks. Maybe waxed construction paper next.

I was told that the fabric and the seat frame would work together to the point that the squeaks
would eventually go away. If anybody has had that experience I'd like to hear about it.

 

[Timothy B. Stor]

GeoB,

I have the same creak problem on my Saber. Ricky's wax paper idea only worked to lessen the noise. I
have noticed that after about 10 miles, the creaking isn't as obvious. I do not know of any solution
that works for any length of time (I tried paraffin wax on the seat support tubes, that turned out
to be a non-permanent solution, too).

I start pit with the seat strap tension high, and adjust it when it starts to feel too loose.

Tim Storey

"GeoB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I have had my R40 SWB since April 2002
>
> Think I have had mine since May.
>
> > and have nearly 3000 miles
>
> Criminey! You *live* on that thing??
>
> > I still just can't seem to get the seat to "feel" just right.
>
> Mine keeps changing.. the velcro keeps 'creeping' and I have to tighten them once in a while. I
> have thought about trying a zip-tie system like Rans.
>
> > My question is what is the preferred method for adjusting seat tension? I generally have my
> > straps fairly tight
>
> I like mine tight.
>
> > I always end up feeling like I am more crooked than when it is tight.
>
> Crooked? You mean in the same sense that Nixon "wasn't"?
>
> I just straighten my body and all is ducky once more.
>
> > No matter what I have tried I alway seem to be leaning toward the right.
>
> Change your talk radio station, listen to more Norm Chomsky. Either that or move your wallet...
>
> > I have tried to reposition my body on the seat and nothing seems to work.
>
> I dunno... I occasionaly feel crooked but I adjust my position and everything is fine.
>
> Shot inna dark. Seriously. Are your legs the same length? Are you using clipless pedals? Clips
> adjusted same?
>
> What I wanna know is how to get rid of the various creaks and squeaks from my seat. I tried wax
> paper (thanks Ricky) but maybe I did it wrong. It helped but not all that much. I tried dabbing
> car wax on the contact area, semi works but messy. I put construction paper there now. Lots
> quieter but still has some creaks. Maybe waxed construction paper next.
>
> I was told that the fabric and the seat frame would work together to the point that the squeaks
> would eventually go away. If anybody has had that experience I'd like to hear about it.

 

[Devon]

Sounds like you have an alignment issue ... either the seat frame or bike frame. I have never felt I
was sitting crooked on the Vision seat.

My personal preference is to have the seat bottom as tight as I can get it (I ride with the seat
fully reclined. A more upright seat back might favor more slack in seat bottom to prevent sliding
forward). My seat back straps have a lot of slack except the second from the bottom which I stretch
as tight as possible. I need lumbar support and this has worked well for me .... MANY 60-85 mile
days in the saddle and got off feeling wonderful except for rubbery legs.

DeVon 1995 R40 USS 1999 R40 OSS 1999 R44s USS 2002 R54 USS/Pantour

"John D." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Howdy all,
>
> I have had my R40 SWB since April 2002 and have nearly 3000 miles logged on it but I still just
> can't seem to get the seat to "feel" just right.
>
> My question is what is the preferred method for adjusting seat tension? I generally have my straps
> fairly tight which makes for a nice stiff seat. I have tried to loosen them up a bit on a few
> occasions but I always end up feeling like I am more crooked than when it is tight.
>
> So who has the magic solution? Do you make the seat back tight and loosen the seat bottom? Do you
> loosen them both a bunch or a little? To you keep the bottom tight and make the seat back loose to
> make a pocket?
>
> No matter what I have tried I alway seem to be leaning toward the right. I have tried to
> reposition my body on the seat and nothing seems to work.
>
> Help please.
>
> John

 

[John D.]

"GeoB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Criminey! You *live* on that thing??

No but I typically commute 4 or 5 times a week with a 24 mile round trip route. Then I occasionally
take a morning or lunch ride for an additional 20 miles that day. Not to mention I also get some
additional miles on my DF bikes for a total in excess of 4500 miles in 2002. My goal this year is to
exceed 5000 miles and go for 6000 miles if I my average is on track by summer.

>
> Shot inna dark. Seriously. Are your legs the same length? Are you using clipless pedals? Clips
> adjusted same?

Actually, just the other day I was wondering the same thing about my legs and their length, maybe
they are different lengths. Yes, I am using clipless pedals and they may be slightly different, I
will give that a try to get them better. As I can see I have many different options to test over the
coming weeks based on the feedback from the group. I would really like to try a hard shell seat but
won't spend the money on one just as an experiment.

I generally have my seat all the way back but recently have been moving it up a little bit to see if
that will correct anything. It just amazes me how such little adjustment in seat back angle or seat
tension affects the ride. I am also considering going back to LWB but won't do that till I build and
test my transportation mod that will allow me to easily transport my bike as a LWB on my roof rack.
I seem to recall that the LWB configuration was a bit more stable and forgiving while riding.

>
> What I wanna know is how to get rid of the various creaks and squeaks from my seat.

I haven't really had this problem.

John