Seat upgrade

[Kris]

Hi,

Can anybody recommend a good and possibly inexpensive way to improve bike seat? Mine is getting old and uncomfortable.

 

[eric steele]

My Sargent seat solved the problem that was evident on day one with the OEM seat. The stock seat always felt like it was pushing you forward towards the tank. I have found that the Sargent provides a totally neutral position and is comfortable for 100 miles +.

Good luck.

 

[Hank]

Airhawk r small cruiser works for me. The R has a groove for, well, you know.
Don't overinflate, about 1/4 is plenty.
Much cheaper than a new seat.
I don't really like how it looks, but that's ok.

 

[netizen]

Cheapest upgrade with big results is the Airhawk as Hank said. Just make sure you don't have cats that like to roost on your seat... they will try to "Fluff" the airhawk.. and those rubber air bladders don't hold up to that.

Cheapest seat upgrade is the Seat Concepts. The shad is not much more expensive. I have the Seat Concepts seat and I am very happy with it. The very BEST seat is a Russell Daylong. But be prepared to spend nearly $1000 on that upgrade.

Figure out your budget and probability of cat sabotage and go from there.

I can tell you that I recently rode 900 miles in a day on the seat concepts seat. I did have a slight sore on one cheek that I quit noticing once off the bike. In future I will go back to my practice of alternating an air hawk or a sheepskin seat cover with the bare seat while riding, changing them out at gas stops. Changing your contact patch with the seat makes a world of distance if your going to do major miles in one day.

 

[d'milan]

Cheapest upgrade with big results is the Airhawk as Hank said. Just make sure you don't have cats that like to roost on your seat... they will try to "Fluff" the airhawk.. and those rubber air bladders don't hold up to that.

Cheapest seat upgrade is the Seat Concepts. The shad is not much more expensive. I have the Seat Concepts seat and I am very happy with it. The very BEST seat is a Russell Daylong. But be prepared to spend nearly $1000 on that upgrade.

Figure out your budget and probability of cat sabotage and go from there.

I can tell you that I recently rode 900 miles in a day on the seat concepts seat. I did have a slight sore on one cheek that I quit noticing once off the bike. In future I will go back to my practice of alternating an air hawk or a sheepskin seat cover with the bare seat while riding, changing them out at gas stops. Changing your contact patch with the seat makes a world of distance if your going to do major miles in one day.

I think that's a good point..

I have done the same with a beadrider on some of my former bikes and got the decent results...
Alters the contact patch

 

[MZ5]

The best and often cheapest seat upgrade is the one you make yourself. Buy foam, shape it until you're happy, and either re-stretch the original cover if you made only small changes, or have a local upholsterer cover it.

 

[Gibsito]

I also have a Seat Concepts seat. I'm happy with it. Much better than stock and was relatively easy on the wallet. Mine is the low version so has firmer foam but I don't think about the seat when I'm riding and that's what I was going for.

 

[Adlibgib]

Is the Seat Concepts a simple install? I assume you need a stapler?

 

[670cc]

Another option for a do-it yourself foam and cover kit is the Saddlemen. It is lesser know than the Seat Concepts, but having tried both, I like the Saddlemen better. Be sure to get the touring shape, not the sport.

SEAT KIT TOUR CF NC700X

As you can see from the photo, it totally eliminates the forward slope. No slope mod needed.

 

[Gibsito]

Is the Seat Concepts a simple install? I assume you need a stapler?

For doing it yourself, yes you need a pneumatic stapler. I think some have done it with a mechanical one but it sounds like a royal pain (pounding each staple in by hand because the stapler isn't powerful enough). For $20 extra Seat Concepts will do it for you. For most people that's probably the best way to go since it will cost more if you have to buy a pneumatic stapler (a lot more if you need a compressor, etc.). Downside to having them do it is you can't ride in the interim (need to send them your seat pan). Some find a local upholsterer to do it for varying prices.

Here's a video I made of my self-install to give you an idea of what's involved. I didn't find it to be all that difficult, just a bit of a process. Initial install took about 45 minutes, then I spent another 15 minutes about a week later taking some extra wrinkles out of it.

 

[OneGun]

...but I don't think about the seat when I'm riding and that's what I was going for.

This is where I'm at as well with my Seat Concepts seat. It's not amazingly soft or anything, but in the couple months I've had it, not thinking about my seat has been the tell for me... before with the stock seat, every time I'd get off I'd feel it. Now with this seat after I ride and I've been off the bike for a minute it hits me... I wasn't even thinking about the seat. For me that's a win and the mark of a good solution.