base:
as far as i know all kh seat’s and kh clones use the exact same shape. If you arent doing much hopping droping and aren’t a weight weenie this base is all you’ll ever need.
stiffener plates give a nice feel, but still flex a little and weigh a ton. if you want a stiff unbreakable seat get the carbon fiber base you’ll save weight over plastic too. I like the kh style cf base over the miyata because it is narrower and the kh foam will fit.
Scott Wallis Designs Derail base. This base is deisgned after Zack Baldwin’s Direct connect idea. this base is the best money can buy, Scott’s quality of construction is as good as carbonfiber gets. it is the lightest and when paired with a thomson post, strongest way to go.
padding:
I have tried a few air seats which feel great at first because they are super cushy, but once you get a few miles down the trail, you may notice that comes at a cost. with air seats, your “sit bones” sink into the seat while your weight rests on your softer areas. feels good at first, but believe me it gets old (like a waterbed for your crotch). not only that, but you get bounced around by the seat where foam wants to absorb the impact.
the best seat I have felt without modification is the new kh dual-density pad. it’s thin, and dosent have the crazy concave that the original kh does. There is a layer of soft padding with firm padding underneath which is great because you dont sink into the seat as much.
my favorite way to go is buy one of the fatty kh seats, and shave the padding down to whatever shape is best for the style of riding i plan on doing. on my Muni right now i have it cut so there is no concave at all till it has to curve up to meet the handle. I still have some fine tuning to do (rounding edges, thinning the sides), but it feels great so far. I strongly suggest shaping your own seat out of the fatty foam pad to fit your body and style of riding. going this route severly reduces the need for an adjustable post.
Handles:
Miyata handle feels nice to my hand compaired to other plastic handles, but the plastic isn’t very strong.
Kinport handle is strong, and fits miyata bolt patern, but does not fit the shape of your hand at all. the version without the hole is especially uncomfortable your fingers get jammed in the bottom of the cut out.
kh handle gets the job done, nothing super special.
Reeder handle is great, and you can use bike grips, it is heavy though. recomended only for use with carbonfiber bases, the torque this thing gives you will kill plastic bases. Will not fit any factory bolt patterns (you have to drill your base).
Scott Wallis Designs death grip handle feels incredible (only ergonomic handle around), i don’t have much experience with this handle, but i have destroyed a carbonfiber rear bumper on concrete, so i would only use this handle in the dirt. No hole in this handle either, so if you have long fingers, they can get jamed in the top.
seatpost adjustment:
having an adjustable post is nice because you get to fine tune the nose angle on your seat. you will need a heavy steel rail adapter to use an adjustable (bike) seat post. the exception to this is if you are crafty or have a scott wallis derail base wich allows a thomson post to be directly attached to the base bypassing the rail clamps.
Tilting the seat nose-up lessens the amount of pressure pushing your balls into the front upcurve of the seat. a slight upward angle in the back is nessesary to cradle you in the seat somewhat so it dosen’t feel like you will slide off the back. with an adjustable post, you get to decide what the best angle is for you. Again, carving a good shape out of your foam can acomplish a satisfactory angle with a fixed post.
Any more questions?
That was the most concise helpful answer to a question I have ever received.