So I’m looking to build my dream muni. Only issue is, I have little experience with saddles - I’ve always used the stock Kris Holm seats for my previous unis. The primary factors I’m considering are strength and comfort.
I figure that a carbon fiber seat base is pretty much a necessity. And some sort of custom handle. But what seat should I modify? KH freeride, Impact Naomi, etc. What’s the consensus on foam modifications?
I know their are some avid muni riders on the forum; tell me what works for you - custom or otherwise.
Thanks in advance.
The KH Freeride seat is the best for Muni/distance IMO. On my Muni though I used a KH '04 seat (with the huge 3" foam) and I tried to make it like a freeride and I find it more comfy.
You can also customise your seat and make an Air Saddle with it, it’s really comfy, I’ve modified my Freeride seat on my Coker and it is awesome. I dont know if there’s much riders riding them for Muni though.
Bear in mind that Ken rides a carbon fibre base with no foam, he likes to be able to feel the bolts underneath him. Ken seems to think “No pain no gain” is a motto to live by so don’t trust his seat advice unless you want a sore butt.
I have had no experience with Naomi but I have used a lot of KH seats and the latest ones are much more stiff and strong than they were a while back. I like both the KH Freeride and the KH Fusion street, and I haven’t needed to get another carbon base (it would save weight but the stock ones can get a stiffener plate now). With KH you have the option of trying the touring handle- some people seem to like having a shortened version for MUni.
I made a custom carbon fiber airseat a while ago with a reeder handle that was pretty cool but it got stolen so I haven’t ridden it for ages. I’m thinking of updating my MUni seat to a more recent KH freeride cos it has a flexy seat which sucks.
love to try one, seems like it could be nice if the shape worked for me. that may be more important than the foam. (that was my experience with bike saddles)
To me the most comfortable saddle i have used for muni is the new style nimbus gel w/ the kh base. next would be the older nimbus gel.
btw, there was a good thread on this maybe 2 years ago, may be a good reference if you can find it. I seem to remember there was a broad range of imput.
I am a newbie muni rider, so take my comments for what they’re worth. My K1 track monster came with a street seat on it (which is a perfectly comfy seat, but not for muni), so I bought the freeride and I absolutely love it (haven’t even modified it) all my sitting pressure seems to be in the perfect place, and it’s very comfortable and absorbs bumps very well. Not too squishy, not too hard, juuuuust right.
Ken’s “Diet Coker” saddle at the Unicon XII Downhill race. As the caption says, he did not claim it to be comfortable! Also, to me it seemed a bit overkill, paired with a heavy 36" wheel.
Here is a review that I wrote on the KH Street Saddle: http://unitips.ca/?p=139
The seatbases in the KH seats are very stiff, but I have not tried a CF base, so I can’t compare them.
I think that it is very important to have an adjustable seat post. Riding is much more comfortable since I am using it, on 36", 29" and on the 24" Muni. I know many riders who use it for Muni and I did not yet hear that anyone managed to break it. It is important to have a good saddle, but it is also important to have it adjusted correctly, to fit your butt.
Do you adjust your seat angle very often? I just set mine when I tighten the bolts, and then it’s good to go. I haven’t needed an adjustable seatpost yet.
I have tried the Impact Naomi, KH freeride (07-09 model) nimbus gel and Old KH velo seats (pre 05). I ride a mix of endurance XC and technical DH. My current seat is a 09 Fusion freeride saddle foam (with the cut-away in the foam) on a CF base, with rail adapter and custom 2 prong handlebar.
I found the Impact Naomi too minimalist for the long hours I like to spend in the saddle, the Old velo/kh seat too curvy and the foam too soft (so eventually equal pressure was applied to everywhere that was in contact with the seat). The Nimbus Gel was ok for shorter rides but again it was not flat enough and did not have the cut away to relieve the pressure on the sensitive bits down there.
I would recommend one of the KH seats with the cut away and a adjustable seatpost of sorts- either with the rail adapter or the new rail-less one. You don’t have to go with the CF base- the KH stiffener plate is ok at reducing flex and is compatible with the KH T bar. I went with the rail adapter because my handle could bolt onto the brake tube. I probably don’t even require the CF base in my set up because all the lifting forces that normally get transfered into the front bumper handle now get transfered through my new custom handle down the rail adapters brake tube and into the seat post.
If you don’t want to go with a more comprehensive handle on your muni though the rigidity of a cf base is really nice. Just make sure you install it in the best way. Use the search function and search for a thread started by fraggle about his install. I used that method and it worked a treat.
Unless the design’s changed since I got one, nope. The plate is a flat piece of metal and will bend. The CF base has rails that give it much more stiffness.
