Quest for comfortable seat

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a unicycle seat that is still comfortable after 5
miles? I know from bicycling that a lot depends on putting in more time on the
seat and “getting used to it.” However, without handlebars to share the load, a
unicycle seat carries an extra burden.

Here is my latest effort: It is based on a Semcycle seat–the one with the
strong steel plate and the removable tough vinyl cover. I like the seat’s shape
and its strength relative to a Miyata seat, but I can’t do serious hills on my
Coker without a handle. So I took the front handle off of a scrap Miyata seat,
drilled holes in the Semcycle seat plate, and fastened the handle using longer
carriage bolts.

I removed the Semcycle’s firm foam padding and replaced it with a 12 inch 1.5
inch air tube, and put a piece of 2 inch soft foam on top of that. The soft foam
is the kind you would find in a cushion, and I cut it to shape.

When I put the seat together and pumped up the tire, the seat cover tried to
come off at the back, so I punched a series of holes in the seat cover and laced
it up with boot laces. Now it holds fine.

Comfort: Definitely better than the Miyata airseat it replaced. But still not
perfect. I also modified a Miyata airseat by adding the 2 inches of foam. I will
test it out soon.

Any other seat modifications working for you out there?

David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA

RE: Quest for comfortable seat

> > When I put the seat together and pumped up the tire, the seat cover tried to
> > come off at the back, so I punched a series of holes in the seat cover and
> > laced it up with boot laces. Now it holds fine.

Depending on the seat and cover you are using, the cover trying to come off is a
possible indication of too much air pressure. The two air seats I made (now
stolen) both contained air pressures probably in the 20-30 range. If you put in
too much air it starts to feel like a regular foam seat.

What kind of pressure do others use?

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone (reply to jfoss@unicycling.com)
http://www.unicycling.com

Still searching for the MUni thieves (hopefully looking a little harder than
O.J.'s search for ‘the killer’)

RE: Quest for comfortable seat

I use the Semcycle seat w/12" tube. I normally pump up the tube to the point
where the seat cover starts coming off the back and then bleed off enough air
until the cover “fits”. I never checked the pressure though. It is more comfy
for long rides but I lose some control over my uni with this much air. I also
carry a spare seat tube after one time I rode 2.5 miles back with a flat seat
(ouch!) -Mark

— John Foss <john_foss@asinet.com> wrote:
> > > When I put the seat together and pumped up the
> tire, the seat cover
> > > tried to come off at the back, so I punched a
> series of holes in the
> > > seat cover and laced it up with boot laces. Now
> it holds fine.
>
> Depending on the seat and cover you are using, the cover trying to come off is
> a possible indication of too much air pressure. The two air seats I made (now
> stolen) both contained air pressures probably in the 20-30 range. If you put
> in too much air it starts to feel like a regular foam seat.
>
> What kind of pressure do others use?
>
> John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone (reply to jfoss@unicycling.com)
> http://www.unicycling.com
>
> Still searching for the MUni thieves (hopefully looking a little harder than
> O.J.'s search for ‘the killer’)
>


Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com

RE: Quest for comfortable seat

— John Foss <john_foss@asinet.com> wrote:
> > > When I put the seat together and pumped up the
> tire, the seat cover
> > > tried to come off at the back, so I punched a
> series of holes in the
> > > seat cover and laced it up with boot laces. Now
> it holds fine.
>
> Depending on the seat and cover you are using, the cover trying to come off is
> a possible indication of too much air pressure. The two air seats I made (now
> stolen) both contained air pressures probably in the 20-30 range. If you put
> in too much air it starts to feel like a regular foam seat.
>
> What kind of pressure do others use?
>
> John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone (reply to jfoss@unicycling.com)
> http://www.unicycling.com
>
> Still searching for the MUni thieves (hopefully looking a little harder than
> O.J.'s search for ‘the killer’)
>


Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com

Re: Quest for comfortable seat

I was thinking that a handle could be attached via the seat post with the use of
a BMX ahead style stem. Then a person could design a “hand bar” that has a place
to mount a break lever or computer. Would it work? -Mary

Maxfield D <maxfieldd@aol.com> wrote in article
<20000216192205.25453.00001230@ng-cv1.aol.com>…
> Wouldn’t it be nice to have a unicycle seat that is still comfortable
after 5
> miles? I know from bicycling that a lot depends on putting in more time
on the
> seat and “getting used to it.” However, without handlebars to share the
load, a
> unicycle seat carries an extra burden.
>
> Here is my latest effort: It is based on a Semcycle seat–the one with
the
> strong steel plate and the removable tough vinyl cover. I like the seat’s
shape
> and its strength relative to a Miyata seat, but I can’t do serious hills
on my
> Coker without a handle. So I took the front handle off of a scrap Miyata
seat,
> drilled holes in the Semcycle seat plate, and fastened the handle using
longer
> carriage bolts.
>
> I removed the Semcycle’s firm foam padding and replaced it with a 12 inch
20000216192206.5
> inch air tube, and put a piece of 2 inch soft foam on top of that. The
soft
> foam is the kind you would find in a cushion, and I cut it to shape.
>
> When I put the seat together and pumped up the tire, the seat cover tried
to
> come off at the back, so I punched a series of holes in the seat cover
and
> laced it up with boot laces. Now it holds fine.
>
> Comfort: Definitely better than the Miyata airseat it replaced. But still
not
> perfect. I also modified a Miyata airseat by adding the 2 inches of foam.
I
> will test it out soon.
>
> Any other seat modifications working for you out there?
>
> David Maxfield Bainbridge Island, WA

Re: Quest for comfortable seat

Maxfield D wrote:
>
> When I put the seat together and pumped up the tire, the seat cover tried to
> come off at the back, so I punched a series of holes in the seat cover and
> laced it up with boot laces. Now it holds fine.
>
> Any other seat modifications working for you out there?
>

Before I pump air in the inner tube, I wrap an ace bandage all around the tube
and seat. The ace bandage stretches with the tube, but still manages to
confine it.

Long ride the Coker!

Kevin