I was about to buy a kh freeride but have read mostly good things about the kh one , I have a UDC 26" and mostly ride cycle paths my question is those who have used one or both of these which would you recommend a new Uni is possible in the future and a handle bar is likely one day .Thanks David ps my main reason for a new seat is numbness .
Every rump is different. I have ridden on a Nimbus Gel (very comfortable but less control of the uni), Nimbus Stadium (very sturdy, so sturdy that I had to buy riding padded shorts due to soreness on my inner thighs, good control over the uni) and I have the KH Fusion One (very sturdy, decently comfortable and more control over my uni).
I don’t know specifics but I do know that you need to make sure your seat post size and mounting screws align.
Hope this helps, even just a little.
Be well and may your ride be numb-free.
Most of my riding has been on a Nimbus gel, and I’m enough used to that, that it’s my preference.
Since the end of my first summer I’ve also had a KH fusion zero with the associated pivotal post and all-but-required handle. Technically my longest 26er ride was on the fusion zero, though I’ve now bested that on a 36er at much lower impact, with the nimbus gel and sans handle.
The flat saddles seem like they are probably best for a toned rear - especially the Zero, and likely still the One if perhaps less so, can be a bit harsh when not acclimated to it, though allegedly if one is, it unlocks endurance potential that isn’t there with a curved saddle… though ironically its been the Zero that’s given me the most acute sensation of numbness in unwelcome places.
Due to some contingency hacksaw usage on seatposts, I’m currently basically stuck with a Nimbus gel on a 36er with a shortened conventional post, and the fusion Zero and handle on pivotal post still sized to my previous 26er, so my plan for the near term is to alternate a bit between the two, getting sore in different places, and then decide if I want to buy a pivotal post to shorten to fit the Zero to the 36er, or explore an entirely different handle solution for that.
Allegedly, the One tames the concept of the Zero a bit, but I’m not yet convinced enough that the basic idea is right for me, to buy one.
Ultimately it is all very much about personal preference - you’d think you should be able to read other’s impressions and figure out what is right for you, but it seems like the reality is that you’ll shell out non-trivial chunks of change for saddle and accessory combinations that don’t end up working for you, before you find one that does.
Of course I’d be curious to try a more conventional KH saddle vs. the Zero/One… but not yet curious enough to buy one just to try.
Regardless of the saddle, if you’re going non-trivial distance, cycle shorts and the goup that they are meant to be used with are probably a good idea. To avoid being mistaken for a superfluous wheel Fred, you can wear cargo shorts over them.
Between those two I think it would come down to how much you’re holding onto the seat handle while riding. If a lot, try the One. If not very much, stic, with the Freeride.
That’s based on reading the descriptions for each, and on riding lots of uni saddles over the years. One of my favorites was the Nimbus Gel, which I used for most of Ride The Lobster. Of course this was before both of the seats named above existed. Also I have a KH Zero saddle on my new Muni. Problem is, I mostly don’t get out on it often enough for my crotch to get used to the thing. It still starts being unpleasant after about 5 miles of trail. So I’m curious about the One now…
For me, I think the Zero saddle will be improved when I get a short handlebar for this Muni, which I think will make a difference.
I have Freerides on my 29s and love them.
Learned on a stock Nimbus then went to a Freeride.
Tried a Zero when it came out and quickly retired it as a backup. (for comfort reasons)
Swapped back to a Freeride and all is good again. 5, 10, 20km…
I use handlebars.
Anybody want to swap a Zero w/post for a Freeride w/post?