I just finnished ‘constructing’ a small handle/reenforcement out of duct tape on my Viscount saddle.
After having the front and back bumpers fall off over 6 times, I decided to not put them back on. But after a while the material and the foam came off too (at the front and back), so when I would jump the front would really hurt my fingers (gripping on metal hurts). So I got some duct tape and got down to business.
First, I duct taped the front and back bumper back on (this will probably last longer than using the bolts that came with the viscount). Then i said to myself, “Self, there has to be something we can do to improve the performance and astetics of this piece-of-crap seat.”
So I rolled up some duct tape into a cilinder shape. I then taped this onto the bottom of the bumper and put evem more duct tape over that to make it all comfy.
I just finnished it tonight (I started it last night) and rode for about 30 minutes with it. It feels great on my fingers and it works really well as a handle since it has soo much to hold. Also, I think my saddle looks way better with duct tape on it.
Heck, I bet I could even make and air seat with enough duct tape. Then it would truly be better than a Miyata.
Re: Who needs a Miyata whe you have a Viscount and duct tape
Mike,
I have been having similar problems with my Viscount seat bumpers coming off and have been wanting to duct tape up some of them. Thanks for the inspiration and the photos.
And if my efforts don’t work out as well as yours, I promise not to sue.
Yes, I also tried tying them on with shoe laces (suggested by Tron) and that worked for about a month but the metal cut the laces. You should definitly duct tape them on. And make a handle, it is soooo comfortable.
Duct tape is the world’s fix-it material, but if you’re just looking to keep the bumpers from falling off, I recommend a different approach. It’s fairly simple even for the mechanically declined.
Remove the bumpers and locate the metal tabs under the seat through which the screws go. Tap machine threads into the tab’s holes using a 10-32 tap. The tap and tap handle can be easily obtained at your local hardware store and the helpful hardware folk should be more than willing to demonstrate how they work. Reinstall the bumpers using #10 (or 3/16") fine thread (32 tpi) machine screws. You may have to ream out the holes in the plastic bumpers a bit.
I’ve done several Viscount saddles this way and have never had another bumper come loose.
Bruce, I see how that is a very good way of doing it, and that the bumper will probably stay on forever that way, but that takes effort and work. Duct tape is easy, it looks cool, and I am to lazy to do all that technical stuff… come on, you cant say my duct taped up viscount doesnt look awsome.
Yeah I have had the same problem with the seat. The I know someone who just got it yesterday and has already lost several of the original screws. I glued my things on with tons of glue, and so far it has been sticking, but I think I’ll try the tape method ontop of that because the edge hurts my hand. I think I have some internal bleeding on my hands cause of it. You should tape up the rest of the seat as well, so that the colors match. A full “silver” seat would look awesome. Especially on my unicycle since it is chrome plated. I’m probably going to go downstairs and try that out right now. Talk to you all later.
I had similar problems when I was learning the basics and falling a lot, but I just used longer screws. I think they are still loose, so I’ll keep this in mind.
For me, after two days all the screws had come off, so I went back to the place I got it from and they gave me a new seat. That day all the screws came off the new seat so i went on rsu and got the shoe lace idea.
Yes, I plan on doing that, maybe even an airseat. I just finished the basics and i posted, so the seat isnt quite finished yet. Since it is made of tape, i will probably be always workin on it and improving it. But if you have too much tape all over it, what little padding viscount has will almost be even more un-noticible.
Awsome! you made a duct tape airseat? you should post some picks!
I just screwed new screws in instead of the ones that come with it. It worked really well and is still working really well after dropping the a lot onto hard cement. Give that a try.
Okay, okay, I relent. Duct tape is cool. Just make sure you exercise the option to use other colors besides silver. Wal-Mart (Asda?) carries many different colors that would look even more impressive, especially the camoflauge color.
Hey, now I’m on to something, another Olympic demonstration sport…Unicycle Deerhunting!
When a viscount screw falls out I just slam in a larger sheet metal screw. It cuts it’s own threads as it goes in and ends up being more flush with the bumper than the orgininal screw. I don’t think one of these has ever fallen of mine. I’ll check on the size I used.
-gauss
the thing that REALY sucks about viscount is that its so skinny and uncomfterable, the front is so skinny and nothing to hold onto, and if u do put 3 fingers under the seat thent theres still 2 bump out places that make it again about half the width of the front. I think that it would be better if they just got rid of the 2 bumps that hurt ur hand, and make it uncomfterable. i made a handle to out of ducttape and very tightly rolled up newpaper, it came off in about a day or 2 of hopping, it just gets pulled up and the duct tape cant grab onto somthing to hold it inplace.
I tried something like that a while ago, and it worked well. The only problems are that if it starts to peel, it’ll stick to your pants, and when you fall and the seat hits the ground, it’ll show. But both of these problems can be solved with a bit more duct tape, so it works just as well. If you do start putting more tape on, take it all of every few months so that it won’t get to bulky. Looks good!
> … use other colors besides silver. Wal-Mart (Asda?) carries
> many different colors that would look even more impressive, especially
> the camoflauge color.
Wal-mart may, but asda UK are unlikley too. In the UK the colour of
cloth reinforced tape ( duct tape / duck tape / gaffa tape) is limited
unless you buy it from a specialist. Most car shops like halfords just do
black, silver and maybe red or yellow in little tiny rolls. HOWEVER, find
your local theatrical supplier ( ie , Stage Electrics if you live near
Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Cardiff, Brecon, Birmingham, Cambridge, London
or newcastle ( other suppliers do exsist but I don’t work for them)) and
you will find gaffa tape in a multitude of colours, at present we at
Exeter Stage Electrics have a special on flouresent coloured gaffa.We also
sell red, yellow, blue, green, as well as black and white in a varity of
widths.
OR for the cheap skates amoung you, e-mail Le Mark the tape manufacturers
and ask for sample rolls. Gets you about as much as a halfords roll, but
for free.
Thus far my commuting unicycle has remained gaffa free, the rear bumper
has still got a layer of 2 inch wide clear PVC tape on after Unicon tho…
I glued my things on with tons of glue, and so far it has been sticking, but I think I’ll try the tape method ontop of that because the edge hurts my hand. I think I have some internal bleeding on my hands cause of it. You should tape up the rest of the seat as well, so that the colors match. A full “silver” seat would look awesome. Especially on my unicycle since it is chrome plated. 
I’m probably going to go downstairs and try that out right now. Talk to you all later.