bicycle seat that feels like a pillow?

[Bennett Haselton]

Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
bicycle seats like this?

I asked at a local bike shop saying I was looking for something that
was softer than my bicycle seat of hard rubber, and they showed me
some seats made of slightly less hard rubber. Still nowhere near as
soft and comfortable as a pillow.

Given that uncomfortable sitting presumably doesn't add anything to
the fitness benefits of bike riding, why wouldn't pillow-soft seats
like this exist?

(Or perhaps purists would say that the uncomfortable seats do add a
fitness benefit, by making you stand more! But still, can't a guy
just go on a long bike ride and sit a lot, without having to worry
about the fitness part? Besides, if you find a way to make an
experience more comfortable even if slightly less health-beneficial,
the result may still be an increase in the health benefits that the
total population gets from it, because more people will do it, and for
longer.)

[Tom Sherman]

Bennett Haselton wrote:
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?...
>
Yes. E.g. <http://www.ransbikes.com/images/stratusLE08L.jpg>.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

[landotter]

On Jul 26, 9:23*pm, Bennett Haselton <benn...@peacefire.org> wrote:
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. *Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping,

Put it in your pants.

[D_Frumious_B@ndersnat.ch]

Bennett Haselton <bennett@peacefire.org> wrote:
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?
<SNIP>

What's your personal definition of "long?"


Bill

__o | The American fascist would prefer not to use violence.
_`\(,_ | His method is to poison the channels of public information
(_)/ (_) | --Henry A. Wallace

[nmp]

Bennett Haselton wrote:

> Given that uncomfortable sitting presumably doesn't add anything to the
> fitness benefits of bike riding, why wouldn't pillow-soft seats like
> this exist?

Because they really are not as comfortable as you seem to think.
Especially not on long rides.
Read this: <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html>.

[Bill Sornson]

On Jul 26, 7:23*pm, Bennett Haselton <benn...@peacefire.org> wrote:
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. *Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?

Here's what you do. Have 7 or 8 friends send away for free "Tempur-
pedic" mattress samples (only one to a household, you see) and glue
them to your saddle.

Problem solved; off you go.

Bill "glad to help" S.

[Yannik]

"Bennett Haselton" <bennett@peacefire.org> schreef in bericht
news:85c0823f-ac90-4961-b779-7d4c1949d006@a2g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?

http://www.ride-ball.de/

http://no-nose.com/

[Pat]

"Bennett Haselton" <...
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?

Bennett, keep at it. Your rear will toughen up in a short time. Think of it
this way: if there were truly a need for a pillow bicycle seat, you'd see
thousands of people using them. No. All of these people have learned that
their butts get used to bicycle seats that support the sit bones in a
proper way instead of trying to fool you into thinking you can have a soft
rear and a soft saddle.

Pat in TX

[Tom Keats]

In article <85c0823f-ac90-4961-b779-7d4c1949d006@a2g2000prm.googlegroups.com>,
Bennett Haselton <bennett@peacefire.org> writes:
> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape,

Maybe you've been watching The Red Green Show a li'l too much?

> because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?
>
> I asked at a local bike shop saying I was looking for something that
> was softer than my bicycle seat of hard rubber, and they showed me
> some seats made of slightly less hard rubber. Still nowhere near as
> soft and comfortable as a pillow.
>
> Given that uncomfortable sitting presumably doesn't add anything to
> the fitness benefits of bike riding, why wouldn't pillow-soft seats
> like this exist?
>
> (Or perhaps purists would say that the uncomfortable seats do add a
> fitness benefit, by making you stand more! But still, can't a guy
> just go on a long bike ride and sit a lot,

No. One doesn't ~sit~ on a normal diamond-frame bike.

And standing on the pedals isn't about gaining
or maintaining fitness. I use the technique for
comfort, e.g: setting the cranks level, standing
off the saddle, and coasting over speed humps.
Keeps my internal organs from bouncing around.

> without having to worry
> about the fitness part? Besides, if you find a way to make an
> experience more comfortable even if slightly less health-beneficial,
> the result may still be an increase in the health benefits that the
> total population gets from it, because more people will do it, and for
> longer.)

Wanna make a pile of $$$? Just invent the Pneumatic
Bicycle Saddle. It wouldn't be an improvement over
time-tested-&-true conventional saddles, but I'm
sure it could be highly ... let's say: "marketable."

In the meantime, I suggest obtaining an invalid ring
from your local drugstore, and using that instead of
the pillow. The central hole should render it more
securely attachable, you could regulate it's softness
by how much you inflate it, and if you have hemhorroids
it'll fulfill its intended purpose. And if you come
across a swimmin' spot and ya wanna take a dip, you've
got a beach toy.

They make pretty good archery targets too. For a while.
I haven't yet tried them for skeet/trap shooting, but
I foresee possibilities.

Maybe they'd even doofer spare tires for Mini Coopers.

Maybe glue Glo-Stix onto 'em and use 'em for nighttime
Ultimate Frisbee.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Claire Petersky]

"Bennett Haselton" <bennett@peacefire.org> wrote in message
news:85c0823f-ac90-4961-b779-7d4c1949d006@a2g2000prm.googlegroups.com...

Most people seem to be harrassing you, rather than genuinely trying to help
you. I'll see what I can do for you here.

> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> comfortable on long bike rides.

Do you wear bike shorts?
What do consider to be a "long" bike ride?
What kind of bike are you riding?
Where did you get it?
Did the place where you bought the bike do a bike fitting?

> Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> bicycle seats like this?

No, for good reason. Someone else refered you to Sheldon Brown's site, which
explains why cushy seats are a bad idea.

> Given that uncomfortable sitting presumably doesn't add anything to
> the fitness benefits of bike riding, why wouldn't pillow-soft seats
> like this exist?

Because they cause greater pain in the long run.

While there's some "toughening up" that needs to occur, you aren't supposed
to be in major pain when you ride your bike. Cyclists do not wear bike
shorts to show off genetalia, they wear them for comfort. If you're wearing
bike shorts and your heinie still hurts, it probably means that the bike
does not fit you in some dimension.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

[Tom Sherman]

landotter wrote:
> On Jul 26, 9:23 pm, Bennett Haselton <benn...@peacefire.org> wrote:
>> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
>> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
>> comfortable on long bike rides. Since the duct tape keeps coming off
>> and the pillow keeps slipping,
>
> Put it in your pants.

Please DO NOT take photographs and post them online if you try this.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

[Edric]

On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:32:13 -0700 (PDT), Bill Sornson
<sorni@san.rr.com> wrote:

>On Jul 26, 7:23*pm, Bennett Haselton <benn...@peacefire.org> wrote:
>> Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
>> bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
>> comfortable on long bike rides. *Since the duct tape keeps coming off
>> and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
>> bicycle seats like this?
>
>Here's what you do. Have 7 or 8 friends send away for free "Tempur-
>pedic" mattress samples (only one to a household, you see) and glue
>them to your saddle.
>
>Problem solved; off you go.
>
>Bill "glad to help" S.

Who needs them? After about a week any saddle soreness should fade
away. Just toughen up.

[landotter]

On Jul 28, 6:31*am, "Yannik" <geen.ad...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> "Bennett Haselton" <benn...@peacefire.org> schreef in berichtnews:85c0823f-ac90-4961-b779-7d4c1949d006@a2g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Lately I've been riding my bike with a pillow strapped over the
> > bicycle seat with duct tape, because it made sitting a lot more
> > comfortable on long bike rides. *Since the duct tape keeps coming off
> > and the pillow keeps slipping, I want to know, are there "real"
> > bicycle seats like this?
>
> http://www.ride-ball.de/

I'm sure the German market has come up with an exciting number of
filthy sounding exit valves for that thing for when you hit bumps.
Pbbbbt!

[Yannik]

"Yannik" <geen.adres@hotmail.com> schreef in bericht
news:B6ijk.50897$Eo3.40186@newsfe14.ams2...
>
>
> http://www.ride-ball.de/
>

I just bought one and it does the trick.
But it really requires an upright riding position, otherwise the stated
downsides are correct, more pressure to the wrists and no riding without
hands.
But on an upright bike it really is like riding on a pillow :-)
Not a good idea on a MTB, a sports bike or a touringbike though.


Yannik

[It's Chris]

Have you tried any of the "gel" pads that slip over the saddle like a
pillowcase? They're not quite as soft as, say down or feathers (More
like a thick steak) but they're at least made for your purpose, and can
even be bought at (Forgive me, lord,) Wal-Mart

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

My website:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

[Bill Sornson]

On Jul 28, 5:06*pm, Edric <n...@nobody.net> wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:32:13 -0700 (PDT), Bill Sornson

> >Here's what you do. *Have 7 or 8 friends send away for free "Tempur-
> >pedic" mattress samples (only one to a household, you see) and glue
> >them to your saddle.
>
> >Problem solved; off you go.
>
> >Bill "glad to help" S.

> Who needs them? *After about a week any saddle soreness should fade
> away. *Just toughen up.

Umm... Whoosh?

[It's Chris]

From: cpetersky@mouse-potato.com (Claire*Petersky)

>Cyclists do not wear bike shorts to show
>off genetalia, they wear them for
>comfort.
In a woman's case the chamois would hide, not show anyway. ;-3)

>If you're wearing bike shorts
>and your heinie still hurts, it probably
>means that the bike does not fit you in
>some dimension.

Which would be my guess as well. What part(s) of your neithers hurt?
That's sometimes a good indication, especially if these hurts are in
conjunction with hurts on other parts of your body (lower back,
shoulders, knees...).

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

If you want to E-mail me use:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

My website:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

[D_Frumious_B@ndersnat.ch]

It's Chris <dedendaddy4spammers@webtv.net> wrote:
> From: cpetersky@mouse-potato.com (Claire?Petersky)

> >If you're wearing bike shorts
> >and your heinie still hurts, it probably
> >means that the bike does not fit you in
> >some dimension.

> Which would be my guess as well. What part(s) of your neithers hurt?
> That's sometimes a good indication, especially if these hurts are in
> conjunction with hurts on other parts of your body (lower back,
> shoulders, knees...).


As I asked earlier, what's the OP's defintion of a long ride?
Everyone, except the hardest of hard-bodied, hard-core cyclists, has a
point at which he or she becomes uncomfortable. Mine is about fifty miles
if I'm not getting lotza rest breaks, a little higher if I am. But a
chair or a park bench would get you uncomfortable too, if you sat on it
long enough.


Bill

__o | Nothing that you do for children
_`\(,_ | is ever wasted.
(_)/ (_) | --Garrison Keillor