Mel B Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 We're going to give our folding bikes a try again in our motorhome, mainly because they are smaller so take up less space and also the handlebars can be folded over (with the frame still locked together) meaning we can have the bed above the garage in a lower position and I won't feel like I'm climbing mount everest each night! :D The one thing that has been putting us off going back to them though is the unforgiving seats and lack of rear suspension so I've been looking at getting a replacement seat-post with suspension built in but unfortunately I can't find one that is anywhere near long enough. However, during my searching, I have found the below adaptor which clamps onto the existing seat post to provide some suspension, this, coupled with the well sprung seat which is included, should make the ride more comfortable. This is how it was described by someone who has been using one of these for a few years: The stub tube is mounted above a spring which has an adjustment nut below it. The whole is made of polished aluminium alloy and has setscrews to clamp to existing seat post and around the stub tube housing.. I've just bought a couple (£10 each + £6.50 postage = £26.50), so I thought I'd just put this on here in case anyone else is interested. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320710101190?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 Note that the picture below is how it should be mounted, not as in the Ebay picture where it is back to front! *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Well, some of these are better then others, and most not very successful :-S You would be better of changing the tyres to "Swarbe big apples" They come in different sizes.... Highly regarded for their suspension like qualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Cannot s ay that my "suspension saddle post or Gel saddle" have ever stopped my bum from getting sore after a long bike ride (8 miles). I have never noticed that the suspension makes for a smoother ride either, especially off road - I still managed to break my hip :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave and Verity Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I'd be interested in how you get on with these as they appear to move the saddle back a bit, which is something I could do with on my bike. I had an aftermarket shock absorbing stock on my last bike, but it was too high to get on the bike comfortably and then "bottomed" when you hit a bump, so didn't really help. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Seeing as we want new sprung saddles anyway, which on their own could cost what we're paying for the saddles and the suspension adaptor, I'm not going to be too bothered if the suspension bit only helps a little as it's the only option we have really. Dave - yes we are quite happy with the fact that the adaptor moves the saddle back a bit too as hubby especialy has long legs and finds the folders a little bit tight for space, so hopefully these should make the riding position more comfortable too. Judge - Might go down the route of new tyres too if needs be although it's not long ago that we got new ones for the bikes anyway which are better than the originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Gel saddles are a bum's best friend. That and a "ride hardened" bum, this usually takes about a week or so to attain full hardiness, then you can ride with a nice leather racing saddle. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 hallii - 2011-10-04 5:26 PM Gel saddles are a bum's best friend. That and a "ride hardened" bum, this usually takes about a week or so to attain full hardiness, then you can ride with a nice leather racing saddle. H I agree completely, best thing we ever did for more enjoyable cycling was to buy top drawer seats. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 And always wear proper cycling shorts or leggings or whatever takes your fancy :D They have padding in exactly the right places and can make more or less any saddle comfortable! We bought ours from Aldi on one of their offers and must say they are excellent. We will not cycle without wearing them and have converted our friends who cycle with us from 'ordinary' shorts.. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 We have gel saddal covers so they'll go on too ... the more padding the merrier! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 Just read my above post ... "saddal" must have gone a bit dyslexic!!!! :D May be a relation of Saddam Hussein???? (lol) Anyway, hubby has finally got round to cleaning up the folding bikes and fitting the suspension adaptors and saddles (see below pics). I haven't ridden one yet as he's sorting out the gears still as the bikes haven't been used for a good few years, but I've had a sit and I can confirm that the saddles are very comfy and the suspension definitely works ... I had a 'jiggle' up and down on them! :D The suspension can be adjusted to make it softer/harder as required so I'll see how I go before I alter it. All in all though, for £10 each plus postage they are a super buy and will do what we want perfectly. At present the saddles are pretty central, so if needs be we can move them forward or backwards as necessary to get the most comfortable riding position. For those more observant of you, yes ... he did put the adaptor on one of the seat-posts back to front! *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namder Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Please accept a couple of points from an experienced touring cyclist who regularly cycled 100 miles per day. A suspension seatpost/padded saddle/fatter tyres etc do not not give as much comfort as a properly set up cycle combined with padded shorts/longs. The photos of Mel B's cycles show the most common fault in that the saddle is too low for the handlebars and pedal set up. The picture shows that all the body weight is resting on the 'sit bones' in the bum. The weight should be equally divided between the bum, hands and feet. To achieve this, the leg should be straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke with the heels on the pedals.(you should of course place the ball of the foot on the pedal when normal riding). The handle bars should then be a couple of inches only above the height of the saddle. If you wonder why racing and long distance riders have leather saddles with no padding, it's to stop any bouncing effect which pummels your 'sit bones', making these the most comfortable type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Looking at the the way they clamp to the existing seat tube, when under load they will be exerting force in a direction the seat tube was never designed to take and I would think it will not be long before the tube fails. Another point with a sprung seat tube you are going to have to use more energy on each ride as part of your input will go into pumping the tube up and down also as you will not have a constant distance from seat to peddles which will reduce the efficiency. As others have said there is no substitute for a good saddle and proper cycling shorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art338 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Small wheels on cycles add to the uncomfortable experience, that is why, as cycling development progressed the 28inch wheel became the most comfortable first with a solid tyre then with a cushion tyre (which varied in texture) and finally pneumatic, with an added fully sprung saddle it was even better. If you question the wheel diameter then imagine a hole of a given size, a small wheel will sink deeper into the hole than a larger wheel. Also with a larger wheel there is more flexing of the parts adding to comfort. (longer spokes and a greater distance between rim and hub). We could fair bounce along, it were utter magic in them days! art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share Posted October 15, 2011 Hi namder, welcome to the mad house! :-D I appreciate your comments, and agree with a lot of what you say as, having had to ride a 12 mile round trip each day to/from school from the age of 11 to 16, I can appreciate the need for comfort and whilst I started off with a shopper type bike (a Vindec Vogue with 3 speed twist grip gears ..!) I soon changed it for a lightweight racing bike. However, we don't got for miles and miles when on holiday so I don't anticipate we'll have any major problems with the folders for the use we intend to make of them. :-S In the photos the saddle is definitely too low for the handle bars but that is not the way we usually have them set up - hubby just took the photos purely for me to be able to show you what the bikes looked like with and without the suspension adaptors so they weren't extended to their full degree - they go a lot higher than they are shown. As for the way to ride - with the leg being fully extended to get the right length and putting the balls of your feet on the pedals - perhaps you could have a word with my hubby to convince him to ride that way .... that is what I've been telling him for years but will he do it ... not a chance! If he wants to ride like a frog that's his problem ... :D *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share Posted October 15, 2011 lennyhb - 2011-10-15 12:14 PM Another point with a sprung seat tube you are going to have to use more energy on each ride as part of your input will go into pumping the tube up and down also as you will not have a constant distance from seat to peddles which will reduce the efficiency. As others have said there is no substitute for a good saddle and proper cycling shorts. Again, I don't anticipate the force that is being exerted on the seat tubes being a problem - they are very robust and we don't go clattering about bumping up and down kerbs etc, or do massive amount of off road cycling, so I'm sure they'll last for as long as we need them to. As for the 'pumping' making riding more difficult/less efficient, we already have seat-post suspension on our 'normal' sized bikes and have not found this to be a problem at all. In fact the 'worst' suspension we had was with full rear suspension on a mountain bike which was an absolute s*d, and I'd never get that type of suspension again. Remember that we are doing gentle casual riding, which is what most of us do on holiday, not mile upon mile for hours on end, day after day, so these should meet our needs perfectly. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Just one final update on this, had a ride on the bikes today and they are really, really good ... the suspension only gives a fraction when riding just to take the edge of bumps but doesn't affect riding at all ... extremely pleased with them. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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