Gel pads and seat cushions
Discussion
What you driving? a tractor, or do you have poor buttock circulation 
On a serious note numbness is caused by pressure affecting your circulation, so putting a cheap cushion in will not relieve the pressure? Sorry to be a bore but I spent years working with pressure problems on NHS clients in wheelchairs etc! Grab a website link and i will tell you what I think of it!
Paul
On a serious note numbness is caused by pressure affecting your circulation, so putting a cheap cushion in will not relieve the pressure? Sorry to be a bore but I spent years working with pressure problems on NHS clients in wheelchairs etc! Grab a website link and i will tell you what I think of it!
Paul
Thanks for the offer of advice. The products I am thinking about are:
www.bykebitz.co.uk/acatalog/PREMIUM_NEOPRENE_SEATING_SYSTEM.html
www.busters-accessories.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=AHC
www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=500686
www.bykebitz.co.uk/acatalog/PREMIUM_NEOPRENE_SEATING_SYSTEM.html
www.busters-accessories.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=AHC
www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=500686
David,
Without a doubt the first and second link are best.
I would opt for option two, these were designed for people with serious skin problems by the Yanks in the mid 90s, Still within the top 2 or 3 in world for comfort and sorenes almost as good as levitation but not quite!
However the only draw back with these is people cannot be bothered to readjust them, because its air it needs to be checked just like tires.
THe trick is not too hard or you will have a bum like a pin cushion, you need to inflate these, sit on it and let the air out slowly until your bum (lowest point) touches your finger which should be located under bum and touching the base! (between the lumps)
Dont under inflate as you will be back on the original seat again.
Go for a high profile (bigger lumps) as is possible this also allows air flow which will keep you cool downstairs!
Have a look on the internet for a cushion called a "roho" its not the same but will give you an idea of what it does and how to adjust it.
Good luck and any problems give me a shout first as these are not cheap and would hate you to waste your money on my account! It may help to go to a shop put it on as a trail then call me, I will e-mail my no to you if your profile will allow!
Paul
Without a doubt the first and second link are best.
I would opt for option two, these were designed for people with serious skin problems by the Yanks in the mid 90s, Still within the top 2 or 3 in world for comfort and sorenes almost as good as levitation but not quite!
However the only draw back with these is people cannot be bothered to readjust them, because its air it needs to be checked just like tires.
THe trick is not too hard or you will have a bum like a pin cushion, you need to inflate these, sit on it and let the air out slowly until your bum (lowest point) touches your finger which should be located under bum and touching the base! (between the lumps)
Dont under inflate as you will be back on the original seat again.
Go for a high profile (bigger lumps) as is possible this also allows air flow which will keep you cool downstairs!
Have a look on the internet for a cushion called a "roho" its not the same but will give you an idea of what it does and how to adjust it.
Good luck and any problems give me a shout first as these are not cheap and would hate you to waste your money on my account! It may help to go to a shop put it on as a trail then call me, I will e-mail my no to you if your profile will allow!
Paul
Many thanks for your advice Paul. I think I’ll go for the air cushion type seat as you suggest. All of the reports I have read on these say that they are very good and well worth the money.
I tend not to suffer too badly from “numb bum” and have done trips such as Malta to UK (twice) in two days with little discomfort, but this was done on more “touring focused” bikes. As I get older and the bike I use is slightly less touring focused I think that to ensure that I stay comfortable on long trips, this will be money well spent.
I’ll let everyone know how I get on (late April/early May trip) and if the cushion was worth the investment.
I tend not to suffer too badly from “numb bum” and have done trips such as Malta to UK (twice) in two days with little discomfort, but this was done on more “touring focused” bikes. As I get older and the bike I use is slightly less touring focused I think that to ensure that I stay comfortable on long trips, this will be money well spent.
I’ll let everyone know how I get on (late April/early May trip) and if the cushion was worth the investment.
Well, I bought an Airhawk cushion for the trip to France. At £120, it was a lot of money, but is a well made, quality product. The only “non-standard” addition I made was the inclusion of a large elastic band to hold it on the seat as I didn’t want it to disappear if I took my weight off it at motorway speeds. I also wanted something that would allow me to quickly remove it so that if I didn’t like it, I could just put it in the tank bag.
I find that after sitting for a long period on a normal bike seat the foam forms a bum shaped indent that takes a few minutes to clear. This means that whilst on the road, if you try and move position on the normal seat, you tend to get forced back into the same position by the “dents”. The Airhawk cushion does not do that. Once I got the air volume right, it is definitely very comfortable. It has the huge advantage of a small adjustment in position puts your weight on totally different bits of your bum. It also has the advantage of raising you up very slightly so helping to reduce pressure on the knees.
The down side is that you are “floating” on the air cushion a little above the bike seat which removes all feel of what the bike is doing. I wouldn’t want to try and go fast on the twisties while sitting on the cushion. I also bought the smallest of the cushions but I think it would be better to have the slightly larger cushion and have it “hang over” the side of the seat.
I don’t normally suffer too much when travelling long distances but like most, people I prefer to be as comfortable as possible. Using the Airhawk cushion meant that I was no more uncomfortable than others with me on newer, touring focused bikes. I will use it again if/when I have another long run to do but I’m not sure I’d rush out to replace it should it get lost.
I find that after sitting for a long period on a normal bike seat the foam forms a bum shaped indent that takes a few minutes to clear. This means that whilst on the road, if you try and move position on the normal seat, you tend to get forced back into the same position by the “dents”. The Airhawk cushion does not do that. Once I got the air volume right, it is definitely very comfortable. It has the huge advantage of a small adjustment in position puts your weight on totally different bits of your bum. It also has the advantage of raising you up very slightly so helping to reduce pressure on the knees.
The down side is that you are “floating” on the air cushion a little above the bike seat which removes all feel of what the bike is doing. I wouldn’t want to try and go fast on the twisties while sitting on the cushion. I also bought the smallest of the cushions but I think it would be better to have the slightly larger cushion and have it “hang over” the side of the seat.
I don’t normally suffer too much when travelling long distances but like most, people I prefer to be as comfortable as possible. Using the Airhawk cushion meant that I was no more uncomfortable than others with me on newer, touring focused bikes. I will use it again if/when I have another long run to do but I’m not sure I’d rush out to replace it should it get lost.
Thanks for the feed back much appreciated.
To be honest I hadnt even thought of the sensation loss you would have from the bike! Or the fact if you hit a bump you would be catapulted into space
Like you said you dont have problems for normal runs anyway, but it would be nice to see how you would have coped on that long run without it!
All the best
Paul
To be honest I hadnt even thought of the sensation loss you would have from the bike! Or the fact if you hit a bump you would be catapulted into space
Like you said you dont have problems for normal runs anyway, but it would be nice to see how you would have coped on that long run without it!
All the best
Paul
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