Numb ass help

[daft]

Hi everyone,
My ass goes numb after about an hour in the saddle, i dont know which way to go.
Either i buy an new seat, the sargeant looks good but are very expensive or i have seen the bagster seat at a good price but still not cheap, but i was wondering if anyone had experience with the AIR HAWK seat cover as they are reasonable in price and can be easily taken off... but are they any good?

Please help mu bum...

Daft

 

[SM46]

I bought a neoprine Airhawk which is a great bit of kit, the secret is getting the right amount of air into it but once you've got that to suit you it works a treat Did a 500 mile day on mine last year and yes i was glad to get off the bike but i'm sure i would'nt have done that mileage without it.

 

[Skipssong]

Airhawk is good but:

- it does riase the hight
- it does need faffing about with to get the right air pressure
- you do need to take it off when parked up 'cos its not secure and someone will nick it.
- If you do leave it on (and it doesn't get nicked) pray it doesn't rain 'cos the cover gets very soggy
- they don't last forever and do, on occassions, leak

or.........

just bite the bullet, buy a sargent and don't look back....

 

[daft]

Is the bagster any good?

 

[seahorse]

+1 for the Airhawk.

1) Once you have worked out the correct pressure then you know so no more faffing. I don't think I have had to even adjust the pressure on mine in years.
2) I never bother taking it off when its in use either. Not been nicked so far. Might be because it looks like a big incontinence pad and nobody would dare touch it in the first place! There is always the option of not actually strapping it on so you can just sling it in your topbox/pannier/ tankbag when parked up.
3) They are easily repairable.
4) You can of course use it on any bike.

Downside, yes it does get wet and it does raise seat height, but only a little if you have the pressure right. Also bloody expensive although there is a cheaper version now.

 

[Yonkyo]

+1 for the Airhawk

However, if you can stretch to the cost....a Sargent seat is the dogs bollox...

 

[phillh]

I had the same dilema as you after a recent trip to France.

I did consider Air Hawk, sheepskins, gel pads etc but after a lot of thought I bit the bullet and went for a new Sargent front seat and matching seat cover for the rear (I rarely carry a pillion) which was surprisingly easy to fit.

There are often 2nd hand Sargents on eBay but they generally hold their prices well so I went for new and will sell on if and when I sell the bike.

The Sargent seat is quite firm but lower and slimmer than the standard (GSA) seat and much, much more comfortable.

 

[technotony007]

Ideas for working your current seat...

try saddle craft in south shields, Les wood is the chap who could dismantle your seat and put a gel insert in there to. He has modified and made a couple seats for me, and his work is excellent. he can copy the original design or make up different patterns, from different leathers from swade too carbon fibre lookalike.

defiantly worth a chat.typical costs range between £100 to £200. and he normally turns the seat around in 2 to 3 weeks depending on his workload.

regards

tony

 

[Smuzzy]

I considered a few options, but went with the Sargent, it can actually cost in.

Having my original recovered with a gel inset was going to be about £130 and would have to go with the bike when I sell it. My Sargent cost a shade over £300 and I've seen them fetch £290 on e-bay. Original will go back on the bike and I loose at most £50 on the Sargent and have a few years without a numb arse!

I even managed to convince the wife

 

[Pukmeister]

Go visit a gay bar, by the time you leave the bike will probably be a source of comfort to your soreness.

 

[Staffy]

I feel your pain, not so long ago i was asking the same questions.
I went for a Sargent and must say I am impressed.
Probably some of the best advice i received was to make sure that every 15 minutes or so grip the tank with your knees and lift your ass off the seat by a few inches to let the blood flow. Make sure to do this before the numbness sets in. Kinda obvious but really does help.
The Sargent is fantastic but it`s not a miracle cure.

 

[morty]

buy the Sargent you won't regret it,i got mine a few weeks ago & the difference is night & day plus if you don't like you will sell it no bother.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Stick a pair of touring spec cycling shorts on under your gear, nice chammy pad to take away the ring sting, no need then for fancy seat's and airhawks

Seriously though, that's what I do, I wear a pair of DHB touring shorts under my gear and the pad in those is enough for me to get decent mileage in without ring sting, and just moving around on the bike a bit, lifting the pressure off works.



These are the badgers, a couple of pairs of these, rinse them out every couple of days and hang them out and your fine. Not "proper" adventuring gear, but they really can help

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-pro-padded-undershorts/

I use these in winter, on the push bike, and use them under my leathers on longer trips. They are also great for batman impressions with the addition of a small cape

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-pace-roubaix-padded-bib-tight/

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Airhawk you can take it with you when you sell the bike

 

[Fluffmeister]

There's a couple of neoprene airhawks for sale in the For Sale section at the moment (No connection to sellers, Peter or otherwise)

 

[Blobby]

On basis of this thread I bought a new Airhawk which arrived today. Wow it's weird as the air moves back and forth as you accelerate and decelerate so you sort of move around in the saddle which is the strangest of feelings. Instructions say to have half an inch of air in the Airhawk between your backside and the bike seat so that's what I've done. Will give it the weekend to see if I get used to it but based on an hour this afternoon, it will be on Ebay very shortly. Most odd and perhaps it a love or hate type of product. Bit like riding on a jelly.

 

[autogs]

you have to much air in it matey,you dont need much at all to make it work.

 

[Blobby]

Thanks autogs. I'm not used to riding inflatables so will let a bit of air out and see if it feels better

 

[Bounce]

Yep, only a little air is needed.

Had mine on for 3700 miles to / around / from Morocco....bloody marvellous!!

 

[Giles]

You lot .... with yer airhawks and sheep skin seats ...

Cor I dunno .....