Gel Seats - Pads

[Grumpy Old Git]

OK,

I suffer from chronic back pain as well as having a 'repaired' hip which starts aching on long(ish) trips.

I am considering getting a 'gel' pad for the bike seat - I have been quoted for an internal, rider only, gel pad for £110. They take your seat, remove the cover, cut out an area of foam, insert the gel pad and re-fit the cover.

Also available are the pads which attach (velcro straps) to the top of the seat (Approx £50).

Questons:

1. Do these actual work (i.e. provide more comfort)?

2. Internal or external is better?

3. Anything I need to look out for / issues?

[priest]

i bought an external one for the pillion that costed around £60 incl delivery. She says it is a bit better but not massively really. I suspect it might be the seat shape which makes the difference

[acting_strange]

I tried an external one on the SV but found it moved around which was quite disconcerting going into bends sometimes...and that was after getting it as tight as it would go...

[mattycoops43]

Not tried them myself, but I don't like the idea of an external one.

Have heard excellent reports of the built in ones, but seat softness is not normally the problem with aching back etc, I would be looking to change the ergonomics of the bike. The fazer used to make my hips hurt as it was upright seating but legs were high, so the hips were bent. A higher seat would probably help there, and high bars to stop the back aching.

Maybe get the seat reshaped, and put gel in at the same time?

[Grumpy Old Git]

Thanks guys.

The Bandit seat can be adjusted to give a higher position - I'll try that first.

No sure about putting 'ape hanger' bars on though. Maybe taller risers?

Long term I know I'll have to go the cruiser route. I have looked at a Rocket 3 which could be what I need

[Guest Hodgy]

Recently my girlfriend was finding it uncomfortable to ride for long distances on her Suzuki Gladius, so I took the seat to these chaps...

http://www.tonyarcher.co.uk/

They removed the seat cover and inserted a gel pad, then put the original cover back on, you can't see any difference to look at it, but it's made a massive difference to the comfort, so much so that last weekend she did over 300 miles in one day, that would have been crippling before. The cost was £60.00 all inclusive, although you would have to add postage if you can't get there.

[Chrissb6]

I've been looking at this. I am told that the gel seats are highly inductive to heat so not so good at present

[acting_strange]

I've been looking at this. I am told that the gel seats are highly inductive to heat so not so good at present

 

My mate has a lambskin cover on his seat to allow wind through....and I don't just mean which emanates from his ass either....

[Tango]

I bought a 2nd hand seat for the Speedie and removed the cover, cut the foam, inserted a gel pad and recovered with a leather cover......which was all pretty easy to do...... It has improved the comfort in my *rse.....but my knees still can give me gyp on a reasonable run......

One of my colleagues goes over to the continent every year for a blast with his mates for a few days.....he reckons that the air cushion seat pads are ok for eating the miles......but not for scratching around the twisties as it removes some of the feedback from the bike when it's being pushed hard......

So it depends on what kind of support you want.......but the gel pad on mine is OK.

These are the guys I got mine off:

http://www.danmedicasouth.co.uk/categor ... seat-pads/

[mattycoops43]

Thanks guys.

The Bandit seat can be adjusted to give a higher position - I'll try that first.

No sure about putting 'ape hanger' bars on though. Maybe taller risers?

Long term I know I'll have to go the cruiser route. I have looked at a Rocket 3 which could be what I need

 

Everyone I know who has tried the higher riders reckons they make an immense difference!

[Throttled]

I have a DanMedicSouth gel pad on one bike and a Bumbag4bikers pad on the other. They are as effective as each other so I would recommend the bumbag as it is cheaper.

http://www.danmedicasouth.co.uk/product ... -seat-pad/ £53

http://www.bumbags4bikers.co.uk/3um3ags ... 49631.aspx £25

I fitted them and then put a cover over the top. This was a first attempt, I did it neater again.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6896764269_f824d8694c_z.jpg

Bear in mind they make the seat higher than before, which helped me with leg cramp. However, I think bar risers and particularly peg lowers have made just as much if not more difference to making my bikes more comfortable.

[rushwind]

OK,

I suffer from chronic back pain as well as having a 'repaired' hip which starts aching on long(ish) trips.

I am considering getting a 'gel' pad for the bike seat - I have been quoted for an internal, rider only, gel pad for £110. They take your seat, remove the cover, cut out an area of foam, insert the gel pad and re-fit the cover.

 

Hi Al, i doubt gel seat will help with your back, but should ease the hip discomfort, ii've got 3 discs which dance, and hips ache with lack of circulation when riding, so i have raised bars, and lowered footpegs on the bird

i decided for my tootle around europe that my 'custom' seat wasnt comfortable enough, even tho it was sold as a 'gel' seat, so decided i'd do it myself

now can say it much improves riding time

here's the steps i took, not just adding gel, but making more "cradle" to the seat, i forgot to picture step 7 , adding memory foam onto gelpad(its a must for spreading weight points and keeping high temp away)

http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/mrrushwind/slideshow/reform%20seat

if thats not viable then i can recommend the service from Tony Archer

top bloke for seats, will do your own same day if you pre-arrange a nd take it

[Guest]

I was on the look out for a gel seat for my Blackbird a year or more back. I figured a 2nd hand Corbin was the way to go so kept an eye on ebay for one. Corbin seats are around £450 new but used one's sell for around the £250 mark.

Managed to get one off ebay for £230 but when it arrived it wasn't a gel seat but a "saddle, comfort cell" type. It's not plush or luxurious but is sculpted/shaped comfort cell covered in tough polished leather. Really thought I'd made a mistake with the purchase but then realised that all the butt ache was gone along with the pain I used to get between my shoulder blades during a long run. It turned out to be arguably my best accessory purchase ever!

Over the last year I forgot all about how good the seat was because I never had butt ache or back ache to remind me how it used to be on rides in the past!

Decided to sell the Blackbird so removed the seat and sold it on ebay auction for £255

Rode 30 miles to the dealers to do the part ex with the old seat back on and have to say that original seat is a huge step backwards.

New bike is a Multistrada 1200 with a very soft seat, but the 250mile ride home from Silverstone last week gave me butt ache and the shoulder blade pain! Sometimes a supportive seat is better over distance than a comfy one?

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a45/der888/KGrHqZHJDgFC7lchw9BRtjPcMPw60_58.jpg