Help! Boneshaker need comfort!

I just got a Smarta LX which is an upright e-bike, (upright regular bike I am used to on the roads of London) - but because it whizzes along I feel every darn bump and crack in the road, and I have a sore back/weak hamstrings at present (which is why I got an electric bike) (please no advice on the back I have it covered)....

I'd like to know your thoughts on a sprung saddle/seat post. I've read suspension posts bounce you about like a pogo stick at speed, what about a brookes or similar sprung saddle? I don't want to bounce my way along like a circus act along the road at 15mph but I don't want my poor spine taking all the shock either. It has front suspension forks, but of course my weight is over the rear. I weigh about 160lbs.

Thanks

Lampy

A sprung seatpost will help to start with, but another option to add for much greater comfort are the Schwalbe Big Apple tyres, called "suspension for bikes". They are flexible and designed for maximum comfort without sacrificing riding quality.

A number of our members have fitted them and are firm fans. You can read more on this link.

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700c

Ooooh! they look good - I'm a bit concious of the crash and bash when bumping up kerbs etc BUT I have 700c 28" - anybody know a uk distributor of that size?

EDIT - found some. Question as I don't know enough bike stuff will this :- 28 x 2.35" - LiteSkin Folding

fit a wheel currently fitted with 700c 32c tyres?

Edited May 7, 201015 yr by JohnD

 

I'd like to know your thoughts on a sprung saddle/seat post. I've read suspension posts bounce you about like a pogo stick at speed, .

 

Lampy

My Kalkhoff Tasman has a sprung seat post. It most certainly does not bounce and does absorb a fair bit of the impact of a bump.

I'd heartily recommend one but I'm not sure that alone would alleviate your problem. That and the tyres might be a good combination for you.

Also....what about tyre pressure.....they feel like rocks at the moment. Surely that would help?

every bit helps....sculptured grips with inbuilt palm rest, padded gloves, seat post suspension, run on softer tyres or Big Apple's making sure they fit under your mudguards (they come on two sizes)

 

EDIT - found some. Question as I don't know enough bike stuff will this :- 28 x 2.35" - LiteSkin Folding

 

fit a wheel currently fitted with 700c 32c tyres?

The 2.35" would be a bit extreme since that's 60 mm, almost twice the width of the 32 mm. The 2" at 51 mm would be a better match, but with Big Apples its the clearance that's most important, under any mudguards or under the fork head. If you have around half an inch of clearance at those points the 2" should be ok and be much more comfortable than conventional tyres.

The pressure range is shown on tyre walls and using the minimum enhances the comfort. However that's weight dependent but at 160 lbs that shouldn't be a problem.

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Edited May 7, 201015 yr by flecc

 

Lord I had no idea riding a bike would get so technical.

That's the modern world for you, we can't even walk or run now without the right trainers technology on our feet!

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That's the modern world for you, we can't even walk or run now without the right trainers technology on our feet!

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I'm staying in the dark ages where footwear is concerned it's dirty great clomping Caterpillar boots or nothing!

I'm staying in the dark ages where footwear is concerned it's dirty great clomping Caterpillar boots or nothing!

The whole trainers thing amuses me, we used to call them plimsolls ( wikipedia ).

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I just got a Smarta LX which is an upright e-bike, (upright regular bike I am used to on the roads of London) - but because it whizzes along I feel every darn bump and crack in the road, and I have a sore back/weak hamstrings at present (which is why I got an electric bike) (please no advice on the back I have it covered)....

 

I'd like to know your thoughts on a sprung saddle/seat post. I've read suspension posts bounce you about like a pogo stick at speed, what about a brookes or similar sprung saddle? I don't want to bounce my way along like a circus act along the road at 15mph but I don't want my poor spine taking all the shock either. It has front suspension forks, but of course my weight is over the rear. I weigh about 160lbs.

 

Thanks

Lampy

Lampy

a sprung seat post will help but this is like sittng in an armchair watching the tv and a lot easier than changing tyres and making the mudguards fit

Here Evans Cycles | Specialized Expedition Plus Saddle | Online Bike Shop

You`ll want to pay me after trying it but you can have the advice for free:D

Dave

Dave that saddle looks very very comfy *sigh*

Tony I remember them being called that to!

Thanks folks...what kind of seat post do you have lemmy?

It's a Post Moderne Glide Solo. They're about £14 without the saddle - you'd fit your present one.

I have a sprung seat on my Giant non-electric too. It's a different make and not as effective as the the Moderne so I guess they do differ.

See if you can find a Selle Royale elastomer suspension saddle like this, together with sprung seat post. Very comfortable indeed.

Selle Royale

One thing to watch out for with wide tyres on a 700c bike is the clearance for the rear wheel in the frame, there is no way mine will take something like a Big Apple with out it being jammed solid in the frame.

I even tried a 26" wheel with a 1.75 tyre, still jammed.

That's the modern world for you, we can't even walk or run now without the right trainers technology on our feet!

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Yep. Gotta have the right gear. Well, in the end I swapped my trusty old sponge-spilling-out-of-the-sides saddle onto the new bike, let out a bit of air from rear tyre, went slower and all was well

That's great Lampy, the simplest solution is often the best.

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How do you like them Apples?

Hey Hey - the Big Apple 2.35's DO fit - just!

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Very comfy ride at the front now - still a bit hard at the back I'm going to get a 2.00 for that end.

Edited May 16, 201015 yr by JohnD

Very nice, that's the way to tame out lousy roads!

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