Added good springs to my saddle.

This could be useful for anyone who wants to soften the ride.

I got a set of 'porch swing' springs from one of those warehouse style home improvement stores. About 8 1/2 bucks. They come with a set of 'drawbar' springs inside. But those are easily removed.

A few carriage bolts, some fender washers and nuts will run a few dollars more. All told, the thing can be built for about 10 bucks.








I got it finished this morning and my test rides, so far, have only amounted to a couple of miles. Still, it feels like it's probably trustworthy. And it's definitely softer. Not as soft as, say, a motorcycle with true rear suspension. But it feels as if I'll be delivering fewer shocks to my rear axle, the chainstays and my lower back.

Hmm....I'm gonna hafta keep that in mind.

Sounds like a good way to get a second life out of a set of shocks.

I also considered using the shock from a full suspension mountain bike. Either Wheelbender or Xseler (I can't remember which right now) has built one that way. And I liked the look of it.

But I think I've found an advantage over that design; my only mount point is the seat post itself. There's no need to mount to the frame below. This'll make seat height adjustment, or swapping seats for that matter, a lot simpler.

2door said:

You're telling you age, Bob. When seat springs become important.....

Tom

Click to expand...

You betcha! I can remember thirty years ago or so when I was a real purist on saddles. It had to be the narrowest I could find with no padding. I didn't want a wide seat 'interfering' with my hip movement and I didn't want padding absorbing my effort. And, for that matter, I could get used to any seat.

Now I can get used to a lot of seats. But not all. And as far as wider seats interfering with movement? Ha! Let it interfere. I gotta be comfortable.

Something else has happened, too, in the half-decade or so since I passed 50 yrs old. I notice that my average speed, pedaling a regular bicycle, is getting low. And some of the really bad hills, the ones that non-bicyclists don't ride on at all, used to leave me breathing pretty hard. Now they're leaving me gasping so badly that I grow a bit alarmed.

It could be that my serious bicyclist days are numbered. What a shame.

But thank goodness I found motorized bikes before it was too late, huh?

In addition......

I actually had this in mind from the start.

But I test rode first. That's when those first pics were taken.

But I think this is important, too.