First really long ride of the season!

How do you like that body float? Do you think that it is worth the pricey price? With no rear suspension on this bike it is going to be really tough to ride on anything but very nicely manicured roads.
 
Part of this is getting sit bones used to riding since I've been so slack about getting out there. And tight hamstrings add to the issue. When someone says they're not comfortable after several hours in the saddle, that seems normal to me. I'm in pain after 30 to 40 min. That's not normal, I don't think.
Do you do any stretches before riding? Like a straight-leg, bend at the waist toe-touch (or as close to toe-touch as possible...) Not bouncing to touch the toes, just bending over (straight-legged, knees locked) until you feel the stretch, then holding for 30 seconds. Or, pulling 1 ankle up behind you (tightly bending knee) til the ankle hits your rear (or as close as you can get) while you stand (use your other hand to brace against a wall or door frame) on the other foot, and gently pull on that ankle towards your rear, to feel the stretch along the front of your thigh... I'm sure there are other good ones, but those 2 are always at the start of every ride I do!
 
How do you like that body float? Do you think that it is worth the pricey price? With no rear suspension on this bike it is going to be really tough to ride on anything but very nicely manicured roads.

The body float is surprisingly close to full suspension in comfort on small to medium bumps but not as good on big bumps. I also have a thudbuster LT but it's not as good as the body float. Keep in mind, I also use the C-9 wide sit with springs that provides additional half inch of vertical travel.
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The lucky guy who brought my ebike commented how comfortable the ride on the seat was.
 
Do you do any stretches before riding? Like a straight-leg, bend at the waist toe-touch (or as close to toe-touch as possible...) Not bouncing to touch the toes, just bending over (straight-legged, knees locked) until you feel the stretch, then holding for 30 seconds. Or, pulling 1 ankle up behind you (tightly bending knee) til the ankle hits your rear (or as close as you can get) while you stand (use your other hand to brace against a wall or door frame) on the other foot, and gently pull on that ankle towards your rear, to feel the stretch along the front of your thigh... I'm sure there are other good ones, but those 2 are always at the start of every ride I do!

I haven't before, but guess what? I will be doing several stretches from now on. In fact, I need to do a stretching routine every day, whether I ride that day or not. I also realized I need to get off the bike every 20 min and walk around and stretch some more.
 
There are a variety of Cloud-9 saddles and the ones with the ergo cut-outs were always the most popular. Not expensive, I think under $40 for most models. BTW, the super wide ones aren't necessarily the most comfortable on a longer ride. J.R.'s model is a good size.
 
The body float is surprisingly close to full suspension in comfort on small to medium bumps but not as good on big bumps. I also have a thudbuster LT but it's not as good as the body float. Keep in mind, I also use the C-9 wide sit with springs that provides additional half inch of vertical travel.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

The lucky guy who brought my ebike commented how comfortable the ride on the seat was.
Body Float is nice, but not close to full suspension. Full and micro adjustability for stiffness and rebound in a full suspension bike. Huge amount of travel difference too.
 
I did the Cloud-9 12.5X11.5 Cruiser Saddle for $32 on Amazon. The wife and I call the Cloud-9 our Barcalounger bike seat. I have +4500 miles on my Radrover with this saddle and another 1000 with my previous pedal Transeo GT 700X40C hybrid bike. Very good combo with the Bodyfloat seatpost for a very comfy long distance rides or even single track riding with fat tire eMTB. I don't ride trails that require the added benefit of full suspension or dropper seatpost. Cloud-9, Bodyfloat, 4" fat tires, and front suspension are the 100% solution for my type of riding.

Being +50 years old, very uncomfortable for me with narrow saddles with constant pressure in a "certain area". I can sit back on the saddle on my buttocks with minimal to no pressure. Surprisingly, the larger saddle doesn't interfere with pedaling when work commuting at +20 mph or single track trail riding.

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That’s great to hear @mrgold35
I am leaning toward that BodyFloat seatpost if I can get it to work with the weird rearward angle of my seatpost on this bike.
 
That’s great to hear @mrgold35
I am leaning toward that BodyFloat seatpost if I can get it to work with the weird rearward angle of my seatpost on this bike.

The bodyfloat does have some adjustments you can make to level the seat depending on the seatpost angle. Good thing about Amazon is the 30-day return policy if you just can't get it to work with your ebike.
 
That is good to know. I am trying to find a local dealer who has one in stock so I can bring the bike by and avoid shipping things back-and-forth if I cannot make it work.
 
I need to find a saddle that will be wide enough but not interfere with the back of my thighs when pedaling. I don't want "too" cushy but just enough to support. And, since I have to jump off the saddle when I stop (because I'm short and not even my toes reach the ground), I need a saddle that won't be too long and get my rear caught on the nose. I'll have a better idea of my sit bone width once I receive the measuring kit that SQLabs sends out (for free).

The Brooks B17-S (short for women) had the right length, but otherwise wasn't comfortable beyond a 7 mi ride, and that's after breaking it in for 300 miles and softening it up using a couple tried & true methods from longtime Brooks experts. And then I realized, a $130 leather saddle should practically massage my buttocks as I ride! ;)
 
I need to find a saddle that will be wide enough but not interfere with the back of my thighs when pedaling. I don't want "too" cushy but just enough to support. And, since I have to jump off the saddle when I stop (because I'm short and not even my toes reach the ground), I need a saddle that won't be too long and get my rear caught on the nose. I'll have a better idea of my sit bone width once I receive the measuring kit that SQLabs sends out (for free).

The Brooks B17-S (short for women) had the right length, but otherwise wasn't comfortable beyond a 7 mi ride, and that's after breaking it in for 300 miles and softening it up using a couple tried & true methods from longtime Brooks experts. And then I realized, a $130 leather saddle should practically massage my buttocks as I ride! ;)


My wife is 4'11" and the Cloud-9 saddle was too long for her to straddle at a stop without having to lean the ebike to the side. The extra length of the saddle moved her higher on the drop tube. I found the ISM touring saddle on Amazon without a nose and it solved her issue. The disadvantages compared to the Cloud-9 was the ISM Touring Saddle wasn't as large, harder padding, and no springs for extra float like the Cloud-9.

ISM website: https://www.ismseat.com/comfort-city

Amazon, $60: https://www.amazon.com/ISM-Touring-...1528219244&sr=8-1&keywords=ism+touring+saddle

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@Ed D

The front mud flaps job was to keep water splash and mud particles to a minimum, in my opinion it does work very well.
You can always make it longer to stop anything from flying up, make one from a 2 liter plastic soda bottle and go for a ride to see how it works and make necessary changes before you attach it permanently. That's how I decided how long to make mine.
I used aluminum rivets since they are easily replaced and perfect size for this job,no trimming required.
 
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Just a follow up. Found a lbs that stocks the BodyFloat. SleekRides in Tarrytown NY, great guys. Turns out that seatpost will accommodate my bike. In advance of ordering it I purchased a Cloud9 cruiser suspension seat and it seems to have solved the problem... for 28 dollars. After a longer ride I can determine if I still need the additional expensive addition.
 
How do you like that body float? Do you think that it is worth the pricey price? With no rear suspension on this bike it is going to be really tough to ride on anything but very nicely manicured roads.

I have two Body Float Seat Posts on my e-bikes and would not ride without them. I love 'em. They 'saved' my back and me returning my bikes : : ) To me they are worth the money.

John From CT
 
Hey John, good to hear from you again! I agree it seems like a quality piece of hardware but I may be getting away with it on the cheap. The new seat is very bouncy and great in the neighborhood so far. Won’t really know till I do another multi hour on the NCT. I will follow up afterward.
 
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