rear rack seat

Region
Europe
i am looking for ideas on what i could use for a seat cushion on my bike. it's a cargo bike that me and my gf use as our main mode of transport. the rear seat is one of those little cushions that dutch people love to throw on their racks, the issue i am having is they aren't so comfortable. i think they are mostly designed for children, they are usually very low density foam which is only comfortable for 10-15 minutes.

my initial idea was to buy an old moped seat off marktplaats and figure out a way to bolt it down, which i think would definitely be more comfortable but after having one get lost in the mail i bought a cheap cushie. i've actually started to enjoy the shorter seat too as it means i can still attach stuff to the rear of the rack with a passenger on board.

does anyone know of any cushies that are more suitable for adults? or have any ideas of some other type of seat i could rig up? thanks
 

Attachments

  • drive side.jpg
    drive side.jpg
    230.5 KB · Views: 199
I am reusing the one that came with the companion bike seat. I've been eying other cushions that come on cargo bikes. my daughter is small adult sized and she sits for hours but something thicker could be nice.

I've also though about just mouning a regular bicycle seat back there
 
I've also though about just mouning a regular bicycle seat back there
i've thought about doing this too, it would be a bit annoying to figure out but i could at least get a seat with some springs in it that i know would be comfortable.

it's just weird to me how popular longtails are getting and there still aren't many good options for this.
 
i'm thinking of trying out one of these duo seats that are made for bromfiets. i can't find anywhere that lists the dimensions but the rear rack of something like the puch maxi looks to be at least comparable to a longtail rack in width.
 

Attachments

  • 10633_duoseat_met_rugleuning_det04.jpg
    10633_duoseat_met_rugleuning_det04.jpg
    167.9 KB · Views: 216
i will let you know in a few days, i went ahead and ordered one to try out. it looks like it secures with a pair of either wing nuts or those nuts with the big plastic handles, so not too difficult.
 
ok here's the probably-aliexpress-seat-marked-up-for-bol-resale in all it's glory. the tubes for the handle grip and backrest were preventing the carriage bolts from sliding into the upper range of it's "adjustability" so i had to remove the bottom plate and slide them over the top as shown in the "fixed hardware seat" pic. after that it attaches and pops off very easy. it's a metal on metal connection so i am going to put some pipe sealant tape around the luggage rack. both to protect the paint on the luggage rack and to make sure it doesn't slip.

the backrest is awful i would not recommend paying extra for it. just a metal bar with some pleather on top. if i end up using it i will probably take the pleather cover off and put some pipe insulation around it as a pad. the main carriage bolts used for mounting also feel pretty cheap like they will strip out easy, i will replace them with hardened ones.

the actual seat itself is so much better than those stupid pads that all the bike companies sell. it's what feels like 1/2" foam wrapped around some box springs. not as nice as a gel saddle but it's leagues better than feeling the luggage rack slamming into your ass with every bump.
 

Attachments

  • side angle seat.jpg
    side angle seat.jpg
    41.2 KB · Views: 240
  • top angle seat.jpg
    top angle seat.jpg
    36.8 KB · Views: 226
  • attached seat view.jpg
    attached seat view.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 219
  • fixed hardware seat.jpg
    fixed hardware seat.jpg
    35.1 KB · Views: 223
  • hardware seat.jpg
    hardware seat.jpg
    36.1 KB · Views: 239
ok here's the probably-aliexpress-seat-marked-up-for-bol-resale in all it's glory. the tubes for the handle grip and backrest were preventing the carriage bolts from sliding into the upper range of it's "adjustability" so i had to remove the bottom plate and slide them over the top as shown in the "fixed hardware seat" pic. after that it attaches and pops off very easy. it's a metal on metal connection so i am going to put some pipe sealant tape around the luggage rack. both to protect the paint on the luggage rack and to make sure it doesn't slip.

the backrest is awful i would not recommend paying extra for it. just a metal bar with some pleather on top. if i end up using it i will probably take the pleather cover off and put some pipe insulation around it as a pad. the main carriage bolts used for mounting also feel pretty cheap like they will strip out easy, i will replace them with hardened ones.

the actual seat itself is so much better than those stupid pads that all the bike companies sell. it's what feels like 1/2" foam wrapped around some box springs. not as nice as a gel saddle but it's leagues better than feeling the luggage rack slamming into your ass with every bump.
Hey how's this working out?
 
Hey how's this working out?
it's great! no more complaints from passengers, as comfy as riding a moped. it seems to be holding up well to the rain and snow although i wouldn't leave it outside. easy to take on/off when i need to use the full rack for cargo. would definitely recommend.
 
Back