The Cruzbike Recumbent Seat
The Cruzbike Recumbent seat is a hard shell seat specially shaped
and with special cushioning designed for any recumbent bicycle.
The Cruzbike Recumbent Seat is comfortable, provides proper
ergonomic support and looks good. The shape of the seat suits the traditional
tubular bike frame, while being comfortable and lightweight.
The Cruzbike Recumbent seat weighs just 1.7 Kg including fittings
and attachments and has a distinctive look that will enhance the image
of any recumbent bike it is fitted to. The main features are as
follows:
- The seat has breathable foam with
a washable covering that is able to absorb and smooth out the
lumps and bumps of thick clothing to give a comfortable secure ride.
Testing was done wearing levi’s jeans worn with a thick belt as well
as with thin, lightweight cycling clothing.
- The seat shell was given an ergonomic
shape that looks pleasing and provides the right level of
support from the buttocks up to the back; while being inherently
strong, rigid and light.
- A versatile system of fixing
is supplied with the seat that is adaptable to many different bike frames,
offers plenty of adjustment, yet is still lightweight and strong.
1) The seat cushions
The cushion is made from a 1 cm thick piece of closed cell foam
overlaid with a 2.5cm thick piece of open cell polyester high-density
foam. The closed cell foam absorbs the lumps and bumps of most
clothing, while the open cell foam allows for as much breathing
as possible.
Perspiration is given the maximum chance to evaporate and provide
cooling. The seat shape offers support only where it is needed,
so does not wrap around the body and this ensures that nearly
all the body’s surface area is available to the cooling air. In
cold climates the seat is comfortable wearing thick clothing.
The cushion covers are made from sports grade polyester mesh
and fastened with velcro to the seat shell. They can be pulled off in a
flash and easily hand washed. Some commercial recumbents are supplied without
a cover to the polyester foam but riders find the open cell foam to be scratchy
against the skin if worn with shorts or without a shirt. Use of cushion
covers provides a choice of colour.
With the Cruzbike Recumbent Seat you will be comfortable whether
you are wearing a trench coat or a bikini!
2) The Seat Shell
The shape of the Cruzbike Recumbent seat blends well with
a bicycle’s tubular framework. The visual results speak for themselves.
(The standard recumbent seat, formed from two tubes strung with mesh
can look odd.)
The shape of the seat base cups the buttocks and the adjustable
tilt prevents "recumbent butt". The seat back has lumbar support
and the tapered shape of the top of the seat back positions comfortably
between the shoulder blades. Feeling the position of the bike this
way gives a positive sense of the degree of lean of the bike - so important
to the handling of a recumbent bike.
The seat shells are made from aluminium and are powder
coated. The shells are formed using a special tool to create the unique
three-dimensional shape.
The edges are trimmed with a hardwearing black protective plastic
strip. This is nice to the touch and protects the seat from
damage should the bike happen to fall over.
Engineering grade safety reflective tape is fitted to
the back of the seat to enhance night time visibility. And below
that there are predrilled mounting points to allow you to carry a drink
bottle on either each side.
3) The Seat Mounting
The all important seat mounting means the Cruzbike Recumbent
seat can fit virtually any recumbent bike. The mounting requires
- a roughly horizontal cross bar tube
running underneath, which can be ovalised or circular of varying
dimensions.
- a tube to take a seat post somewhere
behind the seat.
The seat base is curved front to back to a radius of
approximately 60cm and is bolted onto a similarly shaped seat
support. By sliding the seat base backwards and forwards on the
seat support, the angle of the seat is adjustable in increments of
2 degrees. By the same method, the seat can be mounted to a cross
bar that is not horizontal as with many of today’s bikes.
The seat base is bolted to the seat support by four high tensile
button head allen key bolts.
The seat support has a saddle that is placed over the
cross bar with a thin strip of rubber in between. The support is fastened
with stainless steel hose clamps or with u-bolts and grips the
cross bar tightly. The rubber means it can grip tight without scratching
the paintwork.
The seat back is held by saddle rails, again mounted with
high tensile bolts. These saddle rails connect to a seat post
via the common saddle rail clamp, which provides a versatile, inexpensive
yet robust connection.
The two seat shells (the seat base and the seat back) are bolted
together but separated by rubber washers to allow 20 to 30 degrees
of hinging.
Thus the mounting arrangements are strong and light; yet provide
independent adjustment to the tilt of the seat base and the
angle of the seat back.
Feature Summary
Seat Shell
Seat Back angle adjustment +/- 15°
Seat Base tilt adjustment +/- 10°
Universal seat rail clamp fitting for seat back
Universal seat support bracket.
High tensile mounting bolts
Weight: 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)
Cushions
Cushion covers in sports grade polyester mesh with a choice of
four colours.
Two layers of foam padding - breathable open cell polyester foam
over closed cell rubber foam.
Velcro attachment for cushion covers.
Weight: 0.45 lbs (0.2 kg)
Parts list
The Cruzbike Recumbent Seat has the following items:
1. Seat Shells (2)
2. Seat Cushions (2)
3. Seat Back Mounting Rails and fixings
4. Seat Support Bracket and fixings
Total Weight: 3.85 lbs (1.7 kg)
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