[tripler]

I just lowered my seat by 20mm using a electric carving knife and some sandpaper. I can now touch the ground with the balls of my feet. I could easily have made it a lot lower but didn't want to risk spoiling the look of the bike. Job was quite easy.

 

[caddydaddy]

Awesome job, it looks great!

 

[DaveM]

Nice work Tripler,

there is always more than one way to skin a cat

DaveM

 

[tomfleming]

What was the sandpaper for?

 

[STORMRIDER]

Great job !

I'm investigating the how to here as I usually have all my bikes either lowered (not the best option at all) and/or more recently I have the seat grooved a bit by a professionnal upholsterer... but he's expensive and I always thought that I could do it myself... I think I might go that way but would do the same thing as you but maybe groove the sides a bit more to get my legs down a little bit easier.

Question. how tall are you ? I'm 5'5, 5'6"-ish and wondering if 20mm would be enough... also. could you show us how it looks once you textile/vinyl (whatever you call it) back on the seat ? I would like to know if there is a way to keep it clean.. (no bubbles, wrinkles showing)

 

[tripler]

To answer some questions:-
I cut the seat with the electric knife, it looked prety rough and lumpy. Then used rough sandpaper to get a smoth shape. then fine sandpaper to finish. The foam sands OK.

I am 5' 8" with short legs. Not bothered about normal riding I can easily just put one foot down. It just feels a bit risky when my wife climbs on the back.

 

[28016]

Good job. It's a bit scary cutting into your seat, isn't it.

I've just done mine also, but not to lower it, although that was one of the consequences. I cut it to a similar shape to yours, cut out the whole of the foam underneath the butt area and added a different kind of foam, raised it a bit at the front and widened it by an inch in the sitting bone area of the seat for better support.

I also added a layer of 8mm soft smoothing foam over the top of the whole seat.

I've used your pic as a template. The straight lines are the section I cut out and the curved lines are the new width of the seat.

Tools used were scissors, electric knife and rasp. I glued it all using contact adhesive. Cost was $A60.00 for the seat foam, $A16.00 for the smoothing foam and around $A20.00 for the adhesive. I already had the staples and staple gun.

 

[ralphus]

Nice work Flinders 72, I'd be interested in seeing the end product. I plan on doing a similar mod soon with firmer foam.

Please post a pic of your seat.

 

[28016]

Ralphus, I don't have a digital camera but I'll try to get a couple of pics with my phone tomorrow when I get home from work and upload them.

 

[oldndumb]

Kudos to you, tripler. :welldone:

My seat has also been shaved and narrowed, but I did not do it myself. After reading your post and seeing the pics, others should see that it can be a DIY project.

 

[28016]

Here you go ralphus. There are some lines on the seat caused by my seat bag so disregard them. Also disregard the spot where I photoshopped a small patch of glue from the seat. I dunno how to get it off without damaging the vinyl but I'll figure something out.

Apologies to tripler for stealing his topic.