"S. Delaire \"Rotatorrecumbent\"" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:On the Rotator seat we use elastic cord to tie the fabric to the seat frame, on the bottom section
only. This works like a simple suspension and gives about 3" movement. Not enough for curb
jumping. Super on the cobblestones. As a side benefit the fabric contours to the human shape,
spreading the load over a wider area which helps fight the dreaded "recumbent butt" My 2 cents
Speedy www.rotatorrecumbent.com
Speaking from 3 happy years with a Rotator Tiger, I can make a few points based on "seat of the
pants" type knowledge of the Rotator suspended mesh-seat-fabric form of recumbent seat. I am quite
happy with both the seat and the bike.
-The elastic-suspended-bottom Rotator seat is a genuinely cushy ride. This is due to seat seaign,
long monotube frame design, and and the Rotator's rider position centre of gravity. and Steve
Delaire seems to have found a pretty good recipe for providing great comfort but without a speed
penalty or complexity issues.
-It is a very effective simple, uncomplex, low technology solution to the support of the human body,
and the protection of that body from small and large irregularities one travels along, through, and
over. This is a good thing. Burt Rutan is similar in some small way to this in not over-engineering
the solutions to the assorted design challenges inherent in a lightweight structure like a bicycle
or airplane.
-The seat can be very low
-The seat can be very light
-The elastic cord will fray or cut in a fall (more like a baseball-style slide actually), and
replacement elastic cord, if you bought cheap elastic, will fray and break from the stretching in
the normal course of suspending the body.
-The seat can be adjusted in a very wide range of positions. The ride can be quite low and stretched
out. I am always amazed at how flat and low the rider looks on this bike when ever I see someone
else riding
it. I possibly have my seat more reclined than typical, but it works for me, perhaps cuz I am quite
tall, on the other hand maybe shorter test riders have to stretch out more to reach the pedals
and this is what I see.
-Assorted pockets for things can be sewn to the seat mesh. You can sew sleeves and pockets for
things such as camelbak sleeves, thermarest pads, tool pouch, personal massagers, etc. Next winter I
am doing a pocket for the camel bak.
-I have not often had a sore butt riding this bike. It was very comfortable the very first time
I rode it.
-It is quite conformal to the shape of the rider. It fits you, it is not one of those "you must fit
it" rigid seats.
-The mesh is quite comfortable and keeps you fresh in warm conditions. However when you go through a
puddle, you get a back shower through the seat. SO far this is the only negative thing I have found
about this seat or the entire bike for that matter -- and it is the only time I swear "kaw-liss" at
this bike, and I like to swear a lot.
-I think the seat may contribute to the slightly (and highly debatable) homebuilt look the bike has.
I only mention this cuz so many people ask me if I built it myself. In fact that is a pretty common
ice-breaker people use to initiate a chat with me. (I think one woman asked me "patantez vous ca toi
meme?" -- as you can see my french is awful-spelling, grammar, and pronounciation!) Often, this is a
cue to accellerate, especially when the ask how many gears the bike has, so I just show them!
-The metal tubing that the seat is laced to, can be used to hook a large seat bag on to. I took a
normal "on top of the rear bike rack" bag and had a little loop sewn on each end and hooked it on
the seat. it looks like it was made for the bike.
The seat can be fixed or repaired at any place that does sewing repairs, like a shoemaker, a place
that does luggage or backpack repairs, or even a seamstress. I keep a metre ort so of spare cord in
the tool kit, and I know I will always get home if bad stuff happens to the existing cord or
elastic. (especially useful when far from home -- the cord can even be used for towing the less
fortunate <-extremely not recommended!)
With the seat's simple, open construction, it is easy to attach a home built tailbox. First, build a
coroplast tailbox using some free coroplast and a few ziplocks. With "democratic" elections, there's
an irregular but free supply of fresh coroplast once the vote is over and the campaign signs become
instant and pure landfill. Re-use! Experiment! Go nutz and create a corpolast art-bike if speed
isn't your thing. Of course, this might add a bit too much attention for you quieter types since the
bike already attracts a considerable amount of bystander attention. I might correct myself and state
that it will take a big bunch of ziplocks, not just a few. I prototype/temporarily rig with the
plastic covered wire that is available in a roll at the hardware store (what am I talking about> it
is the stuff like what is used to close plastic bread bags, electronic component bags, etc.
And now, a digression involving one man's long-time fantasy accessory for his rotator seat. I would
like to get little speakers (small, cheap, black golf ball sized) that attach on the bottom end of
the seat rail (on the outside of my thighs) so I can plug in my walkman and hear the radio or
motivational music. It doesn't have to be loud (and no I don't ride with earplugs, or music at all
now). I want the sound to be very directional so when they are pointed upwards towards my head and
ears, no one off the side will hear it, all the sound will go upwards only, not outwards around me
(so it won't disturb other riders). I'd like this designed for christmas please.
Digressing further, much, much further, I would also consider, miracle-fabric-enclosed flat panel
speakers that slide inside my bike shorts on the top of my thighs would be also fine and dandy.
(Hello mit media lab, anyone looking for a thesis project?)
All in all, the seat is one of the best of the many good things about the Rotator bikes. (besides
the seat, this includes mid-drive, low position, monotube design, oss, and for the tiger, a somewhat
manageable size and length of the bike).
People ask me, "is it (the bike or the seat) comfortable?" and I reply, it is not only comfortable,
it is fast. Not one or the other. Both. And that's all I really want from a bicycle, even all I want
out of life!
tiger
