Customize your stock seat

[pumpkin]

I had a good experience worth sharing. I was in the market for a custom seat as I recently bought my 07 FJ. I heard about a local guy (greater D.C.) that does custom seat work. So I went to see John at John Longo Custom Seats and had him to customize my stock seat. He used a special tool to "plain" the seat down - so that I could use more of the seat, and porportioned out some of the middle foam so my "package" could rest easier on longer rides. He had me to get on the bike several times to make finishing adjustments, and I must say- I have a much improved riding position and I have lost that numbing feeling after riding for several hours. I am not sure how he prices his work, other than to say that this cost me around $90. A much cheaper alternative to a custom seat and I can go back for an adjustment if need be.

No affiliation - just a good experience worth sharing. link at johnlongo.net.

Dan

 

[evan3161]

Care to post a picture? As I am located in Australia, this is a more viable option than trying to get a custom seat done.

Evan

 

[painman]

While molding your current stock foam to help support your, um, package better, is on the right track. The shape of a seat has just as much if not more to do with comfort as does the type of foam. The problem with any stock foam is it is too soft. You've seen the the old farmer who could ride all day on that metal tractor seat, well it wasn't the padding that allowed him to do that as there wasn't any. It was the shape of the seat. Now while you shaped your stock foam to better fit your needs, a good addition to this would have been to cut into that foam and place a piece of memory foam or something that works really well and it is called "Pudgee" foam. It is a closed cell foam, which is very hard to shape so cut it to fit, and then glue this into the stock cut-out, and or wrap the whole top of seat in 1/8th inch foam and recover with the stock covering or make your own. I did just this and the results were remarkable. Tested it out to Park City UT, from Cali. and rode back in one day on the way home. Almost 800 miles and no butt burn. This or any other seat is not going to allow you though to just keep riding forever, (some of you Iron Butt guys may disagree), but one will have to take breaks along the way as the human butt/body can only take so much. But the difference in a good seat is like day and night. Sorry don't have any pics right now but if you want to pm me I can send you some info to get you started in the right direction as how to do the mod and where to buy the foam if you want to go this route. This goes for anyone who is interested who is a member here or if anyone just has any questions on this and I have no connection for profit. PM. <>< :red_bandana:

 

[Honzo]

He used a special tool to "plain" the seat down - so that I could use more of the seat, and porportioned out some of the middle foam so my "package" could rest easier on longer rides. He had me to get on the bike several times to make finishing adjustments, and I must say- I have a much improved riding position and I have lost that numbing feeling after riding for several hours.

Dan

Was there any "cupping" involved? I heard that's how they do seats...in prison.

 

[pilgrim]

For the last 15 years or so the best bicycle saddles have featured a narrow design just wide enough for the two load-bearing "sit bones", very firm foam over plastic shells and a cut-out down the middle. For examples,

Clicky

Correct set up includes a level or slight ("half a bubble") tilt to the back of the bicycle to keep the weight on your hip bones and off anything forward of your hip bones. Following are a couple of pics of how I leveled the back 2/3 of my '07 FJR seat and and notched the center. Stock cover fits fine. Riding position is about an inch lower and comfort (for me) is very much improved.

The best tool I found for shaping is a file-cleaning brush. Work slowly and the foam won't chunk

 

[Kaelaria]

Old-school for us in the PWC world. Use a electric knife for perfect, fast results.

 

[painman]

Use the electric knife and then use this to mold and really smooth out....Air Die Grinder Kit and use the abrasive disc. One way IMO is to cut out as above or similar and add this....Pudgee Pad. I'm telling ya the stock foam with the Pudgee added on to the seat will be a huge difference over just cutting or shaping the stock foam. The best way, if you cut out even more of the stock foam in the center, add a layer of medium firm foam, then a layer of medium soft foam...Foam Prices and top it with the Pudgee...Pudgee Prices - call for discount material price. from SunMate and spray glue it all together with some 3M 77 spray glue, your behind will forever thank you. Note, I am not affiliated with any of these products. Just know they work. I completely redid my seat and made my own covers using marine grade vinyl and had about $150 in material with alot left over. PM. <><

 

[pilgrim]

Use the electric knife and then use this to mold and really smooth out....Air Die Grinder Kit and use the abrasive disc. One way IMO is to cut out as above or similar and add this....Pudgee Pad. I'm telling ya the stock foam with the Pudgee added on to the seat will be a huge difference over just cutting or shaping the stock foam. The best way, if you cut out even more of the stock foam in the center, add a layer of medium firm foam, then a layer of medium soft foam...Foam Prices and top it with the Pudgee...Pudgee Prices - call for discount material price. from SunMate and spray glue it all together with some 3M 77 spray glue, your behind will forever thank you. Note, I am not affiliated with any of these products. Just know they work. I completely redid my seat and made my own covers using marine grade vinyl and had about $150 in material with alot left over. PM. <><

Thanks for the foam link. Stuff looks perfect for insert.

 

[pumpkin]

Honzo...that was funny as heck -for the rest of you, I am glad it sparked some conversation. No pics to send for my mod- as all of the adjustments were in the seat, not on the seat. One problem I have yet to address is that there is a larger separation between the front and back seat as some of the material has been plained down. (please no comments from Honzo on my wider gap as a result of my plaining tool)

 

[Aviator]

I had a good experience worth sharing. I was in the market for a custom seat as I recently bought my 07 FJ. I heard about a local guy (greater D.C.) that does custom seat work. So I went to see John at John Longo Custom Seats and had him to customize my stock seat. He used a special tool to "plain" the seat down - so that I could use more of the seat, and porportioned out some of the middle foam so my "package" could rest easier on longer rides. He had me to get on the bike several times to make finishing adjustments, and I must say- I have a much improved riding position and I have lost that numbing feeling after riding for several hours. I am not sure how he prices his work, other than to say that this cost me around $90. A much cheaper alternative to a custom seat and I can go back for an adjustment if need be. No affiliation - just a good experience worth sharing. link at johnlongo.net.

Dan

Dan,

I live real close and never heard of this guy. I have the butt burn way too often and have been looking for a new seat option. Can you give me an update on how your seat is doing?