Empulse seating position

[roma258]

I've only had two rides so far, so I'm still in my "getting to know" phase, but one thing has jumped out is that the seating position puts a good amount of pressure on my tail bone. Not sure if it's the lack of padding (my ass apparently doesn't provide enough), or the way the seat is angled. But after a 45 minute ride, my tailbone is actually starting to get pretty sore. I searched and didn't see it come up, so I'm wondering if anyone's had similar issues? I'm fairly average sized (5'10", 31 inch inseam) so i don't think my seating position would be some sort of outlier. I'm thinking a bicycle chamois could provide additional padding, but would rather not have to wear it every time I go for a ride.

[skuzzle]

I would suggest that the first thing you do is adjust the suspension.  The default settings for the Empulse, at least my 2013, were way too hard!  There have been a couple of "how to" posts about suspension that you might want to search for.

I would also suggest an AirHawk seat cushion if the suspension doesn't help enough.  I have one for my Empulse that I use for long trips.  It works very well once you get the air pressure just right.  I don't use it anymore in winter now that the suspension is where I want it.

[00049 (AKA SopFu)]

The fact that you know what a bicycle chamois is makes me think that you have handled discomfort in the past. (I'm assuming you've ridden a bicycle that required the pad). I'd say give it a few more rides. If it's your first time out for the year, your body might need a little more seat time to get accustomed to riding again.

[Shinysideup]

I found the angle of the seat (to accommodate the charger beneath) to be a big problem; it slides you down off the area that would normally accommodate your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) and the drop-off to the sides of the forward portion of the seat insures that the body's pressure is sitting on your perineum, just like a BAD bicycle seat.

Along with the taut suspension, thin seat padding, and my skinny butt... not a comfortable experience.

The AirHawk can help, but, for everyday riding,  I don't like its lack of stable feeling. Works pretty well for long trips, however. Many people love them in all conditions.

I had the rear shock re-valved and eventually got a custom seat made which is worlds better than OEM. Bill Mayer was able to build up the front portion of the seat, mitigating the angle-slide effect, and widen the rear and install his "tractor seat" butt-molded insert in the saddle. I rode 500 miles to get it - in agony; and 500 miles to come home in relative bliss.

Another trick is to put weight on your feet a lot and grip the tank with your knees at the same time. This builds good leg muscles, anchors the bike's handling, and relieves the butt's burden. Not a "solution" but it helps.

[roma258]

I do have an airhawk actually, but that seems like overkill for daily use. The shock does seem to be way too stiff, I'm guessing the pre-load is turned all the way up, gonna see what happens when I back it out a little. It's just strange, I've never had any issues with my tailbone before. And the chamois is from mountain bike shorts, definitely handy for rides over 10 miles of single track.

[Richard230]

I also have an AirHawk on my Zero.  I agree with Shinysideup that it feels a little squishy for sport riding, but that is not how I ride and it does improve the comfort of my hard seat during long rides.   Dropping tire air pressure a little (say a couple of psi) can also help to take the edge off of sharp bumps, especially if you ride at slower speeds.