this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2024
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micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility

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Ebikes, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, longboards, eboards, motorcycles, skates, unicycles: Whatever floats your goat, this is all things micromobility!

"Transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, especially electric ones that may be borrowed as part of a self-service rental program in which people rent vehicles for short-term use within a town or city.

micromobility is seen as a potential solution to moving people more efficiently around cities"

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If you don't want a part of your body to get sore, then that part shouldn't be pushing against something that doesn't move along with it. That's the thinking behind the vabsRider bicycle saddle, the two sides of which pivot in time with your pedaling.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 74 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (5 children)

I'd be afraid of getting my nuggets trapped in the confluence zone.

[โ€“] [email protected] 19 points 5 months ago (2 children)

๐ŸŽต Help! My ball have dropped into the confluence zone! ๐ŸŽต

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

๐ŸŽถ Highway tooo the CONFLUENCE ZOOOONE ๐ŸŽถ

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

A wild ZZ Top appears!

[โ€“] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Thought the same, sitting on this things looks about as risky as teabagging the moving parts in an elliptical machine.

[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Just tuck them into your inguinal canals when you go for a ride.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

My god, man!

[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

They've had test subjects already. That contingency must have already been compensated for or it would never have made it to market.

That being said, the visuals are horrifying.

Still, I'd like to give it a try. I'm done having kids, regardless.

[โ€“] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Kids is one thing but I'm envisioning a balls version of the stick-in-the-spokes meme, with you writhing in agony in the road until an SUV comes along and puts you out of your misery.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Might just sensually juggle them instead of chewing them like a Sami native.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

That might be an interesting ride. Maybe they'll release the "XS" model next year.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

I can't really tell from the visuals but it looks like they don't really get that close together. The two sides seem like they say hello to each other, but they don't really get that close. So presumably but there's quite some gap in the mechanism.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

True poetry

[โ€“] [email protected] 39 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Hooray. I've been looking to add a few more points of maintenance and failure to my bike.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

I think these things are pretty well made, they don't appear to be cheap Chinese tat, but I'd want to confirm that before I was prepared to even consider buying one.

[โ€“] [email protected] 36 points 5 months ago

Nope! I recognize a pair of testicular pliers when I see them. Your application is rejected.

[โ€“] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Each cheek gets its own seat.

[โ€“] [email protected] 16 points 5 months ago

Seems pretty wild, IDK about this one but I guess we'll see how people like it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Anything that makes cycling more comfortable for me people is always a win in my books.

I've always felt that if a saddle needs the rider to wear padded short, it's not the right saddle.

I recently switched to a Selle SMP saddle, and suddenly my hand pains went away, and I'm more comfortable without padded shorts.

But the issue for me, isn't so much pain from sitting, but chaffing/rubbing by ordinary underwear and bottoms. Cycling shorts are just designed to exclude seams where you don't want them.

I wonder if this saddle addresses clothing rub.

Side note, it bothers me immensely that many of the riders in the demo video are rocking side to side. Their bike isn't nearly set up right if they are forced to do that. Like the saddle is too high.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You may want to look into some chamois cream

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (6 children)

I use it when wearing padded shorts, but I really shouldn't need to wear padded shorts. I may need to get different underwear, so the fabric doesn't bunch up or crease, but that's about it.

When I was riding with a Brooks C15, I pretty much had to wear padded shorts or it felt like I was sitting on a wooden plank. I endured it for thousands of KM until I realized that there are so many better options out there.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (4 children)

This is why I have a recumbent. It's a lawn chair with wheels.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

I totally want one, but they're expensive AF. I think I'm gonna go with a Cane Creek Thudbuster seatpost after reading some reviews, the LT looks like it could soak up a good amount of bumps for a seatpost.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

you aren't supposed to sit on the saddle over bumps. you lift up your butt and use your knees/hips to as the suspension.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

They sure are comfortable.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Do you prefer the praying mantis bars, or the under-seat steering? I hear you on the price, I've been eying the Hase Pino Tandem for a while now. The driver is upright in the back, while another rider can pedal along recumbent in front. It's a marvel. Test rode it 2-3 times and I just can't bring myself to fork over that much dough unless I have to (which is why most of the recumbent riders in my life did it). Also knowing I'll have ongoing maintenance costs the whole time I have it and some of those parts may not be off the shelf.

The guys who ride the recumbent trikes have it made though, they can pull up their wheeled lawnchairs in a circle and reach behind them into the attached cooler for some snacks.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Kansas roads have me empathically wincing with tailbone pain whenever I see one out and around

[โ€“] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

This looks similar to the Hobson bike seat I've been using for the last couple of decades. I recommend the Hobson - it's very comfortable. Maybe this one will be great too.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

~~Makes it easier to fart while you ride.~~

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

This doesn't look gimmicky at all but like the future of bicycle saddles.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (2 children)

A properly fitted bike saddle should not make you sore during normal use.

[โ€“] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

A properly fitted bike saddle should not make you sore during normal use.

Most folks who ride a bike ride a crappy soft foam saddle that makes your butt sore after more than 10m of use.

Good saddles cost over $50+, most folks are buying entire bikes that cost about $100-200... on which the saddle costs $5-10.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I doubt this mechanical seat will be cheaper than an entry level , but properly built normal saddle.

And frankly the fit matters the most. Most shops will give your seat a quick review/adjust if you go in and buy anything.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

As a person whos 100kg i wouldnt agree

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

There are many folks at 100kg or more riding comfortably. Having properly fitted equipment is critical.

I recommend stopping by a bike shop, they'll often review your fit for free or very cheap the difference is massive.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Seems overdone. A simpler, cheaper version of this will probably take off as an alternative, but normal seats are so cheap that they'll stay the default seats.

People with money to burn and sore bottoms will probably buy enough of these to keep the product going a while.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

@FartsWithAnAccent @markstos looks very interesting! Not sure how it would turn out on a road bike ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure how it would turn out on any bike haha

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

@FartsWithAnAccent I saw a split bike seat a decade ago. Rider said it was very comfortable. Maybe this variant is different because it tilts too. ๐Ÿคท

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

would be interested in comparison to properly fitted regular seat but I'm not super convinced.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (6 children)

If you are getting a sore arse when riding a bike then your setup is wrong. There is no need for whatever this abomination is, if your "sit bones" are aching then you need to take the time to actually set your bike up properly.

It isn't just about the height you need to adjust the tilt, how far forward or back it is which is also dependant on how much reach you have with your stem and bars. The size of your frame which also affects things like your reach as well. The positioning of your feet on the pedals which is especially important if you are clipping in.

The list goes on and some shitty tilting saddle is not going to magically alleviate poor bike fit, it is just going to move the aches and pains to other areas on your body like your knees or your shoulders.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

Ideally I would want both. I don't think they are claiming that this removes the need for a proper setup.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

vast majority of people do not care about having a 'setup'. they are bike bicycle nerds who will spend tons of time and money to get their 'bike fit' right. a proper bike setup is for people who spend $1000s on bikes, not your average consumer who spends under $500 and sees a bicycle as a toy.

they go to walmart, or a bike shop, buy the cheapest bike that looks cool, and ride it. and then stop riding it because it hurts their butt/back/wrists, or they just get bored of it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

That's ridiculous. You don't need to be a bicycle geek to care about the comfort of your commuter vehicle. I'm ten times as geeky about my rollerskates as my bicycle, despite the fact I've spent a hundred times as long on my bike. But I still care about comfort during those hundreds of hours a year on the bike.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)
  1. Being ignorant of how to use a tool is not anyone else's fault
  2. Sharing education that even a cheap bike can be improved by a proper fit is a good thing. It doesn't require expensive gear to get a comfortable fit, assuming you bought the right size bike in the first place
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[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

A seat for those with Hemorrhoids.

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