sources for seat padding material?

[Tillerman6]

I'm building an Aurora type seat for my trike, and I've seen the blue foam material that is used in the Aurora plans, but I can't remember where I have seen it before. Has anyone found anything that works well for seat bases as opposed to seat backs? and where did you find it?

 

[Popshot]

I used a camping mat. They're high density and closed cell so won't suck up water. They're also cheap. Equally though closed cell won't breathe but if you're covering it in vinyl or similar the lack of breathing is moot.

 

[Tillerman6]

Popshot- That's a great idea! I posted that inquiry because I ran out of the white closed cell foam I pirated from an old weight bench. That foam is about 1 inch thick too, but since my seat frame is almost vertical, it puts most of my body weight on my skinny buns. After about 20 minutes of riding, the backside starts to ache. I'm either going to have to cut the frame and re-weld it or find a much softer seat to sit on than the 1 inch foam over plywood.

I noticed most of your tadpole trikes are fairly reclined. Did you ever have that same problem with the buns aching after 20 minutes? is that why you designed your seats in a mostly laid back angle?

 

[maddox]

I prefer the mesh seats. For winter a blanket and bagage straps work fine to change the seat from " breezy" to "comfy".

 

[stormbird]

Did you ever have that same problem with the buns aching after 20 minutes? is that why you designed your seats in a mostly laid back angle?

Recumbent butt look it up on BROL ?

it is not the type of foam you are using , if your seat is almost vertical all your weight is on those muscles.

Aim for a seat back around 50' +- 5'

I think mine run about 45' more upright than most ?

Mine is on the left.

paul

 

[Popshot]

Never had arse ache but never had an upright seat. I also have a less than perfect back and reclining stops all my weight going down my spine and my weight is spread across a larger surface area. Whether pedalling or watching tv reclining is my favoured position.

 

[Tillerman6]

Recumbent butt look it up on BROL ?

it is not the type of foam you are using , if your seat is almost vertical all your weight is on those muscles.

Aim for a seat back around 50' +- 5'

I think mine run about 45' more upright than most ?

Mine is on the left.

paul

Paul- I will HAVE to re-cut my steel seat tubing to get the angle back to 50 degrees. It may take some major surgery to pull this off, but I don't think there is any choice. This is all my own design and unfortunately the seat tubing ( 7/8" chromemoly) is supporting the trike fram on top of two shocks. if I cut it, th rpair will hav to b quit strong. The bottom of th shocks rid on th swing arm. I think my seat angle right now is 79 so a lot of chang is rquird. Sorry for th kyboard.

Right now the seat frame is made like a lawn chair where the material is stretched tight across it ( or at least it was until this week) I was having trouble keeping the chain from rubbing the bottom of the seat if it was just stretched material I was sitting on, but when I laced in a plywood panel and added foam to that it raised the underside just enough to avoid the chain. So of course I did the same for the seat back and now my body does not rub on the tubing anywhere.