Saddleworx Seat Mapping
If anybody visited Paul Kuhn at Roaring Brook Ranch at Americade June 1998 you probably experienced "Virtual Mooning". This was a computer connected to a thin pad with sensors in it. Paul had you put your bike on its center stand with you sitting on the bike and this pad under your butt. This device is used to measure your weight and express it in color at 9 different levels. I have shown an example.
This was with just me on the bike. The red grew in intensity with a passenger on the
I also saw a Gold Wing seat mapping with an after market seat. This seat felt very firm and the user was not happy with it. His map colors where all in the blues with a white line down the middle. Obviously the seat was not soft enough to get maximum coverage or support.
You do not need a computer to tell you if you are uncomfortable, but it will confirm what you all ready know.
My initial complaint to Paul was that my thighs or hamstrings ached on the way to Lake George. This symptom did not appear on the way home, probably because of all the exercise walking around the village and tour Expo.
Anyhow, the reason I am emailing you is to tell you the seat is "PERFECT".
You did an awesome job on it. K.V.
My own conclusions.
First and most important is the pain heat related caused from vinyl.
Second is maximizing the support area around the sit bones. Sitting up straight will keep these bones flat on the seat, any tilt or slouch will cause the back end the bone to dig in. (Highway pegs can cause you to slouchl) Move your wallet from your back pocket to your chest pocket to remove the added pressure. The more fit you are the more your body will support these bones and keep them up!
Third is to create a seat that has equal density in as much area as possible so that your weight is distributed.
Optional is ride height and leg spread around the seat. Of course these might affect number two or three.
If these rules are followed, one properly built seat should be comfortable for anybody.
For the whole story look to this link... http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_WCU/SlideLectures/MS/3PressureMapping.pdf
"Pressure mapping is not used extensively in seating practice. It is a good product when it is used well. It is being used by clinicians, RTS and manufacturers who are using it to support claims for their product. It can be used to support inflated or false claims. A pressure mapping system is a flat piece of material with sensors that “theoretically” measure pressures. It was developed for researchers who really want to quantify things more than it was developed for clinicians who are trying to make decisions about comfort, pressure ulcers or product differences. Pressure mapping uses sophisticated hardware and software. They cost around $8000 in addition to the cost of a computer. They are commonly used in Research & Development more than clinically. Also is beginning to be used by HCFA (Healthcare Finance Administration) to categorize cushions. However, pressure mapping is just not good as a single source of verification of the value or application of a cushion. The numbers on the screen correspond with a pressure reading. Blues are low pressure and reds are high pressures."