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| RealSeatTM is an original design protected by U.S. patent #6,705,674 |
| Our RealSeat will only clamp onto what is referred to as a 'tapered' seat post shaft. Tapered seat post shafts (EXP. A) have a main shaft diameter that tapers down to a diameter of 7/8 of an inch at the very top end of the shaft. This 7/8" dia. top end of the seat post is what our seat mount will clamp onto. If you already have a 'tapered' shaft then skip down to section #2. FACT: 85-90% of bicycles sold today come standard with a 'tapered' seat post shaft for use with RealSeatTM. As a general rule 'integrated' style seat post shafts (EXP. B) are typically found on high end bicycles like Cannondale, Trek, Giant, Fuji, etc. If your seat post shaft resembles (EXP. B), wherein the seat post clamp is physically attached to the seat post shaft, then you have an 'integrated' seat post shaft and you will have to replace it with a 'tapered' seat post shaft. READ THE INFO BELOW FOR REPLACEMENT ADVICE. IDENTIFYING THE DIAMETER OF YOUR 'INTEGRATED' SEAT POST: Before you can replace an 'integrated' seat post shaft you will first need to remove the shaft from your bicycle to determine its diameter. As is often the case the diameter of a shaft can be found stamped directly on the shaft itself below its minimum insertion line. And, if the diameter is not stamped on shaft it will then need to be measured with a pair of calipers or micrometers to establish its diameter. WHAT IS A SEAT POST SHIM: Since some 'integrated' style seat post shafts have diameters larger than their 'tapered' cousin, you may have to use a 'seat post shim' in conjunction with a replacement 'tapered' seat post shaft. For example, if your seat post shaft is 30.9mm in diameter, you would need both a 27.2mm seat post shaft and a 27.2/30.9mm seat post shim. WHERE TO BUY REPLACEMENT 'TAPERED' SHAFTS: We have a full assortment of replacement 'tapered' seat post shafts and seat post shims available for sale on OUR STORE web page -OR- you can visit your local bike shop to acquire the exact replacement 'tapered' style seat post shaft assembly to install a RealSeat. |
| EXP. A |
| EXP. B |
| 2.) POSITION AND CENTER THE BORED HOLE ON THE MOUNT ONTO THE TOP END OF THE 'TAPERED' 7/8" SEAT POST SHAFT. |
| Start by locating the 7/8" bored shaft hole on the seats mount and gently lower the seat until the bored shaft hole is fully seated to the top end of the 'tapered' 7/8" seat post shaft and square up the front edge of the seats cover with the main crossbar of the bike. NOTE: In some instances it may be necessary to spread slit apart slightly on the seats mount with wedged screw driver (back screws off first and place screwdriver between screws to wedge) to accommodate seat post shafts that are slightly over-sized with paint build-up. After the seat has been placed fully on top of seat post shaft locate the (2) hex head cap screws threaded into the seats mount and tighten each hex head cap screw 'back & forth' with a 6mm Allen wrench until they are equally and extensively tightened. Next, make certain that the seat post shaft clamp/quick release (aka.. the bolt that came with your bike that you loosen and tightened to raise or lower the seats overall height) is also extensively tightened. To verify and complete the installation, it is necessary to test that BOTH the seat is secured tightly to the top end of the 'tapered' seat post shaft -AND- that the seat post shaft clamp/quick release (by itself) is sufficiently tightened by straddling the rear tire as to grab a hold of the left & right sides of the seat. With reasonable force, laterally tug on the seat as to verify that it will not easily shift when in use. It is important to note, if the seat should ever shift when in use, it will then be up to you to isolate whether it is our seats mount slipping on the seat post shaft -OR- if it is the seat post shaft (by itself) that is shifting and re-tighten further. Please keep in mind 99 times out of 100 the culprit of seat shift is typically a result of the seat post not being sufficiently tightened for new application, and not our RealSeat. Simply put you if you fail to tighten nut or quick release to seat post shaft with force greater than what is necessary with your old saddle it will most certainly shift. To further illustrate this point, our line of extra wide bicycle seats do exert far greater lateral (left to right) leverage on a seat post shaft than what an ordinary saddle does during use. If you couple this with the realization that all components that need tightened to install our seat are ROUND, it should then be crystal clear to any beginner or novice why all bolt hardware needs to be tightened extensively to alleviate shifting of seat. |
| 1.) REMOVE YOUR OLD SADDLE COMPLETELY TO DETERMINE WHAT 'STYLE' OF SEAT POST SHAFT YOU HAVE ON YOUR BIKE. |
| LOWERING THE SEAT HEIGHT & SETTING SEAT ANGLE |
| LEVEL |
| FORWARD |
| BACKLEAN |
| TO PIVOT THE SEAT: Locate the 14mm flange head nut threaded onto the carriage bolt in the bracket slot on the right side of the seat frame. When tightened, this nut sets the pitch angle of the seat frame to the bicycle. To change the seats angle: loosen nut, re-pivot the seat frame fore or aft and re-tighten nut. |
| ADJUSTING THE SEAT COVER TENSION |
| TO INCREASE TENSION ON COVER: Locate the 2 webbing straps underneath the cover and pull apart the hook & loop closure sewn to the 2 webbing straps. Next, secure seat to apply leverage (SEE ABOVE PHOTO ON RIGHT) to tighten webbing then re-mate hook & loop together. |
| TO DECREASE TENSION ON COVER: Locate the 2 webbing straps underneath the cover and pull apart the hook & loop closure sewn to the 2 webbing straps. Next, lift up on the metal buckles to release the webbing tension then re-mate hook & loop. |
| Due to minor fabric stretch from use, periodic tightening may be needed to maintain tension, especially after the seats first use. |
| If, at first, you can't get cover clean with a damp wash cloth then: |
| - FOREWORD - - SEAT INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS - - LOWERING THE SEAT HEIGHT & SETTING SEAT ANGLE - - ADJUSTING THE SEAT COVER TENSION - - REMOVING YOUR SEAT COVER - - USEFUL RIDING TIPS - - COVER CARE - |
| TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| REMOVING YOUR SEAT COVER |
| TIP #1: Unless you are VERY limber and can easily swing your leg over the entire seat without falling over it is a good idea instead to lean the bicycle to one side wherein you lift your leg over the main crossbar of your bicycle. TIP #2: When trying your RealSeat for the very first time start by straddling the crossbar positioning the bike between your legs. When you are ready to take off place one foot on a down-stroked pedal and with your other foot firmly planted to ground give yourself a good push-off to get rolling. Now once you get pedaling and going forward under full power begin to sit and settle down into your new comfy RealSeat. |
| 'LEG PRESSURE' CONSIDERATIONS: Depending on what style of bicycle you ride or how many miles you ride at a given time some negligible pressure to the back of your legs may be unavoidable. And while changing the seat angle & height will reduce pressure, it also might not eliminate it entirely. So, if you happen to experience pressure to the back of your legs please ask yourself what's worse... a little pressure to back of your legs with our seat -OR- the major discomfort of your entire body weight bore directly upon your private and sensitive spots when you straddle your old saddle? |
| THE 4 'BASIC' POSITIONS OF SEAT ANGLE |
| SEAT INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS |
| NOTE: The hook & loop in our seat covers is not of an ordinary variety, it is instead a 'low cycle - high shear' specialty hook & loop. When the hook & loop is properly mated/mashed together, it becomes extremely difficult to pull apart. To pull apart hook & loop, work your fingers in between the two to separate. |
| WARNING Do NOT tighten the 'HEX HEAD CAP SCREWS ON THE SEAT MOUNT' -OR- the 'SEAT POST CLAMP ON YOUR BIKE' beyond what is necessary to prevent lateral shifting of your RealSeat. |
| USEFUL RIDING TIPS |
| COVER CARE |
| NOTE: To prolong seat cover life and color, avoid unnecessary exposure to sunlight and/or the elements. |
| PHOTO'S COMING SOON! |
| 4) The (leaned back position) is for riders of forward crank or cruiser style bicycles. These bicycles either have there pedals in a more forward position (versus a traditional upright bicycle) and/or they have extended handlebars. |
| 2) The (dead level position) is intended for those who want to put their full body weight on their seat. This style of rider is all about casual cycling. |
| 1) The (level but leaning slightly forward position) gives riders the ability to disburse their full body weight comfortably on their seat and still have good leg extension. |
| 3) The (forward position) is best suited for endurance riders. For this type of rider instead uses the seat more to take weight off their legs during a long ride than to rest their bottom. |
| TO LOWER OR RAISE THE SEAT HEIGHT: Loosen the bolt/quick release on the seat post clamp (attached to your bike) and raise or lower your RealSeat and re-tighten. |
| After you have attached and fully tightened your RealSeat to the tapered seat post shaft you will more than likely need to lower overall height of the seat from the pedals or ground. The reason for this is because the vertical height of our RealSeat is taller than the saddle that came with your bike. So, to compensate for the increased height it is advisable that you first lower the seat post an inch at the minimum before taking your very first test ride. SEAT HEIGHT LOWERING TIP Since ALL RealSeat seat covers have flexible safety reflectors sewn to rear of seat cover you can safely and easily remove the plastic reflector assembly that is wrapped around seat post shaft that came with bicycle to lower seat upwards of an additional inch. |
| FOREWORD |
| While all bicycles have obvious similarities they are all geometrically different. Therefore, of the thousands of brands and millions of bicycles manufactured over the past 50 years, it is impossible for us to pre-set our seat in such a configuration where it won't require a couple simple adjustments to optimize comfort. In a nut shell, a little common sense combined with either a reduction of the seats overall height (by an inch or two) or an adjustment of the seats tilt angle (by pivoting it fore or aft a couple of degrees) will substantially enhance the seats overall comfort and usability. And while we do indeed believe our RealSeatTM is a significant improvement from the 'crotch crushers' that are traditional saddles, it is by no means perfect. For if you somehow expect your rear end to be magically suspended in perpetual weightlessness in defiance of the principle laws of gravity then you are deeply mistaken and should consider a different seat. On the other hand, if you happen to be one of the untold millions who can no longer tolerate a saddle, and you want to ensure that you discover all of RealSeat's comfort potential, it is then imperative that you take 10 minutes and consult this 'easy to read' page in its entirety. |
| Next, level the seat with ground to prepare for your very first 'test ride'. |
| Important Note: Before taking off for very first time please make certain your tires on bicycle are properly inflated. For if a bicycle has under inflated tires the rider will have to push harder than normal (and on seat!) just to get bike moving forward. To try seat for first time, place yourself on bicycle wherein you straddle the main crossbar of bike with one foot to the ground and the other foot resting a top of down-stroked pedal. Now, with your grounded foot give yourself a strong push-off to get the bike moving BEFORE you attempt to sit in the seat. And, until such time you have mastered its use, do NOT take-off while seated. Upon completion of your first 'test ride' you may find you now want to experiment with the seat by adjusting or fine tuning the pitch angle or height to optimize ride. It so happens most riders we have interviewed after trying the seat for the first time are amazed at what just a couple degrees difference in angle (back or forward) or an adjustment of the overall height from pedals can do to alter level of comfort and usability of seat. But, one thing is for certain, the seat will not adjust by itself! NOTE The reason we do not recommend that first time users take off while fully seated is because all to often one risks the seat shifting because one has pushed too hard on seat just trying to get the bicycle moving forward when first beginning to pedal. In other words, the seat is not a leg press and will move if unduly forced! |
| NOTE: The hook & loop in our seat covers is not of an ordinary variety, it is instead a 'low cycle - high shear' specialty hook & loop. When the hook & loop is properly mated/mashed together, it becomes extremely difficult to pull apart. To pull apart hook & loop, work your fingers in between the two to separate. |
| 1.) Immerse with water 2.) Apply liquid dish soap 3.) Scrub with bristle brush 4.) Rinse with garden hose 5.) Allow to dry thoroughly |
| HOW TO |