Sheepskins on bike seats - what works best

[Ruralman]

I'm hoping to do the Chatto Creek 1000 miler this year. I've never used a sheepskin on the seat but I'm going to need something for this ride.
What do you use that works well - custom made and fitted?
a bit cut off an old one?
- do you tie it on or just sit it there before you get on?
- do you whack off the leg of a sheep and skin it then use it fresh ? (they've got 3 more, they'll be fine)
Ideas and experience appreciated

[Paul in NZ]

Go to the local salvation army or secondhand store and buy an used 'babies' sheepskin. One with a short dense covering. trim it to suit your seat, sit on it and ride off.

We pay about $8 for them and chuck em when they get smelly.

Careful if they get wet, you don't want any dye running into your seat.

[Cajun]

Sheepskin are over all not that good on newer bike seats,

The major problem with the seats now days, is they make the foam nice and soft to touch from new, problem is after a few years and some kms, it compress together and has no body to it any more, another common problem we have found with honda foam, is it offen has big flaws in the seat foam(big air bubbles and like).


Or you could try a custom seat check out http://www.trimit.co.nz father in law makes them. Few guys no doubt pop along shortly and tell ya about them.

[Blackbird]

I have used a high density sheepskin for the north island 1000 milers and they're good, but nowhere as good as the seats which Cajun mentions - I now have one. However, the price difference is pretty large! The downside of sheepskins is that they pack down and lose their effectiveness if they get very wet. I'd like to suggest an excellent alternative - bubble wrap! Get a sheet of the wrap with the larger bubbles, it really works and is waterproof. Plenty of time to experiment

[XP@]

The seat on my F650 had broken down, lots of little cracks in the cover letting the water in, so I threw over a big fluffy sheepskin, tucked it under the seat, clipped a bungie in place and relaxed.

You want to ba able to remove it quickly and store it if it rains... a wet sheepskin is a pain.

[Ruralman]

I have used a high density sheepskin for the north island 1000 milers and they're good, but nowhere as good as the seats which Cajun mentions - I now have one. However, the price difference is pretty large! The downside of sheepskins is that they pack down and lose their effectiveness if they get very wet. I'd like to suggest an excellent alternative - bubble wrap! Get a sheet of the wrap with the larger bubbles, it really works and is waterproof. Plenty of time to experiment

Have you tried the bubblewrap or just suggesting it??

[Blackbird]

Have you tried the bubblewrap or just suggesting it??

I used it on my first 1000 miler and it was better than sheepskin. It looks a bit naff but who cares when your bum doesn't hurt so much? I bit the bullet and had Cajun's father in law build me a custom seat for the last Southern Cross. 4000 km in 5 days and nary a twinge, they're that good.

[crashe]

Tie the piece of sheepskin onto your bike.. but make it so that it can be taken off real quick should it rain... as you wont want to be mucking around getting it off in the pissing down rain.

They are great for longer trips...

I have a soft bike seat but in the summer i still put on my sheepskin for those longer trips. I dont worry about putting it on for town riding...

[snuffles]

I'm hoping to do the Chatto Creek 1000 miler this year. I've never used a sheepskin on the seat but I'm going to need something for this ride.
What do you use that works well - custom made and fitted?
a bit cut off an old one?
- do you tie it on or just sit it there before you get on?
- do you whack off the leg of a sheep and skin it then use it fresh ? (they've got 3 more, they'll be fine)
Ideas and experience appreciated

I suggest you harden up!!!!

sheepskin, whatever next

[Blackbird]

I suggest you harden up!!!!

sheepskin, whatever next

Done a 1000 mile in 24 hour event?

[Ruralman]

I suggest you harden up!!!!

sheepskin, whatever next

And the furthest you've been in a day is????? - Vivien St?

[Big Dave]

I had a properly fitted sheepskin for my Trophy 1200. Definitely helped with the leg ache and reduced fatigue on a long trip.

Whether it was worth how it looked when I walked up to the bike and the pannier room it took up in the wet are debatable.

I do agree with cajun that on new touring bikes I've tested lately - not needed.

Bubble wrap! I want to be somewhere with some of my mates when someone rides up sitting on bubble wrap.

It would be best deployed inside ones's pants for that extra boootae look.

[Skyryder]

I had one made and took it off. Too many problems in the wet. I think the real answer to this is to have one that fits on your arse and can be removed. Know that sounds a little silly but that is the real solution to a hard seat.

Skyryder

[Blackbird]

Bubble wrap! I want to be somewhere with some of my mates when someone rides up sitting on bubble wrap.

It would be best deployed inside ones's pants for that extra boootae look.

If you've done a thousand miler, what your mates think doesn't count.

[rwh]

Bubble wrap ... would be best deployed inside ones's pants for that extra boootae look.

Hmm, now you've got me thinking. What about having sheepskin pants? Leathers and padding all in one! I guess leathers are normally not made with the skin inside out; I don't know how tough it would be. Sheep leather is presumably thinner than cow (or whatever) leather too.

Richard