A more comfortable seat for cyclists

  • By Pete Zimowsky The Idaho Statesman
  • Sunday, April 17, 2011 12:01am
  • Life

Jeri Rutherford had been a long-distance cyclist since her teens. Then something changed after age 45.

“I just couldn’t ride anymore,” she said, “It became more and more painful to sit on the bicycle seat.”

The frustration led Rutherford to pursue a passio

n to develop a comfortable bicycle seat.

Five years and more than 60 bicycle seat prototypes later, Rutherford is marketing the Carbon Comfort Saddle.

Seat discomfort is the most common complaint from riders, she said.

Men have suffered from chronic nerve damage and groin numbness on extended rides with an improperly fitting seat. Women also suffer nerve damage and chaffing, Rutherford said.

So, Rutherford built a different bicycle saddle.

“People over 35 and women love the seat,” said Rutherford, who is now 52 and continuing long-distance riding up to 150 miles on a weekend.

The Carbon Comfort bike by RideOut Technologies features:

— A unisex design, which supports the sit bones of men and women, and distributes weight more evenly over a greater area.

— An infused carbon-fiber base plate that offer road-shock absorption and flexes to fit the rider.
The seat’s crossbow suspension system also works to absorb rider and road shock. Rutherford compares the crossbow technology to the leaf springs on a pickup.

— Carbon-fiber construction that keeps the seat lightweight at 14 ounces.

— Seat rails with position markings for easy installation and adjustments.

— A Kevlar-reinforced saddle cover and a high-visibility reflective safety panel.
The bicycle seat is available at McU Sports in Boise, or you can see details at www.rideouttech.com.

The seat retails for $84.95.

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