Schwinn lightweight seat variations and improvements.

[horsefarmer]

Wife and I picked up a couple of very nice Schwinn lightweights a 70' Racer and a 78' Collegiate. Both bikes have the Messenger saddles with spring suspension and solid seat pans.
They are kinda hard and I have read on the forum that you can pull he vinyl cover and replace the foam with a 'gel' seat pad. I'm curious about the variations in 60's - 70's Schwinn seats. I know there are "juvenile" and full size pans. solid seat pans and 'mattress' springs. Also at least 3 different shapes two angular (narrow and wide) with the colored vinyl "S" cover and an ultra narrow with a black cover.
Can the covers be swapped from solid pans to the 'mattress' frames to improve comfort - or is a gel pad replacing vintage foam enough?

 

[us56456712]

Are you talking about the seat cover that is not attached to the seat? It fits like a hat and has a little stretch. If so, they seem to have lost some of their stretch over the years and will probably rip a little at one of the bottom back corners when you remove it. I ripped mine a little getting it off and put a thin layer of closed cell foam from an exercise mat under it. It looks good, you really can't see the rip and it stays in place with glue. The improvement in comfort was fair, but these seats aren't that well designed. It is worth it though, if you can get it off. I tried to remove one when I rebuilt by Daughters 1957 Schwinn but it was really stiff and I figured it would be better off to leave it alone than risk destroying the cover. This was a wider seat than yours. Gel is hard to attach, glue doesn't stick all that well. I have used gel on a recovered seat and it was uncomfortable for me on a 12 mile Klunker single track ride so I tossed it.

 

[horsefarmer]

I ordered a cheap gel seat cover from Amazon and I'm just gonna put it over the "S" vinyl seat cover and try it first. The real question I have is are the mattress type seats much more comfortable than the solid steel seat pans?

 

[Wildcat]

The solid seat pans are always more uncomfortable than the sprung mattress seat pans. If the solid seat pan is wider, it's a little better. Remember the farm tractors with the big steel seats? They were ok because they were big and supportive. I added a gel pad to a Schwinn S seat and it helped a little, but it still didn't compare to a mattress style seat.

 

[us56456712]

I ordered a cheap gel seat cover from Amazon and I'm just gonna put it over the "S" vinyl seat cover and try it first. The real question I have is are the mattress type seats much more comfortable than the solid steel seat pans?

I was going to suggest you just try it like your plan. Seat comfort is so individual. The spring seats are the most uncomfortable for me. Hard pans are pretty bad too, but better if the old cotton is replaced with foam. Mattress type saddles don't fit me very well and I get a sore backside, back and inner thighs. My backside likes narrow hard road saddles. I can only ride the spring or solid pans during shorter classic group rides of around 10 miles.

 

[horsefarmer]

Since The bike is so original, I really would like to keep it that way.

But I also want to ride it and enhance comfort as well. I wonder if the gel cover will protect the finish on the original "S" seat as it looks like new now.

 

[us56456712]

Since The bike is so original, I really would like to keep it that way.

But I also want to ride it and enhance comfort as well. I wonder if the gel cover will protect the finish on the original "S" seat as it looks like new now.

That looks like the same seat that was on my Daughters 1957 model, even the same color. Leaving it on top would be the best option, easy and you won't risk ripping it to put the gel under it. That, a beautiful bike. I have even contemplated changing seats and putting the original back on when I wasn't riding it. I would have both seats mounted on separate seat posts. I gave up on this idea as it would be cumbersome having both seats on your ride. I was planning on putting the original seat back on at the end of the classic ride when everyone is viewing the bikes.

 

[horsefarmer]

Darn gel cover was too narrow to fit the blue Schwinn seat. Maybe others are made wider? I did adjust the "tilt" of the seat as it was higher in the front - this helped comfort. IDK about narrow hard road saddles? May have one around here in stash, or can you recommend a cheapie on Ebay or Amazon?
BTW here is a pic from ride yesterday, checking out all the "high water" around home.

Even some yards are greening up - not normal for Christmas in Northern Wisconsin!
Funny thing about this bike is I don't like skinny tired bikes, the frame is probably to small for me but I just love riding it and the blue paint and chrome is fantastic.

 

[Bicycle808]

Since The bike is so original, I really would like to keep it that way.

But I also want to ride it and enhance comfort as well. I wonder if the gel cover will protect the finish on the original "S" seat as it looks like new now.

NICE BIKE.

 

[us56456712]

Darn gel cover was too narrow to fit the blue Schwinn seat. Maybe others are made wider? I did adjust the "tilt" of the seat as it was higher in the front - this helped comfort. IDK about narrow hard road saddles? May have one around here in stash, or can you recommend a cheapie on Ebay or Amazon?
BTW here is a pic from ride yesterday, checking out all the "high water" around home.

Even some yards are greening up - not normal for Christmas in Northern Wisconsin!
Funny thing about this bike is I don't like skinny tired bikes, the frame is probably to small for me but I just love riding it and the blue paint and chrome is fantastic.

Along house foundations in some places the daffodils are up and budding. They think it's spring.

 

[horsefarmer]

Along house foundations in some places the daffodils are up and budding. They think it's spring.