Suspended banana saddle, how to make it happen?

[FInnRat]

There musts be people here who have an idea about this. I've thought of it since I made my latest purchase from Classic-cycle. I bought a swept banana saddle among other things... The thing is that I'm going for balloon tires + springer fork, but what about back suspension of some sort? I don't have the tools or skill to make a sissy bad with springy stuff, heck its my first time I'm ever installing one of those.

Then I thought, how about modifying the saddle and add some springs? I got several old saddles I could scavenge for parts, but have no idea how to go on with it. Extensive metal works requiring welding or a lot of tools is out of question as I don't have the means or place to do much. All I got is simple old school tools and some strength. But saddles aren't rocket science, I would think a banana saddle with some suspension shouldn't be more complicated than a normal saddle, its just longer and needs more stuff below I guess.

If anyone has ideas, pictures, anything on this, please post it here.

 

[Starnger]

I know of some factory made suspended bananas, i believe from Persons but i may be wrong. Couldn't find any photos, but i think i saw some for sale at the CABE. Like 1970's made.

 

[AndyA]

There are shock-absorbing/suspension seat posts out there. Probably could be adapted to a nanner seat. You might have to see that the seat could pivot a bit on the bolts mounting it to the sissy bar.

 

[RustyGold]

I know of some factory made suspended bananas, i believe from Persons but i may be wrong. Couldn't find any photos, but i think i saw some for sale at the CABE. Like 1970's made.

I have one somewhere around here...I believe it was huffy made.

 

[RustyGold]

There are shock-absorbing/suspension seat posts out there. Probably could be adapted to a nanner seat. You might have to see that the seat could pivot a bit on the bolts mounting it to the sissy bar.

It's been done recently here, and they sell kits for lowriders, using the dual spring style Monark fork strut as a sissy bar.

 

[FInnRat]

Very interesting, keep talking, if you guys bump into any pictures or anything, just post it.

The most sure way of making it DIY what I can think off is to build it from scratch. I should take a better look into this as I got plenty of old bike parts waiting to be used for what ever project I can cook up with.

One idea I got would be to have the seat have rigid frame, have the suspension and the seat built on that, making the seat part almost "floating" on top of the frame. I would guess same idea could work as in the picture. Of course banana saddle would need more springs as its so much longer.

 

[RustyGold]

This is the Monark springer I was talking about...there are plenty of reproduction versions of this fork available...

This is the lowrider kit that uses a similar strut to make a sissybar...for 20" wheels...

I'll take a look in the dungeon and see if I can find my spring banana tomorrow.

 

[sandman]

I sold this persons seat recently ?

 

[FInnRat]

That conversion of the fork, that's neat! Someone with bit of metal working skills could easily make one of those. I'll keep this in mind. Sandman, very interesting design, looks like a base of some vintage saddle just bolted on.

What if the two above ideas were combined in one?

That idea in the picture, I think I may have a way to do that. Looks like its just bolted on and then new padding added on top and that's about it?

 

[sandman]

My bad ' it's a factory Troxel GT suspension seat .

 

[FInnRat]

So simple, only one spring on that one.

I'm gonna post more about this on my Öglaend build thread.

 

[Verrt]

I'll take a look in the dungeon and see if I can find my spring banana

Inappropriate

 

[RustyGold]

Inappropriate

...and ineffective, couldn't find it. I may have given it away...or it's just buried deeper than I'm willing to dig.

 

[Captain Awesome]

This is the Monark springer I was talking about...there are plenty of reproduction versions of this fork available...

View attachment 143511

This is the lowrider kit that uses a similar strut to make a sissybar...for 20" wheels...

View attachment 143512

I'll take a look in the dungeon and see if I can find my spring banana tomorrow.

 

[RustyGold]

View attachment 143562

Bingo!

 

[Verrt]

...and ineffective

They say as you get older that can happen to your spring banana.

 

[FInnRat]

Yea, even the hardest of springs can get tired with age.

/off topic.

 

[FInnRat]

Today while doing bike stuff I looked into this idea again... I have plenty of old suspension saddles which I took apart and started to think how in heck to do it. The banana saddle I have is too narrow to just use one of the old saddles as a base, as I guessed way back last year, it will require some new parts and a lot of tinkering to get done. But I think its doable.

There's only one problem, the best fitting parts I have are from an age old saddle which is clearly as vintage as it gets, looks like all parts in in it are handmade, there's clear signs of handcrafting and not even the bolts and nuts are identical which makes me think that even those are handcrafted by a metal smith. I got that saddle for 10€ or something, nearly free. It was covered in such dust, grime, dirt and rust its crazy, but all parts work, the piece holding the back springs is cracked a bit in one place, but everything else is intact and in working order.

The point being, I don't know if I dare to use anything from this saddle for a project as its likely worth renovation and preservation instead. Too bad as the base is so solid and best suited for the banana springy contraption.

Anyway, with some extensions and angled pieces, it might actually work. I thought of placing four simple springs below, attaching them in the similar fashion as the one on Sandman's post above. I didn't act on haste with it yet, I will likely get back with it tomorrow and try out if I can get the base built. I will snap some pictures and report back here later. Wish me luck, this one's really cool if it works out... The saddle will hold the oldest parts of the whole bike and be likely a crazy Frankenstein build, worth a try at least.

 

[toro1978]

Photos would be helpful.
I actually often thought about using a suspension fork instead of a sissy bar. An ahead stem going under the banana seat. You need to come up with a way to attach all of it.