Your help is needed ...
- Thread starter 54shadow
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
I've only experimented with two types of "normal" sized apehanger bars and two banana seats on three different 26" cruiser frames, but here's what I'VE found so far:
1) I prefer the 13.5" tall Sunlite Cruiser D apehanger bars because the grips end up at approximately the same angle as most flat mountain bike bars -- parallel to the ground, with a minor "sweep" of six or so degrees -- and the 32" width fits most adults fairly well. With the somewhat similar Wald bars, I haven't found the 24" width plus the greater "sweep" to be very comfortable at all.
2) As far as banana seats go, I've found two things:
a) many banana seats are too small for a 26" cruiser frame, and they require some sort of creativity to make them fit properly. (More than one person here has used a layback seatpost to position their banana seat far enough back.) When I put an 18" seat on my first two cruiser frames, the sissy bar leaned forward quite a bit:
When I replaced it with a 21 3/8" saddle, it looks more like a "stock" seat, with no modifications required:
b) When it comes to comfort, padding can be important, but so can the shape of the seat pan. The first seat (from Retro Cruiser Bicycles) has a rather square "cross section" like the top saddle in this diagram, and it feels a bit like I'm sitting on a wooden plank with the edges barely sanded down. The second seat (from Beach City Bikes) has more of an oval cross section and feels more like I'm sitting on an American football or a rugby ball, and was MORE comfortable even though it has less padding:
1) I prefer the 13.5" tall Sunlite Cruiser D apehanger bars because the grips end up at approximately the same angle as most flat mountain bike bars -- parallel to the ground, with a minor "sweep" of six or so degrees -- and the 32" width fits most adults fairly well. With the somewhat similar Wald bars, I haven't found the 24" width plus the greater "sweep" to be very comfortable at all.
2) As far as banana seats go, I've found two things:
a) many banana seats are too small for a 26" cruiser frame, and they require some sort of creativity to make them fit properly. (More than one person here has used a layback seatpost to position their banana seat far enough back.) When I put an 18" seat on my first two cruiser frames, the sissy bar leaned forward quite a bit:
When I replaced it with a 21 3/8" saddle, it looks more like a "stock" seat, with no modifications required:
b) When it comes to comfort, padding can be important, but so can the shape of the seat pan. The first seat (from Retro Cruiser Bicycles) has a rather square "cross section" like the top saddle in this diagram, and it feels a bit like I'm sitting on a wooden plank with the edges barely sanded down. The second seat (from Beach City Bikes) has more of an oval cross section and feels more like I'm sitting on an American football or a rugby ball, and was MORE comfortable even though it has less padding:
Thank you sir! This some great info and tips here. I am finding out that putting a banana seat on a big bike is not a bolt on and ride, application, but, we ratrod bikers are use that scenario. Yes, I am going with the lower ape hangers, want a comfortable position for my arms and hands to be at. Ride safe, my friend.
