Customer Reviews

Sunlite Cloud-9 Bicycle Suspension Cruiser Saddle, Cruiser Gel, Tri-color Black

5 star:		(87)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

My seat just came in today. I couldn't wait to mount it on the bike and see how it felt. In a word, it's Wonderful!

You should know I am 6 feet tall and weigh 250 lbs, so I'm not a small guy. Seat discomfort has been the biggest downside of cycling for me. I usually have no problem strectching the springs and padding as far as it will go. But not with this seat. With full weight on the seat, the springs only move slightly. The padding is firm but comfortable. This seat is on a K2 Big Easy Deuce with the stretch frame geometry. It is now the most comfortable bike I could ever imagine riding.

If you are blessed with a larger than average frame and backside and you have tended to tax seats to their limit in the past, this could be the seat for you. I am very pleased with mine and glad I took the time to research the subject. Now, come on summer!!!

When I began biking greater distances, I understandably wanted a more comfortable saddle. I did the research, read the reviews, visited the shops, and eventually settled on the Cloud 9 series from Sunlite. Without going into the details, I wound up trying several different saddles in the Cloud 9 line (they all vary slightly according to width, length, suspension, etc). And, in the end (pun intended), I learned a great deal about "comfort" saddles.

For anyone who's suffered a sore bottom, a soft saddle seems at first to be a Godsend. I mean, it's so soft. And for those who are looking for relief from perineal pressure, a saddle of any kind with a groove down the center is to be welcomed. Combine the two and you've got cause for celebration.

But not so fast. As it turns out, unless your range is limited, you're going to have many of the same issues with these saddles as you would with any other. If you're riding more than, say, 10 miles or so, and definitely if you're riding up to 20 or more, you eventually begin to sink into all this softness -- can't be helped -- and eventually you are sitting very near the bottom of the saddle, and that "groove" that's supposed to protect your perineum has disappeared. The "comfort" saddle therefore becomes much more UNcomfortable than a firmer bike seat would have been from the getgo. Add to this the fact that the tongue or nose of the saddle is very likely to be too wide, meaning that your thighs do not move without contacting the tongue or the business portion of the saddle itself, and your legs will quickly begin to go numb from the continuing pressure against the thigh where it connects with the pelvis.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, then, you're actually better off -- particularly if you're a male, and most particularly if you want to avoid pressure against your perineum -- getting a firmer saddle such as the one linked above (the Schwinn Pillow Top Cruiser for [...]bucks). No, it won't seem as if you're settling onto the sofa. But you won't sink into the seat, either, and your perineum will thank you for giving it room. And if you're riding such a distance that your bum begins to object, shift your position slightly. If that's not enough, stop, get off, and rest a bit, enjoying the view, downing a swig or two or six of whatever you brought along to drink. This will add only a few minutes to your trip and will help keep it a pleasurable experience rather than an echo of the Bataan Death March. After all, if you don't enjoy your rides, you'll stop doing them, and then where will you be?

This was such a great purchase, that I bought 2 more for gifts. I am overweight and was starting to bicycle for exercise - but I couldn't ride for more that a mile at a time with my old seat. I purchased the cloud nine and I rode 12 miles the first weekend! My dad tried my seat and it was so much more comfortable that he wanted to use my bike for the rest of the trip. So, I went home and purchased 2 more seats for my Dad and Stepmom so we could all enjoy our ride and stay out longer. Now, my biggest challenge is having the kids keep up with me! My husband liked the seat so much that he stole my Dad's before I gave it to him, so now I have to purchase a 4th!

I just got a new (used) bike and after riding it a few times, I had to give my "body" a break. I could hardly handle the pain of sitting on that seat again. I bought this seat hoping for some relief.

1. The seat does not feel like a soft pillow or cushion. It's a bike seat, it is not supposed to. It does however give a great deal more cushion that my original gel seat topped with additional gel seat cover. (how two gel seats end up feeling like a sharp rock, I don't know)It is softer, yes, but the greater impact is from having my weight more evenly distributed.

2. It is wide, but not ridiculously so. It did not impair the way I ride in any way.

3. It does cause you to sit higher up, make sure you have the room. I'm 5'2", so I was concerned, but it worked out.

4. The seat arrived in only a few days. I'm very happy with the new seat and I recommend it.

I bought this seat after reading the reviews; the seat my mountain bike came with could only be described as a device of torture. I'm about 5'5'' and 135 - hoping the bike will help me drop the last of my baby-weight - but in order to do that, I have to ride! I was in such pain after riding on my old seat I didn't even want to sit down on ANYthing.

This seat is GREAT! All the women in my cul de sac tried it and said they'd order one too. It eliminates the problem with hip bones hitting metal - it's totally comfortable and now I just have to worry about the pain in my quads from pedaling - which is doable!

I'd recommend this seat to anyone. I installed it myself in minutes; just make sure you have a 1/2" wrench. Can't say enough good things about it - truly a great product.

Beautiful seat...I have been looking for a seat this comfortable for a while and I found it in this one. Your bottom does not have to go through that period of pure pain trying to get used to the seat going up your butt because this one doesn't! The springs help cushion your ride even more!

As most of us develop an exercise program we develop a schedule calling for more and better in our program. Riding a bicycle is no different from any other exercise program.... except for the comfort of the bicycle seat. The cloud 9 makes it possible to do more and better with the utmost in comfort. You have to buy this seat if you are serious at all about your bicycle exercise program OR if you just want the most comfortable ride possible.

I never could go more than 20 miles before cloud 9, the pain was too intense. Now I can ride 5 extra miles just for fun!

The seat is easy to install. I ride from 10 to 20 miles a day on my bike mainly for exercise. I am not sore after riding like I was on the narrow seat that came on my bike. It is not as soft as I thought it would be, but it does not become uncomfortable after a long ride. All in all I am pleased with the saddle and would buy another if the need arose. It is well constructed and does not look cheap. I use it on the Mongoose Blackcomb. It does not hurt when I ride over large bumps or holes in the trail. I am 60 and my butt appreciates the seat.

I recently bought a single speed beach cruiser that came with a larger than normal seat of its own. Though it is far better than the prostate exam type that comes with most street models with all the gears and whistles, it still was not up to the quality of this seat that I took a chance on after reading the excellent reviews here from other buyers. This seat at 10 1/2 inches square is as good as they come when comfort and joy is more of a consideration to the rider than how fast or stylish one is getting there. There are many choices for seats such as this on Amazon. I opted for this one for it appeared to have a little better padding and design, as well as came with free shipping. Fortunately I can declare with great pleasure and a non irritated butt that my money was very well spent. Someone here said that they were afraid of looking like a dork riding around on a big fat seat while seeing all the more fashionably minded passing by on bikes that could be found in Playboy like centerfolds in some magazines. The truth is however, if you own the type of bike that this seat is designed for, you already qualify as a dork, so you may as well ride in as much comfort as you can find and afford. Even if you are someone that already owns an over sized seat, I would recommend upgrading to this model. In my opinion this is as good as it gets when your far more interested in being comfortable than looking cool.

I started riding again after several years being off the bike. My previous seat was a slimmer gell seat but even with that I got pretty sore after 20 miles. The Cloud 9 was more comfortable after the same ride. It takes a little getting used to if your use to a narrow seat but I'm happy I got it.