Seat experiences?

[PhoenixFiresky]

Hi, all!

I expect to get a Segway i2 in January for mobility use, which is needed because of a birth defect - if I stand too long, I end up in a lot of pain that can last several days and be incapacitating. It's mostly needed for traveling in malls, stores, college campus, etc. - I usually transfer to a regular chair once I get to my destination. It's the walk in between that gets to me! (Currently, I'm using a very small, very limited, electric wheelchair.)

I'm looking into seats currently. I had planned on the SegSaddle, but probably won't be able to afford that for a while. So I am now considering the LeanSeat (short version - since I'm only 5' tall). Some comments online have been that it can pinch the user, though, and it doesn't look very comfortable for more than a few minutes although I did notice that a cushion can be bought with it.

Reviews from anyone who has tried it with/without the cushion would be greatly appreciated, so I can compare. Also, if anyone has ideas on alternative seating, I'd be glad of advice in that area also.

Thanks, and happy trails!

[KSagal]

I don't use a seat, so my offering is somewhat limited, but I know many, many people who do use one. It seems to my understanding that each person is very much different in their needs, and their comfort. Because of this, it is hard to get a good referral for a seat, that is exactly applicable to you.

The segway is designed for you to stand up on it. I believe the thinking behind the lean seat is in the effort to allow you to do this as much as you can, and still have the support you need. While it is very effective and often used if a full seat position, most I speak to say they use it in varying degrees of seated and standing, or leaning...

This has two effects. One is that you are closer to controlling the segway as designed, because you are standing or near standing often. That is an improvement for overall operation, yet not entirely essential for being able to operate the segway. (because some can and do operate a segway from a seated position just fine)

The second is that it offers some exercise and use of your legs, to the degree you want to. Many people have some limited use of their legs, and the less they use them, they less ability they have to use them. That is often the reason people resist wheel chairs as much as they do, because once you use them too often, you loose the ability to not use them, even if it was a limited ability to start.

So, I encourage you to do as much research as you can. Speak not only to the users, and try to apply their knowledge to your situation, but also to the manufacturers of these seats, to understand exactly what service they were intending and attempting to provide.

Good luck.

[jgbackes]

Hi,

I have used both a segseat and a segsaddle. The segsaddle, although expensive, is built like a tank!

I am able to stand for about 15 minutes before my back/leg pain gets too bad to stand. I then sit for a while, stand, sit, stand, sit...

I'm a little too heavy for any seat except a wheelchair to be comfortable for a long time.

You didn't say if you are a woman or a man, the other issue with any of the crotch based seats for men is the nerve that takes a beating using any of them.

Good luck with your search.

[rickb]

I agree that you should do your research and this is an excellent website for that kind of info.......... but more importantly test ride so you know it's the right seat for your individual needs. I tested seats from three manufactures that were made available thru a Segway Dealer. The dealer was very helpful in the process as were the manufacturers in providing the dealer products to test.

[rwoynaro]

Just an endorsement for the SegSaddle, I use it everyday and it is a great product. Good luck in your efforts.

[PhoenixFiresky]

Originally Posted by rickb

...but more importantly test ride so you know it's the right seat for your individual needs. I tested seats from three manufactures that were made available thru a Segway Dealer.

Thanks for the input, guys. I really appreciate it.

Trying them out would be ideal. Unfortunately, there are no dealers within 200+ miles of here, so I'm left with doing everything online.

The plus of the LeanSeat is that it is affordable and the low one supposedly can be used for longer periods. The downside, as far as I can tell, is that it doesn't provide the leg exercise the SegSaddle does, and there have been complaints of pinching, which might or might not be prevented by the cushion. (I'm a lady Phoenix, so at least I'm safe from some of the dangers, it appears.)

The SegSaddle, on the other hand, provides leg exercise but is far more expensive and doesn't LOOK all that comfortable for longer periods, like, going to a street fair, for example.

I can alternate between sitting and standing, but also have a limit on how much total time I can spand standing per day, so comfort for extended periods (of a couple of hours) is also important.

Am I generally on-target in my understanding here? Or is there something I'm off base about?

[rwoynaro]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFiresky

Thanks for the input, guys. I really appreciate it.

Trying them out would be ideal. Unfortunately, there are no dealers within 200+ miles of here, so I'm left with doing everything online.

The plus of the LeanSeat is that it is affordable and the low one supposedly can be used for longer periods. The downside, as far as I can tell, is that it doesn't provide the leg exercise the SegSaddle does, and there have been complaints of pinching, which might or might not be prevented by the cushion. (I'm a lady Phoenix, so at least I'm safe from some of the dangers, it appears.)

The SegSaddle, on the other hand, provides leg exercise but is far more expensive and doesn't LOOK all that comfortable for longer periods, like, going to a street fair, for example.

I can alternate between sitting and standing, but also have a limit on how much total time I can spand standing per day, so comfort for extended periods (of a couple of hours) is also important.

Am I generally on-target in my understanding here? Or is there something I'm off base about?

Just my observation about "leg exercise on a SegSaddle." I have one and am not aware of much leg exercise that I am getting from it. If anything, to me, it reminds me more of sitting in a chair when I glide using the SegSaddle than doing anything involving exercise. I do remember at first when I got the SegSaddle, I exercised my abs if anything as you did a "crunch" type move to shift your center of gravity forward to go forward. Eventually that seems to have gone away to, I suspect I am either so used to it or am aligning myself by habit on the seat where I dont need to do virtually anything to go in a desired direction. Its very much as intuative as the normal standing, you just kind of look where you want to go and away you go. I can sit for about an hr, and then I tend to stand up and stretch... as much for my back I suspect than seat-related discomfort. You do have amazing control though, I have been on it in the middle of huge crowds and was able to maintain postion perfectly well.

[PhoenixFiresky]

Really? I was under the impression that one of the major benefits in using the SegSaddle was that it required balancing by sliding forward and back along a track, which let the user initate the leaning action of standing. This, in turn was supposedly going to provide mild exercise to the user's core - exercise through the tiny muscle movements in balancing which a person gets while standing, but not when sitting in a chair with a back, such as a wheelchair. Maybe that's what gave you the sore muscles at first, until your body got adjusted?

From the way it looked in the videos, the user would have to use their thigh and/or abs to move the seat along its track to tell the Segway how to move. If it doesn't work that way, that certainly would affect my incentive to spend the extra money on the SegSaddle over the LeanSeat!

[rickb]

I drove 300 miles to our nearest Segway Dealer (Minnesota) for the test ride. *The dealer had the seats set up a ready to use when I got there. *I personally found the Segsaddle to be comfortable on the butt (not so much my back) after a 2.5 hour test. *It has an excellent build factor (high quality materials) and the seat was apparently designed by a bicyclist and was surprisingly more comfortable than it looks. I didn't experience leg exercise while sitting. What you may get is somewhat of a core muscle workout. The seat itself actually glides (smoothly) independently back and forth allowing you to shift your weight for forward/reverse/stop motion. *Very easy to center your weight to keep the Seg stationary........using abdominal muscles. *I liked the Segsaddle very much, however, I had difficulty with balance issues when mounting and dismounting the Seg..........which is an issue for some in using the Segway as a mobility device......with or without the seat options mentioned. If you assume some level of workout............try before you buy is my philosophy. Good luck.

[rwoynaro]

Originally Posted by rickb

I drove 300 miles to our nearest Segway Dealer (Minnesota) for the test ride. *The dealer had the seats set up a ready to use when I got there. *I personally found the Segsaddle to be comfortable on the butt (not so much my back) after a 2.5 hour test. *It has an excellent build factor (high quality materials) and the seat was apparently designed by a bicyclist and was surprisingly more comfortable than it looks. I didn't experience leg exercise while sitting. What you may get is somewhat of a core muscle workout. The seat itself actually glides (smoothly) independently back and forth allowing you to shift your weight for forward/reverse/stop motion. *Very easy to center your weight to keep the Seg stationary........using abdominal muscles. *I liked the Segsaddle very much, however, I had difficulty with balance issues when mounting and dismounting the Seg..........which is an issue for some in using the Segway as a mobility device......with or without the seat options mentioned. If you assume some level of workout............try before you buy is my philosophy. Good luck.

My experience with about 3 yrs on the SegSaddle now is similar. For me, its frequently easier to lower the seat down before getting on/off as it is not in the way at all in the lowest postion and with my leg weakness, sometimes its hard to swing one leg around the seat if fully upright, other times its no problem and I just leave it at the correct heighth. It all depends on my legs at the time. It has a great design for a release lever, so its trivial to lower it. I DID notice the need for ab contraction when I first started, however that has gone away. Either it's so small and I do it without noticing it, or you just get better at positioning the seat in the correct spot before you sit down where very little forward/backward motion is required to shift your weight; I suspect the latter. I too have trouble balancing the seg when mounting/dismounting, so I typically lean the leansteer against something like a post or a tree or a wall and then get on or off. I use a cane, and just using the cane will provide some stability if nothing else is around and I can get by that way, but its much easier for me to just lean it against something when I get on/off. Good luck with your efforts, the segway has been a life-changer for me.