Hi

I recently bought an Evox (modified long wheelbase, (a so-called semi-recumbent)) bike. The Evox is also sold under the Quetzal and Mikado brands. This is along the same lines as a BikeE but the tubing is oval, not square and the bike has a typical crank/ring/bb arrangement. Overall, I find the bike to be good value for the money, but I have one concern. The seat is very uncomfortable. It is hard to detect just how uncomfortable until the bike is ridden for some distance. It is ok starting out, but by the time I’ve gone 10-12 km, my lower back and hips begins to ache. Had this been apparent at the time I was considering the purchase, I may have given the bike a pass.

The seat is a large, overly cushioned saddle style mounted on large springs. The brand printed on the seat is “Drifter.” It is attached using standard hardware to a seat post welded to the end of the seat boom. The bike is adjusted to the user by loosening a couple of Allen bolts and sliding the boom back or forward with respect to the pedals.

There is also a small seat back welded to the end of the boom. This is a padded oval cushion which supports the lumbar spine. When riding the bike, the springs allow the seat to rock from side to side which I suspect is a large part of the problem.

My question is: has anyone any experience riding this bike? Do they have the same seating problems? I was wondering if a BikeE seat may fit. If so, I am not certain that they are still available as I have heard that BikeE is no more. I may try a conventional seat on there and see how it fares. Any advice would be welcomed.

Thanks

Charles in London Ontario