Discussion: Seat Height...

[Super Sled]

The higher the better for me when riding off trail -- or even aggressive riding on trail.

When going back country, I love my Boss Highrise Flattop --- best mod a guy or gal can do to their sled.

And your legs and back will love you for using the taller seat!

 

[Hardass]

I'm 6' 1 and do not like the tall seat, i'm an agressive hill player and need to be very mobile on my sled and as stated the center of gravity goes bad with the tall seat.

 

[AndrettiDog]

I think that the sport has transitioned from sitting on a sled to putting more body into the riding (like a dirtbike). The tall narrow seats really help with this, but the chassis changes really did it. You can put an new tall/narrow seat on an old sled, but the chassis is still really low. I'm 5'9 and like the tall/narrow seat. The narrow allows my short legs to get around the seat and the seat height allows me to rest between climbs without sitting way down in the bathtub.

This is the reason I don't like the M chassis. It is still really low (like the Edge chassis).

 

[WFO or go home]

I prefer to stand 95% of the time thereby making seat height irrelevant.

If the seat is too high it limits your ability to shift your weight around on the machine.

I notice most of the guys with tall seat spend most of their time sitting when they should be standing.

It also seems to me that 80% of people have a bar riser that is too high. If you can stand with your knees locked and you elbows are still bent, your losing leverage and seriously increasing your potential for a knee injury. Higher is not always better.

My .02

 

[Hardass]

Like wise i'm a stander even on the trail and i have an old edge chassis.

 

[Sidehiller]

I find that with a high, comfortable seat I can sit more and save the standing for when I really need it. Then again, I'm old with bad knees, back and shoulders so I conserve when I can.

 

[ruffryder]

I agree with you mountainhorse..

Tall seats make it much more difficult to transition side to side. I also like a seat that I can comfortably put a knee on for special circumstances too.

I think big seats just get in the way of maneuverability. They do help for trail riding and other sitting down, technical stuff.

 

[POLZIN]

I think it was a bigger issue on the older style chassis. Most average sized riders I dont think need a highrise on a newer style sled. I am a bigger rider(6'5" 235#) so I like the taller (2 in) seat and one that is a bit wider as well. The stock seat on my 06 gave me a wedgey like no other . I think alot of people who ride cats will still want highrise seats due to the old school ergonomics of the cat sleds this is a big reason I have not tried a cat sled.

 

[Himark]

I like the higher ones. Knees aren't at my ears and when I go form standing to sitting it's not like to squats. I stand up most the day and don't noticewhen going form sid to side. I think the IQ and nytro are about the perfect height for me

I agree with this 100%


Its all about the transition from sitting to standing and honestly a good (older) rider knows when its time to park your azz so you can conserve energy for the next event. Take a younger in-experienced rider they will always ask you at the end of the day "how can you still have energy to go out" I am in no better shape and frankly much worse than a 20 year old fresh outta bootcamp guy<-----(true story) only thing I can say is it must be the times a veteran knows when and how to conserve and if it means the seat than so be it.

 

[Adrenaline Revolution]

I agree with this 100%


Its all about the transition from sitting to standing and honestly a good (older) rider knows when its time to park your azz so you can conserve energy for the next event. Take a younger in-experienced rider they will always ask you at the end of the day "how can you still have energy to go out" I am in no better shape and frankly much worse than a 20 year old fresh outta bootcamp guy<-----(true story) only thing I can say is it must be the times a veteran knows when and how to conserve and if it means the seat than so be it.

Very well said, I agree %100

 

[retiredpop]

Gotta say that the tall seats aren't for everybody. If you ever catch your boot when jumping from side to side you know that good things don't follow. What we need is an adjustable height seat that you can raise for sit down riding and lower for boondocking. Sort of the same idea as Cat's telescoping steering post.

 

[longtrack156]

I'm old and I don't sit down except for lunch break. Well maybe sometimes on a long smooth trail, then the stock seat works fine. Yes, a high seat can get hooked on a boot when jumping back and forth. With the five hundred bucks , I can drink more.

Owen

Me too on all of the above!

 

[94fordguy]

Since Im worn out and am doing some post whoring right now Ill give my 2 cents. Was jumping back between my 02 and my Dragon today and I Couldnt believe how low the seat was on the 02 edge. Felt like my knees where in my chest and I am about average size ( 6ft 220) The taller seat on my Dragon was much easier to go from standing to sitting And its low narrow profile was much easier to move around. But On the trail the 02 rails threw the corners better. But felt like I was riding with my butt on the ground after riding my dragon for a season.

I have noticed the same thing with my 02 Edge versus the newer sleds. I have spent some time on my buddies newer M sled and another buddies 900 IQ and both were taller and much more comfortable than my 02 with the stock seat. I have a small 3" riser on my 02 just to be able to stand up somewhat straight (I'm 5'-11") so with that it is even more uncomfortable to try and sit down on the trails, I feel like I have Ape hangers, lol. The riser has helped me keep less wore out at the end of the day from not having to hunch over all the time, but with the seat being so low, I seem to stand 90% of the time and that in itself is more work.

Looking forward to having a taller riding position on my new sled tho (05 900 IQ), should be much more rider friendly in that aspect

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

I'm still running a 03 1M and went the route last year of having the stock seat raised by adding some foam. I also added a short riser and for my 6'1" frame, well lets just say I wish I had done the mod's years ago when I first got the sled. No issues for myself getting side to side and in the case of hill climbing the seat still pops on and off in about 20 seconds.

 

[high time]

Well a big part of my trouble was my boots.......

Now that I've gone to light weight walking style boots , snagging on the seat is not a big problem. The weight of the seat would be my bigger concern, but the weight of the Cat seat and the Boss arn't warranted the price. Comming down from aclimb, I'd rather sit lower. Stock's fine for me.

Owen

 

[mod03rmk800]

Boss highrise shorty on my 03 edge and the stocker on my 08 dragon.
I like the higher seats myself. As said, my quads and lower back take less abuse. I also feel I am that much closer to a standing position while seated if I need to get to my feet quick. I am 5'-10" and both seats seem to hit me behind my knee. I seem to lock a leg against the seat and help pull the sled over while boondocking thru trees which takes some weight off of the up hill leg allowing for a little more of a "shock absorber" on that leg for the unseen obstacles helping with maintaining control. It also helps with keeping me closer to a centered position so I am not jumping from side to side as much. Once I get tired, I do notice that I drag feet across more and occasionally catch a foot. At this point things get expensive. The other draw back is the amount of room between the seat and butt is reduced for times that the sled needs to rise up under ya to absorb something. Climbing a "bumpy" hill is for sure a drawback for the higher seats.
For me the biggest advantage with a higher seat is the reducing of the fatigue in my legs and back which allows me to maintain control throughout the day longer. Once fatigue sets in, it won't matter what height seat ya got cause things are gonna get bad either way.
Experience does play a huge role! Guys like Hardass(not a "spring chicken") ride very hard and expend minimal amounts of energy to maintain control of there sled. Also they are able to stay more relaxed during the technical stuff
which is a pretty big thing as far as wasted energy goes. I am still learning this caliber of riders "basic" skills, and can feel the difference with energy levels between riding all puckered up or relaxed. The higher seats,taller risers,wider boards,lefty throttles etc allow people like myself too maintain a higher amount of control with less experience with a more of a comfortable feel saving energy throughout the day.
Maybe like TRAINING wheels, definitely helps more than it hurts.

 

[Ancient Sledder]

I never really thought too much about this. I am 54, 5 foot 11 and 200 pounds. Riding for 41 years now. I might sit for 10 minutes while riding all day. Where we climb and boondock, the longest trail in is 4 miles and most are less than 1 mile. The trails are not groomed at all during the season, so they get whooped out bad. I can not sit down on the rough trail in, so I stand with my knees slightly bent. About the only time I am in the saddle is on a desent. Boy am I glad my knees are still in good condition.

 

[Trenchmaster]

I think the whole issue of seat height comes down to how tall you are. I'm 6'3" and like a taller seat, I had the Boss high rise on my 02 Edge and it was good but the stock seat on my 08 Dragon is great. I think the seat needs to put you in a position where your butt is higher than your knees so standing is easier. I let my 5'4" inch friend ride my Dragon and the seat was to high for him. I would never want go back to riding the older sleds now that I have my Dragon it's just a much better ride.

 

[mountainhorse]

Bump for more input.

 

[Snowlover]

Great timing for this topic. New Boss seats for $399 have me very interested. I want a taller seat than my stock 02 Edge seat. I don't expect a taller seat to be much worse at catching a boot, that the hump that is already there.

I too am 'older' and have had back and knee surgery and my energy conserving style is one knee on the seat. I am 6' and want to still use my knee on the seat style as well as standing. But having higher (especially narrower than the fat Edge Seat) seat will make it easier to transition if I am being lazy or worn out, sitting on my butt.