Bad back & caterham

[MrGRT]

I know the usual answer is go out and drive one, but hiring one for a day might not be enough to assess if my back can handle the use that comes with owning one.
Anyone can share their experience?, full disclosure, I got an L4-L5 fusion and never really recovered fully so from time to time I need to have painkillers.

I was thinking that if there is one that I can handle it would have to be a Roadsport. But for the seats, are there any that offer lumbar support? or are quite comfortable, the tillets seam to have next to no padding so I really doubt those are better for my back.

The seat on the GBS zero seem quite good on the pictures, I wonder if those can be fitted if they prove better?

ta

[Steve Campbell]

Yep, go sit in the various options. It's really down to your anatomy v seats.

Tillets are surprisingly comfy. I guess it depends on the shape of your back v seat & seat angle etc rather than how much cushioning it has.

In previous car to my current, I had leather seats, but I find the tillets are actually more comfy overall.

For very long journeys I have an old cut down garden seat cover for lumbar support, which I used on a trip to Le Mans. Sitting in a Caterham for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time is a challenge anyway !

Edited by Steve Campbell on Wednesday 18th May 22:05

[Eugene7]

The best approach, I think, would be to make your own seats...
I have the older bench seats in my 7, which I have re-padded as I too have a bad back (was actually paralysed for a while many years back).

With the newer 7's I'd suggest having a seat made to suite you, or use expanding foam to make your own.

I actually find my 7 more comfortable on long journeys than my tin-top (An Evoque) or our Elise.

[Amris]

I think the big thing to remember here is a Caterham is highly customisable.

From the Caterham official parts alone you have options of SV/S3 chassis, lowered floors, Tillet/Leather/Touring/Bench seats, race/sport suspension not to mention various wheel size and tyre depths all of which affect the ride and comfort level. There is also a large amount of aftermarket and home made solutions you can use here.

I would try to drive or sit in as many variants as you can to see what works for you, I am sure one of the combinations will :-)

As an FYI I have leather seats and find them very comfortable even after a 1500 mile welsh weekender

[downsman]

It is very personal, I had a test drive of 10 minutes with the leather seats and my back was bad. I only have muscle spasm pain sometimes, so not really comparable. However, I specified glass fibre Tillets in my Road sport and I have driven 600 miles in a day with no discomfort!

[CycleSi]

I had a double fusion, vertebrae reconstruction and nerve decompression last year and was in hospital for a month and am now full of titanium scaffolding !!!

My R300 is the most comfortable car I drive - it is even better than my RS4 with Recaros.

Probably because my legs are relatively straight. I have the new GT seat (difficult to get hold of now apparently) and have driven over to the 'Ring & Spa without a problem.

[mharris]

Other than the seats, look for 13" wheels. They ride so much better over bumps than 15" wheels.

[Sbend]

I suffer from lower back pain and whilst I've no experience to tillets, I find both the standard cloth and leather seats wonderfully comfortable. Great lumber support - far better than the sports seats in my wife's BMW - and of course a four-point harness holds you tightly into the contours. Buy a Caterham as part of your therapy!

[MrGRT]

Thanks a lot for your answers.
Glad to read from owners with bad backs, the jist of it then is that I need to try as many as I can before deciding, a dealer with plenty of stock then would be ideal.
Yep, I though about small wheels and soft suspension. And about an Elise, never driven one but I think I'll have problem getting in and out.
Caterham as a therapy!, I can sell that to the OH

[anonymous-user]

I've suffered from lower vertebrae and hip joint problems for years though not of too severe a nature. In my ordinary cars, I use cruise a lot to allow me to change my leg positions quite regularly and stage off discomfort.

I can't do that in my R400 tillets of course but find them very supportive and acceptable for at least an hour or two. I'm soon going to try some seat pads in them. I have tried a car with the regular caterham leather seats but didn't find them particularly supportive or comfortable.

I expect a more softly sprung car with Tillets and seat pads would be quite comfortable.

[Stridey]

It may seem odd, but I find my Caterham nicely softly sprung and as tyre pressures are so low (20psi or do) not jarring over bumps.
Last year I was experiencing back problems, but that only hindered enjoyment when I tried to get out of the car. Once in I was comfy, but I'm using standard leather seats. I found the legs straight out position very comfortable.

[sjmmarsh]

I find I get back pain in the leather seats if I don't use a lumbar cushion. With the cushion I find driving for 4 hours + no problem. In fact it is more comfortable than my tiptop which I struggle to do more than 2 hours in.

Steve

[coppice]

I had major back problems for years - now fixed thank God - and the NHS.

Sevens' driving position is far better than nearly every normal car but - and it's a big but - long journeys where you are strapped in tight and virtually immobile for hours were not good for my back at all . I would be comfy in car but when I got out I would often develop stabbing pain . So if you are doing a long trip - just get out every hour and have a walk round. A Seven will not give you a bad back- mine rides far better than my daily Focus does- but it may cause some discomfort if you don't ensure a bit of movement now and again. Be careful getting out too- especially if hood on...

[Equus]

MrGRT said:

And about an Elise, never driven one but I think I'll have problem getting in and out.

If you can get into a Caterham with the hood off, you can get into an Elise with the hood off; you can simply step in and drop down into the seat, just like you do in a Caterham.

Elises require a certain degree of agility when the hood is in place.

Caterhams require that you're a double jointed midget when the hood is in place.

[downsman]

Soft bits for Sevens can modify the standard hood or provide a half hood with a zip to aid access. It won't be as water tight, but having had mine, there's no way I'd want to go back to fighting to get in the standard hood!