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<[email hidden]>,
Ricardo said:I have been lurking for a couple of months after getting back on the saddle
after a few years. This seems like a real laid back group. I like it.
My question has to do with saddles, which will probably cause most of you to
hit delete. I have been riding long enough for my butt to be in pretty good
shape even though I am riding a Brooks that, how can I say, is a constant
companion. My main problem with it is that it is slick and I slide around.
I don't have the chance to try different saddles. Is there some sort of
consensus on what is a pretty good saddle, comfort wise, for you all?
Thanks, Ricardo
Sliding around indicates that the bicycle dimensions and
you do not match. In a word, fit.
Fit is complicated. What fits you now will not fit you
when you are a stronger, more flexible rider.
One element is the saddle height and fore-aft position.
You must set this so that when you push hard on the
pedals, your body weight is centered on the force you
apply so that pedaling does not try to move you forward or
backward. This dimension must be right.
Another element is saddle tilt. The saddle must tilt back
enough so that you do not slide forward as you lean toward
the bars
Another element is the distance you must reach to get to
the bars. Too far puts undo pressure on your hands,
interferes with your pedal stroke, and is uncomfortable.
Too close to the saddle and you are sitting up on the
saddle, which is uncomfortable, and it also interferes
with a strong pedal stroke.
The ideal fit is where you do not support yourself on your
bones, but on your muscles. This means you must develop
the muscles, and as you develop, continue to adjust the
dimensions of the bicycle. Unfortunately you may have to
change the stem, you may find that the steering tube is
too short, or the whole frame is the wrong size.
--
Michael Press
