I've been thinking a lot about saddles since yesterday's experiment. I was reading the articles on bike.bikegremlin.com and I had some good take-away's.
For one, I re-measured my sit bone width, and it was 115mm (I'm 155 pounds, 32" waist and 6'0, so I have a skinny butt!). Two: I think what's always been odd about me is how I sit on a saddle. Although I'm flexible (can easily bend over and touch the floor, almost palms on the floor), I don't like an aero position because I have a long-term issue with my cervical spine. It's much better, but I just prefer more upright than your typical roadie (I would think I'm around 55 degree spine angle). I can't explain how I sit on the saddle but a couple of bike fitters have made general comments (that I can't recall). Third and key for me, is saddle shape. I've had the best luck on flat saddles tail to tip (not wavy), t-shaped, and flat curvature from side to side. And if they have a cut out, it needs to be very small and not have edges that can dig into me. When I sit on a saddle that is too wide (I think my 147mm is too wide), I'm sitting forward, because my legs can't clear at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Add a wide cut out to that (that is widest in the middle of the saddle) and I'm sitting on the widest part of the cut-out, which may dig into me. Basically, I want my sit bones on the widest/flattest part of the saddle. If I was very upright, a B17 might work, but that's not how I ride (in particular with drop bars). In the drops (love flared drops) I'm probably 45-50 spine angle, on the tops maybe 60. I'm now going on the hunt for a saddle around 140mm wide, and relatively flat in both directions. I'll give that a shot and see how it goes! On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 1:11:52 PM UTC-5 brok...@gmail.com wrote: > I'm perfectly comfortable on B17s, and always have been... but I've > recently (past 2-3 years) switched to Berthoud saddles. I think one of the > issues Brooks saddles can have is that there seem to be inconsistencies in > the quality and thickness of the leather used. I'm still using a 15 year > old B17 Special that is very comfortable and still holding up strong, but > I've had a couple other B17s come and go since I first purchased this one. > I guess this one was just an especially good one, or whatever. You'll pay > more for other brands like Berthoud or Ideale but the leather is noticeably > better quality than what I've found on Brooks. A purely subjective data > point, but I've never bothered with padded shorts or chamois. I wear > regular shorts or pants with merino boxers no matter what type of ride or > ride length. > > -Brian > Lex KY > > On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 12:43:59 PM UTC-5 Mojo wrote: > >> Jay, >> >> Here is my data point FWIW. I adjust my B17s to be nose up higher than >> back-of-saddle up. In other words, my saddle has less of a nose-up position >> less than the back flat position discussed here, creating a hammock shape, >> but again with the nose a bit higher than the back. >> >> I find B17s quite comfortable for day riding, but it literally wears on >> me on multiday tours. I have found the Berthoud Aspin, 157mm width, to be >> much more comfortable and more expensive. The WTB Pure, 148mm width, does >> well for day rides and costs so much less. Both tilt adjusted as described >> above. >> >> Joe in GJT >> >> On Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:52:51 PM UTC-7 Jay wrote: >> >>> Thanks for all the wisdom. And the humour (Eric). >>> >>> I installed the saddle and tinkered with initial set up in my basement. >>> Proceeded to go out for ride one, around the block. These very short >>> rides tell me if I'm way off. I was. Made adjustments about five more >>> times, going around my block once or twice each time. Felt better, but >>> never comfortable. Went out for a 10k ride. Stopped twice to adjust. I >>> had the saddle level in the back, which puts the nose up (as you know). >>> That had me neither sliding forward or backward, but it wasn't >>> comfortable. I felt like the tilt was right (no slide), height was good >>> (decent extension at bottom of stroke), and I'm guessing fore/aft was >>> good...no leg pain. Hard to say what was uncomfortable; I felt the skirt of >>> the saddle, and general discomfort around the sit bones (not the sit bone >>> pin-point area itself). >>> >>> When I ride my Prologo (147mm wide) I am very comfortable for 1-2 hours, >>> then it slowly becomes uncomfortable (friction/chafing). The Prologo was >>> comfortable from ride one (after the small adjustments per my routine). On >>> my Fargo, where I'm riding it like a drop-bar mountain bike on 'green' >>> trails in my area, I stand a lot, and I can ride long without discomfort. >>> Long road rides, however, not so good. Same saddle on my road bike, bit >>> better at the 2-3hr mark. >>> >>> Not sure where to go from here! I don't think I'll bring the saddle for >>> the Roadini fitting, but I won't get rid of it. We'll see how this unfolds >>> :-) >>> >>> On Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 3:06:26 PM UTC-5 Chris Halasz wrote: >>> >>>> I've owned many B17 saddles, and there is variability, and in my >>>> experience, less variability in the Special than in the Standard. So if >>>> you >>>> don't like the B17 you try, it may just be you don't like *that* >>>> particular >>>> B17. >>>> >>>> I've always thought that Brooks should do a little pressure test >>>> mid-way on the saddle to address the variability in the leather. In my >>>> experience, some seem made for more robust torsos, and some for much less. >>>> I regret selling a just right one to a very nice person here in town, but >>>> am more pleased to know how well it suits him. >>>> >>>> For starters, I always adjust a B17 to nose up by a tip of the thumb >>>> thickness at the back from level. That gets me good enough. >>>> >>>> If further micro-adjustment is needed, I have a small round magnet that >>>> Riv provided with my Hobson Zingo (is that right?) Allen key that remains >>>> on the bike's head tube and then temporarily set my 4 or 5mm key handy and >>>> (ideally) have a seat post with a fore and aft screw for the adjustment. >>>> >>>> I recall an old video of Eddy Merckx micro adjusting his saddle height >>>> while out on a ride. Makes me feel just like Eddy. >>>> >>>> - Chris >>>> >>>> On Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 9:26:36 AM UTC-8 krhe...@gmail.com >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I believe that it all depends on your riding posture in the angle of >>>>> which your pelvis and your seat bones rest on the saddle. See attachment >>>>> diagram. >>>>> >>>>> It is a personal choice and preference as much as one's bum is >>>>> different from the next person's. >>>>> >>>>> I ride in an upright riding position my Clem with my B66S saddle's >>>>> nose titled up slightly. I wear padded cycling shorts. >>>>> >>>>> Kim Hetzel >>>>> >>>>> On Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 7:28:13 AM UTC-8 Patrick Moore wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I was going to speak along similar lines, perhaps not as >>>>>> forthrightly. But I found angle more critical on Brookses for some >>>>>> reason >>>>>> than on any other saddle, including other leather makes. >>>>>> >>>>>> After trying several B 17s, a B 17N, a Champion Flyer, and a Pro, the >>>>>> one Brooks that I found comfortable *(very* comfortable except for >>>>>> tilt adjustment) was the Pro -- the others chafed or pressed or >>>>>> obtruded. I >>>>>> positioned the Pro tilted slightly up on a bike with drop bar below >>>>>> saddle. >>>>>> But I could never get the tilt just right, and I had a rather nice >>>>>> seatpost >>>>>> with separate angle adjustment bolt that allowed stepless adjustment. >>>>>> With >>>>>> the slippery surface I was either sliding forward onto the bar or >>>>>> feeling >>>>>> pressure, and after I had commuted on it for 18 or 24 months or so I >>>>>> went >>>>>> back to original issue Flites which I now have on all my bikes. >>>>>> >>>>>> I almost never ride in padded shorts and the lined shorts I >>>>>> occasionally use have very thin chamoises or (1 pair) a very thin >>>>>> synthetic >>>>>> layer just to prevent seam chafing -- I *hate* thick pads. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 6:04 AM Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> My technique for dialing in a Brooks: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 1. Loosen seat post bolt >>>>>>> 2. Remove Brooks saddle >>>>>>> 3. Replace with any other plastic saddle I happen to have nearby >>>>>>> 4. Enjoy the better comfort, less slipperiness, lighter weight, and >>>>>>> zero maintenance. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> YMMV :) >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Eric >>>>>>> >>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7624f344-e1e3-45c9-ae46-d92e5c148e44n%40googlegroups.com.
