Seat Secrets...

Ambermile

I have read, here and in other places, several discussions on good seats, bad seats, pointing up seats, level seats, pointing down seats, etc. but there's one thing I have not been able to glean from these rivers of information and so I ask here...

Just where, exactly, am I supposed to be sitting? I mean which part of *me* connects with which part of the *seat*? I realise this may be one of those "bloody hell, everyone knows that" type questions but *I* don't, and when I ride I cannot make my mind up whether to push forwards or backwards. Up to now this wouldn't matter but I do now have a new leather seat and I am assuming if I don't get it right it will never "fit" me? The thing is that what seems comfortable at the start of a ride is not so good 10 miles down the road!



Arthur

PS - oh yes, can someone shed any light on the dark secrets involved in getting the seat height right?

whyamihere

Sit on your hands, and you'll feel a bony protrusion each side. These are your 'sit bones'. They should be supported by the saddle, generally at the widest part. This means that the saddle should be slightly wider at the back than the gap between your sit bones. A good saddle is one which fits. This is one part of a bike where weight, aesthetics and any other factors play second fiddle to comfort. A saddle which is the wrong shape for your bum will make every ride hell.
Regarding position, the common view as to fore/aft placement is Knee Over Pedal Spindle, or KOPS. However, the KOPS theory does have opposition, as can be seen here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/kops.html
Finally, the angle of the saddle. Generally, the top of the saddle should be horizontal. If the nose is pointing up, then you'll get pressure on the nerves around your genitalia, which is incredibly uncomfortable. On the other hand, if you point the nose down, you will tend to slide forward, putting more weight on the handlebars, which increases the pressure on your wrists, causing pain in your arms and hands.

Ambermile

whyamihere wrote:

Sit on your hands, and you'll feel a bony protrusion each side.

:shock: 94Kg and 6ft... they took some finding

I have the seat level but I should point out I am talking about flat bars here, which is going to make a difference I suspect?


Arthur

whyamihere

Not really. The seat position shouldn't really be influenced by the bars you use. The frame size can be; you can use a slightly longer frame with flat bars than you can with drops, as your hands will be in line with the stem, rather than 100mm further forward when on the hoods. However, the saddle position will only have an effect on the legs, and shouldn't be used to make up for a poorly sized frame/stem.

andrewjoseph

Ambermile wrote:

...
:shock: 94Kg and 6ft... they took some finding

I have the seat level but I should point out I am talking about flat bars here, which is going to make a difference I suspect?

Arthur

As far as i understand it, flat bars will make no difference.

you say you have a leather saddle, is it a brooks leather saddle or a leather covered saddle?

There is a difference. Brooks saddles are thick hide suspended at the front and back by the rails. It will change its shape.

Leather covered saddles have a plastic base with some foam/gel then a thin covering of leather. it will not change its shape.

On both my brooks saddles, I need to have them slightly nose down, perfectly level gives me a numb dick. this is because the leather sags slightly when i sit on it, (it's a hammock after all).

Saddle height is difficult for any of use to say. There are formulae to work out optimum height but use them as a base line, then tune until comfortable.

Basically your legs need to be slightly bent when at the very bottom of the pedal stroke, this will vary depending on shoe sole thickness, cleat position, sock thickness and chamois pad thickness. Don't use extremes, stay comfortable.

Ambermile

It's not a Brooks - never liked the look or feel of them to be honest. So it's a standard saddle then, but even so it will wear in surely?

I always thought seat height was simply "sit on seat, toes on ground" 8)


Arthur

ride_whenever

depending on the saddle they do tend to soften a bit, particularly the fizik ones with wingflex, but most of the "wearing in" is actually your arse adapting

andrewjoseph

Ambermile wrote:

It's not a Brooks - never liked the look or feel of them to be honest. So it's a standard saddle then, but even so it will wear in surely?

no, it's probably got a hard plastic base, the foam may compact, the gel may spread, but the only time the base plate alters shape is if it cracks or melts, and then you need a new saddle. As has been stated above, your butt gets used to it... or not.

Brooks saddles will shape to fit you but need some wearing in time.

I always thought seat height was simply "sit on seat, toes on ground" 8)

Arthur

only if you want to bugger up your knees. if you can touch the ground while sitting on the saddle, it's much too low. Do a google search for 'optimum saddle height' (or somesuch), there are loads of places that will go through the process of setting saddle height. But it does depend on many things.