The nose tipped slightly down and the flat level saddle

Sunderland Supporter

I was able to buy a black, mint clean selle san marco rolls saddle about 4 months ago that id wager has never had an arse apart from mine on it, got it 25 quid ..............sorted !! I followed advice that id read online about optimum saddle position and I installed the rolls with the nose EVER so slightly angled downwards. Ive ridden it that way since and had some shoulder discomfort that id never experienced before on the bike. I took the bike out into the garden this morning and adjusted the rolls so it is sitting flat as a pancake. I noticed immediately that such a subtle adjustment resulted in a big weight shift with my rear end being more firmly planted into the leather and less downward pressure from the hands holding the hoods. Im curious about could the weight that was on my hands when using the downwards tilt on the saddle have been absorbed by my shoulder muscles and hence the pains. The true test of the totally flat saddle position will be the 60 miles on the club run on saturday , Im hoping I complete it without any niggles in the shoulders.

The nose up saddle position, although lauded by some riders is a no no for me. I remember being exasperated by a fizik arione I once owned and I fitted it up, down and level with the results each time being absolute agony for me. The arione with the nose just slightly pitched up, which is a position a lot of its owners deploy, was shockingly painful on the soft tissue area . I found the knackers and soft tissues took a hammerring no matter which way I used the arione . Do you think the balance of bum weight on the rolls and hand grip at the hoods may have been a sore shoulder contributor when the saddle had a slight nose down position ? The flat position certainly seems to have a better equilibrium and the weight seems to be distributed a lot more comfortably on the bike with more at the bum and less at the hands.

Anonymous

In short, its a mix.

Part of you will toughen up as your core gets stronger, and you will eventually find an optimum position as well. What's it like half way between where it is now, and where it was?

Its SUCH a personal thing, that even the make of saddle will probably make a significant difference. I am extremely lucky that my saddle is comfy and cheap!
(Bonty Inform R - the old white one, with matching black bar tape, of course)

itsnotarace

Rule 48

themekon

Saddle flat, thats the way it should be.

NITR8s

I tried mine flat, but found was putting too much weight on handlebars and causing pain in sholders, tilted seat up slightly and now can cycle longer with less pain. Although I need to shorten my stem as reaching too far so this may be the cause of it more than the seat,

rick_chasey

Yeah - some saddles are weird.

Had my saddle flat on my fixie - was sliding about all over the place - a guy even commented on it - and not in a good way.

So anyway, tilted it upwards. Looks now like I ride for all the wrong reasons but it's comfy and my arse stays planted.

Pross

Generally a saddle is put on flat but can then be adjusted for comfort. For example, on my track bike I have my saddle slightly nose down as the bike position is very low and it helps take some of the pressure of the old boy! Some MTB riders, especially downhillers, may have the saddle nose up as it makes sliding back over the saddle easier when controlling speed.

markos1963

I find on my road bikes the saddle has to be flat, any nose down attitude and I get arm/shoulder pain. Although on my TT bike I can have a pronounced nose down position as riding on the tri bars doesn't give me any pain and I need the clearance under my undercarriage.

Easyriding

I started off with my Brooks B17 slightly nose down but kept slipping forward and had to 'brace' with my arms. Set it level and it's fine - mind you it felt like a piece of wood for the first few rides!

Sunderland Supporter

My bum fully understands why the selle san marco rolls has classic status Mile after mile and not a complaint from the rear end department. The Rolls is to comfort every bit as much as I found the arione to be linked with discomfort.

hodge68

Mine is tipped forward, as anyother position although more comfortable on short rides, does cause me some very strange but not unplesent sensations in my under carriage :oops: .Which i recon in the long term is not good for me.

Monty Dog

Also depends on the shape of the saddle, but general rule is try to stay level, or very slightly downwards. Any upward tilt isn't encouraged as it's likely to increase pressure on the perineal areas which can lead to 'gentlemen' problems because it puts pressure on the soft tissues. I could give a fairly graphic description of the surgical procedure they undertake if you get excessive scar tissue build-up in that area - it happened to a friend and you won't be sitting down for a while either.