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Selecting a new saddle



 
 
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  #11  
Old December 17th 03, 05:14 PM
MSeries
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Default Selecting a new saddle

Nick Kew wrote:
In article , one of
infinite monkeys at the keyboard of "MSeries"
wrote:

Your bum will be sore until it adapts to the new saddle,


I've ridden enough saddles to disagree. One I had in my youth was
always painful (dug right in to the bones). Others have ranged from
neutral to nice. Also noticable was the time when I had two tourers;
both saddles were OK comfortwise but one wore through the trousers
far quicker than the other.

just like new shoes
are.


Not mine, unless I make a bad mistake buying them. Not even the
heavy mountaineering boots (bought in a small village high in the
Italian Alps) caused serious soreness.

much trouble, ones backside will mould itself to the saddle, at
least mine has, takes some time though. The trick is to ride
regularly so your backside does not soften up and change saddles
rarely.


It's not so much the soft bits... not even the vitals if I wear pants
that hold them up safely.




--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely.
http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk


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  #12  
Old December 17th 03, 07:28 PM
MSeries
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Default Selecting a new saddle

Peter Clinch wrote:
MSeries wrote:

Your bum will be sore until it adapts to the new saddle


Not the case with my saddles.

are. I have never agonised over choosing a saddle. I have a Rolls
San Marco, Selle Italia Turbo and Flite Titianium. Don't really see
why folk have so much trouble, ones backside will mould itself to
the saddle, at least mine has, takes some time though.


So rather than agonise over choosing it, you agonised over sitting on
it
for a while instead. I think I prefer my way!

Pete.


So please let the OP know how to choose the saddle that will fit him
perfectly from day 1. How did you choose yours ? Me ? I use trial and error.


  #14  
Old December 17th 03, 07:59 PM
Michael MacClancy
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Default Selecting a new saddle

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 13:12:15 +0000, (Nick
Kew) wrote:

How do I go about selecting a saddle
"blind", without risking a sore bum?


Say goodbye to sore arse misery with New! IMPROVED! Recumbent...


Sore bums and 'bents? I'm wondering if this news group is suitable family
entertainment! ;-)
___
Michael MacClancy


  #15  
Old December 18th 03, 10:09 AM
Peter Clinch
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Default Selecting a new saddle

MSeries wrote:

So please let the OP know how to choose the saddle that will fit him
perfectly from day 1. How did you choose yours ? Me ? I use trial and error.


Trial and error is the way, but if you do it *before* you buy the saddle
on short trips it's a lot cheaper than if you have an "error". A good
shop may let you take it back after a week or so as well (a friend had
this offer from Velo Ecosse with a Terry racing saddle, though she liked
it and kept it).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

  #16  
Old December 18th 03, 10:13 AM
Peter Clinch
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Default Selecting a new saddle

Nick Kew wrote:

You haven't seen the space it doesn't have to live in. Or indeed the
budget I don't have to not buy it with. Or even the non-roads I
frequently don't have to ride it on.


Space and budget are pretty fundamental, but for future reference note
that 'bents aren't necessarily congenitally hopeless on comedy roads.
On the really rough stuff forget it, yes, but a typical estate or landy
track is usually fine (not as easy as an MTB, but if it's only part of a
larger trip not a problem). I live on a non-road and it gets up and
down that okay.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

  #17  
Old December 19th 03, 11:05 AM
Simon Brooke
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Default Selecting a new saddle

(Nick Kew) writes:

I have a knackered saddle that badly needs replacing. Criteria for
a new saddle include comfort (I'm a wimp) and that it shouldn't
rip holes in my trousers too quickly (hate that kind of waste).

I had a look in my normally-friendly&helpful LBS, and they have
a range of wierd and wonderful things, including some with holes
or slits in, which leads me to wonder how far some people take the
leg-over metaphor. However, they didn't seem particularly keen
for me to test-ride with any of them, leaving me unable to choose.

So, I'm looking for tips. How do I go about selecting a saddle
"blind", without risking a sore bum?

and - ahem - what are the strange shapes in aid of?


The strange shapes are to protect the plumbing that runs under your
pelvic bone from damage. Scarring of these tubes can lead to infertility
in cyclists.

Different people have different shaped arses and consequently need
different saddles. The key is fundamentally the width of your
pelvis. Essentially you need a saddle which is as wide across the back
as another saddle you're comfortable on.

My advice would be to go to the shop with your old saddle and get the
Brooks saddle which has the same width. You do a lot of cycling so
even if the Brooks isn't initially the right shape for you it will be
within a week or two. In my experience they're the best saddles for
comfort, although I know quite a lot of people find them too hard at
first.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; MS Windows: A thirty-two bit extension ... to a sixteen bit
;; patch to an eight bit operating system originally coded for a
;; four bit microprocessor and sold by a two-bit company that
;; can't stand one bit of competition -- anonymous
  #18  
Old December 24th 03, 09:55 PM
Hywel & Ros
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Default Selecting a new saddle


"Patrick Herring" wrote in message The point about
Brooks saddles, in case the OP was wondering, is that
they /are/ hard, relatively, but the leather gets to be shaped exactly
right which gives you a much more even pressure across the said
geometry, which is much more comfortable on long rides and just
generally. You have to look after the leather though.


I neglected mine badly for its whole life (20+ years) and it basically
survived OK. Although it didn't in all honesty get a huge amount of miles on
it for the last 15 of those years. The bike even sat idle outside for a
year, to the extent that I had to cut the plants off it when I moved. I've
had to clean mould off the saddle more than once as well. This obviously
isn't to be taken as a recommendation on how to treat Brooks saddles, but
just an indication that they're not that delicate.

I've now bought a brand spanking titanium one for my new bike which I intend
to look after rather better !

Hywel


  #19  
Old December 25th 03, 11:47 PM
Patrick Herring
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Default Selecting a new saddle

"Hywel & Ros" wrote:

|
| "Patrick Herring" wrote in message The point about
| Brooks saddles, in case the OP was wondering, is that
| they /are/ hard, relatively, but the leather gets to be shaped exactly
| right which gives you a much more even pressure across the said
| geometry, which is much more comfortable on long rides and just
| generally. You have to look after the leather though.
|
|
| I neglected mine badly for its whole life (20+ years) and it basically
| survived OK. Although it didn't in all honesty get a huge amount of miles on
| it for the last 15 of those years. The bike even sat idle outside for a
| year, to the extent that I had to cut the plants off it when I moved. I've
| had to clean mould off the saddle more than once as well. This obviously
| isn't to be taken as a recommendation on how to treat Brooks saddles, but
| just an indication that they're not that delicate.

Worth knowing.

--
Patrick Herring, Sheffield, UK
http://www.anweald.co.uk
 




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