Frankenbike? Will people think I'm weird?

[colorisnt]

I have a hard rock comp. It's a great little bike. I use it for commuting and bombing around on rides <40 miles on the trail. It's a fun ride with the exception of it's AWFUL seat. It came with a stock seat, so it's a men's seat. I never intended to put more than 15 miles on it at a time and not ride it that much until I bought another seat but I ended up really enjoying it. So, I've put about 8 straight days of riding on (and a couple of long rides) and I'm now dying from that dang seat.

On the way in tonight, we stopped at the LBS. They brought me to the saddles for my "type" of bike (MTB and commuter saddles) and I didn't like any of them. They all seem too padded and too wide at the front. Road saddles just seem PERFECT still. They rec'd I look at road saddles instead, but is that weird? The tech who helped me said there's nothing wrong with putting a road saddle on it if that's what I prefer (and I seem to). He said for me to switch it out with my road bike's saddle.

In the short term, I've put my road saddle on the bike and it already feels better. I am going to keep trying with this until next week, see if I like it, and then buy another comparable road saddle if I do, I guess. But will people think my bike is really weird? It seems like a frankenbike now. She's already got city tires on her. I feel bad for her.

[Wahine]

Not weird at all. When you find a saddle that works, stick with it!!!

Anyway, who cares. Let them call it a frankenbike. Normal is boring.

[roo4]

Hmm...having a saddle that fits you comfortably...riding without pain...sorry, I don't see anything weird about this. And if people (who are these people that will give a poo about this?) do think it is weird, then that reflects on their stupidity.

[ny biker]

I can't add anything that says it better than what's already been said.

I used to have two identical Juliana saddles -- one on my mountain bike and one on my road bike. I don't know what it was originally designed for. Maybe mountain bikes. But it was comfortable for both bikes and it looked fine on both bikes. If they were still being made I would have bought more of them when my old ones wore out.

Currently I have a Bontrager Evoke on my mountain bike. It's supposed to be made for mountain bikes but I originally bought it to try on my road bike. I used it on that bike for quite a while until the Affinity became available. It doesn't look all that different from my road saddle, but I do find it more comfortable in the more upright position of the mountain bike.

Really, comfort is what matters. And your happiness.

[emily_in_nc]

I didn't even know there was a difference between road saddles and mountain saddles. I use whatever works for me. The full-suspension Jamis MTB I bought from Catrin on this board came from her with one of my favorite saddles on it, the Sella Italia Ldy Gel Flow. I have this same saddle on my Bike Friday roadie. I guess it's considered a "road" saddle, but who the heck cares? :D

[colorisnt]

Okay, I'm glad I'm not weird. I always thought the plush "bigger" saddles were comfort saddles meant for upright riders going short distances, too. It never occurred to me until today that there was a "difference". The salesguy and tech didn't think there was any real difference, either. So, I just wanted to make sure. Everyone there is pretty chill. I mean, they sold me the skinnier tires for that bike and have seen its weird evolution over time since I put it together (I inherited it and it was missing a lot of pieces).

Cool. If I like it, I will just buy a similar saddle for both bikes. Why fix what is broke, I guess? Thanks, ladies!

[Catrin]

Our butts like what they like, don't change what works ;)

[colorisnt]

Rode 20 miles of hills today and, while there is some residual soreness, I feel 110% better. I'm going to have to get another one of these.

[lph]

A Frankenbike is just another name for a low-cost self-designed custom bike, i.e. very cool. I love mine to pieces. ;-)

[colorisnt]

A Frankenbike is just another name for a low-cost self-designed custom bike, i.e. very cool. I love mine to pieces. ;-)

Hahaha. I like that quote!

[GLC1968]

I have the same (road) saddle on all three of my bikes - my road bike, my commuter (which really is a frankenbike because it's got a smaller front wheel) and my mtn bike. Nothing weird about that!