my brooks is getting a cutout!

I was having LOTs of girly parts problems, partly saddle issues, partly bike fit. I am now riding in a much more upright position, but can still go down into the drops for short periods. I also switched to an old Terry Liberator with a huge cutout (at least compared to anything on the market today) and that solved the problem. Now I have to find another saddle because the Liberator is about to bite the dust. I'm thinking about the An-atomica based on the readings on this forum. BTW, the more upright position also helped the piriformis pain I was having. The upright position works your glutes more and hamstrings less.

I can't stand riding upright. Sure, my butt is comfortable, but my body feels like a honking huge sail. Make that "anchor". So I'll gladly spend the money and time and testing it takes to find a saddle that will let me ride leaning forward. Moving as fast and efficiently as I can is one of the big kicks I personally get out of riding a road bike :) We all get our kicks in different ways ;)

PS. I ride somewhat more upright on my mtb bike, and prefer it in city traffic at lower speeds and with more need for quick maneuvering.

Just for the record.....few bikes have you riding 'bolt upright'.
Here's how I look on my Rivendell bike (part touring bike, part road bike)....with my B68....not bolt upright at all, yet still much more upright than most of today's road bikes. Almost all my weight is on my sitbones. Note how the handlebars and the saddle are close to the same height:
http://harmonias.com/Lisa%20on%20drops.jpg

And that is enough of a bend that some of us require a cutout. We're all different.

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Originally Posted by Thorn

And that is enough of a bend that some of us require a cutout. We're all different.

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Yes we are all different, definitely. :)

But just clarifying that riding a Brooks comfortably doesn't necessarily mean one sits 'bolt upright'. ;)

But yes i think it gets harder and harder to be comfortable on the girly parts the lower down one's bike posture gets, and likewise harder to find a saddle that is comfortable in that position.

Since I've lost 42 lbs. (please take note of the TWO since my last update :) ), I've even lost some "down there", so my saddle and everything feels different this year. I don't have near the problem with squishy bits I had last year.

Karen

Congratulations Karen, that's a lot to lose! Wow you must have had to buy all new clothes! (I can think of worse fates). ;) :D

Thanks! :D I had a 6 week plateau during baseball season (I have to go and make hot dogs at 4:00 p.m. every day and end up eating something horrible because I'm so busy from there on in--but at least I didn't gain). So I'm so glad finally be losing again. Those plateaus STINK, I tell ya.

I did buy all new clothes, and I can wear medium shirts for the first time in 15 years, at least. :)

At least 20 lbs. to go. My mom told me I was too skinny. :P

Karen

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Originally Posted by Tuckervill

Thanks! :D I had a 6 week plateau during baseball season (I have to go and make hot dogs at 4:00 p.m. every day and end up eating something horrible because I'm so busy from there on in--but at least I didn't gain). So I'm so glad finally be losing again. Those plateaus STINK, I tell ya.

I did buy all new clothes, and I can wear medium shirts for the first time in 15 years, at least. :)

At least 20 lbs. to go. My mom told me I was too skinny. :P

Karen

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Way to get back into it! Moms always say that... I think it's how we know we're on the right track!

Well, my first impression of the Anatomica-ized Brooks B68 is...I like it! A lot!

Rode it on my commute today, and it was very comfortable. I'm planning to lower the bars an inch or so (now that saddle-wise, I can) so we'll see how that goes. But I'm optimistic, based on how good it felt this morning.

Hoooray! :D