My stupid saddle question o'the day :)

[Heifzilla]

I feel stupid asking this, but I would like to know and the only way to learn is to ask. So...

This is one of my saddle rails. What are the markings for and what do they mean? Do I need to stay within those markings for the saddle to be safe to use? Like I said, dumb newbie question



Thanks.

[Biciclista]

no you don't have to stay within the markings to be safe. the markings are there to help you measure that's all. None of my saddles have them. so your saddle is extra cool because of that.

[VeloVT]

Heifzilla -- judging from where your saddle is (pushed all the way forward), I would think you might benefit from getting a seatpost with less setback. That way you will have more wiggle room to tweak your saddle fore-aft.

[Heifzilla]

Heifzilla -- judging from where your saddle is (pushed all the way forward), I would think you might benefit from getting a seatpost with less setback. That way you will have more wiggle room to tweak your saddle fore-aft.

Hey, liza, thanks for the suggestion. I didn't realize that you could get a seat post that had less setback...another thing I will have to start researching

Heif

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

When I started out biking, I kept my saddle all the way forward, thinking it would help shorten the reach to the handlebars.
As I put on the months and the miles, I realized I needed to put the saddle further and further back.
Sometimes when we are new riders we adjust things to be 'easier' but as we ride more we get a more accurate feel about what we actually need and about what is not right, fit-wise. There was no way for me to know what I was 'supposed' to be feeling when I was a new rider. But after hundreds of miles I got a much better idea of what was not feeling right for me.

[VeloVT]

Hmmm... interesting... I made various fit mistakes, but keeping my saddle pushed all the way forward unnecessarily was not one of them. Not saying you don't have a valid point, but any time a piece of equipment is being used at its limit, it's worth investigating.

[tantrumbean]

Hey, liza, thanks for the suggestion. I didn't realize that you could get a seat post that had less setback...another thing I will have to start researching

Heif

Before you do that, when sitting on the saddle with your feet on the pedals and your front foot in the 3 o'clock position (lean against a fall or something), get someone to drop a plumbline from that nobbly bit just under your kneecap - the line should end up right at the pedal axle. If not, adjust saddle fore/after as needed. You might find you don't need another seatpost but a different stem!