Adjusting the saddle....again...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa do you ride your office chair a lot?

Yes, I took off the armrests and put my old noodle bars on it.

[elk]

You all may be right.

I do feel like it just needs some tweaking--in other words more comfort feels close---AND I don't ride nearly enough NOR am I very strong yet. AND, I am the original Princess & the Pea....sometimes my socks hurt....

size:
I bought the bike from a pretty intense LBS called River City and had a cyclist spend quite a bit of time with me. She had me try several different sizes of the same frame. She watched me pretty closely as I rode and was looking for angles of knee and the triangle between butt, hands and ?? My DH was standing with her as she probed so I didn't hear alot. The 52 probably fit me a little better....but I wanted a step through and the 49 was too small so I got the 53. She said it would be fine. The only time stand over was discussed was when she wanted to show me that I could stand over the "mens" 52 and didn't NEED a step through. IOW, I had a choice.

SO. Yesterday as I was riding, I found the most comfortable position was to tip my pelvis back (ye olde basin) and sit up straight on on my ibones...I could reach the bars then with my fingers, but not my whole hand. That seems to have more to do with how far away from the bars I was...either in height or length. And perhaps I was just unable to maintain that position for long.
(being weak and all)

Thus! I think moving my seat forward a bit and the tipping the bars up a bit may help.

Because I have the longer 67 saddle now...I may not need it quite as far back as I put it. And I will say this...I have no lingering pain anywhere from the ride. Maybe the ibones are a wee bit sore.

I'm not sure about moving the nose up, Mimi...I can imagine it would help me maintain the right bone position...but the front pressure??? More info?

thanks for the help...I know I'll get it right with your guidance. And I DO like my new saddle.
The SUN is out and I have a little time to fool around so I'll take my wrench and my bike out.

[mimitabby]

as you said, the reach might just be too far as the bike might be too big.
But for some of us, when the seat is tilted up a little; suddenly the pressure goes away from the hands as you are not trying to keep your butt on the bike!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

SO. Yesterday as I was riding, I found the most comfortable position was to tip my pelvis back (ye olde basin) and sit up straight on on my ibones...I could reach the bars then with my fingers, but not my whole hand. That seems to have more to do with how far away from the bars I was...either in height or length. And perhaps I was just unable to maintain that position for long.
(being weak and all)

From reading this I am suspecting that you are thinking you should be able to sit completely upright on your bike. It's not going to happen.
Look- my bike is a pretty "upright" posture bike, as bikes go. My handlebars are either level with or ever so slightly higher than my saddle:
http://harmonias.com/Lisa%20with%20Rambouillet.jpg
Now, look at my typical posture when i ride:
http://harmonias.com/Lisa%20on%20drops.jpg
That position on the handlebars is for me my most comfortable and weight-balanced position, by the way. I get no back or neck pain, even on long rides (50-70 mi)
Even though it "looks" like I am not very upright on my bike, I actually feel quite upright and in fact I AM quite upright when compared to many other road bikes one observes these days.
If I was to truly sit completely upright ("sit up straight" as you say) I would not be able to reach my handlebars with my fingertips at all!

I am glad to hear you were properly fitted to your bike by someone who sounds like she knew what she was doing.
I think you just are expecting to be too upright (like on a chair) and are experiencing the off balance feeling due to not having any muscles or core/abdominal strength built up yet. Your body is simply not used to this new position yet, and doesn't have the muscle strength yet to hold that position comfortably for any length of time.
Try to ride more and get your legs to bear some of your weight as you pedal as opposed to only your butt and your hands. Riding will strengthen not only your stomach muscles, but your leg, back, and arm muscles as well. All those muscles contribute in their own way and work together to hold your body biking position comfortably as you ride. Just my humble opinion.


P.S. here's a favorite photo of mine from the Ibex site, showing a guy who I suspect is going to have some MAJOR back problems if he doesn't alter his riding posture!:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/images/...kePanarama.jpg
Gives me back pain just looking at it! =8-O

[elk]

yikes! that looks like a great ride (reminds me of western mass) but every muscle on that guy is torqued...i think everything is gonna hurt!!! Nice tights though.

Your photos are very helpful and I notice that you too have your saddle nose pointed up...looks more than 1/2" up!!

thanks for the link, coyote (co yot ay sayin it outloud to myself) I found "hard copy" for even less! Ordered it.

appreciate it. all of it.
e

[roadie gal]

I noticed on the picture that you have quite a bit of setback on the seatpost. You might try replacing that one with a straight one if you can't get the seat far enough forward. I did that recently and it helped a lot.

BTW and OT, I love the picture of your collie.

[elk]

I noticed on the picture that you have quite a bit of setback on the seatpost. You might try replacing that one with a straight one if you can't get the seat far enough forward. I did that recently and it helped a lot.

BTW and OT, I love the picture of your collie.

thanks roadie...i think getting the seat forward won't be a problem....I moved it up a scooch and it seems better.
My collie....sigh....you should see her today...after her bath and brush out...all shiny and big coated ...she's a dreamboat...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

P.S. here's a favorite photo of mine from the Ibex site, showing a guy who I suspect is going to have some MAJOR back problems if he doesn't alter his riding posture!:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/images/...kePanarama.jpg
Gives me back pain just looking at it! =8-O

Oh my gosh, they CHANGED the photo!!!!
Maybe they read this thread or someone else made a comment on how painfully hunched up this guys' back looked- and they CHANGED it! Now he looks way more normal and comfortable standing up and pedaling! Too funny.

[elk]

Oh my gosh, they CHANGED the photo!!!!
Maybe they read this thread or someone else made a comment on how painfully hunched up this guys' back looked- and they CHANGED it! Now he looks way more normal and comfortable standing up and pedaling! Too funny.

same swell road though....