Leveling Saddles

[Miranda]

The seatpost on my Trek is the easiest to adjust ever! It really makes a huge difference! tokie

Thx Tokie...

As you know I have been saddle searching for a while. Part of this I just thought was the saddles. The SI slr lady is one of the few that's a pretty level saddle to start in design, and probably one reason why it has felt better to me than some of the rest... cuz I could actually get it in the correct position to ride it! Hmm, it makes me wonder now how many other saddles might have worked better for me if the leveling challenge didn't exists.

[indysteel]

Thx Tokie...

As you know I have been saddle searching for a while. Part of this I just thought was the saddles. The SI slr lady is one of the few that's a pretty level saddle to start in design, and probably one reason why it has felt better to me than some of the rest... cuz I could actually get it in the correct position to ride it! Hmm, it makes me wonder now how many other saddles might have worked better for me if the leveling challenge didn't exists.

Good point. When I first got my bike, I had a professional fitting and my fitter mounted my Terry Butterfly Tri Gel at the time, using a level. Sometime later, I replaced the saddle with a new Butterfly and installed it myself. I naively thought I could get it level pretty easily.

Wrong. Even with a level, I repeatedly tried and failed to get it level. All the while, my girly bits were very sore. I finally took it back to him and he was better able to mount it, but explained that my frustration was caused by the "knurls" or notches in my seatpost. I'm getting a new bike soon and will give a lot of thought to which seatpost to get. I definitely want one that's easier to adjust.

Good luck!

[aicabsolut]

You don't really need a carbon seatpost to help the ride. A carbon rear triangle on your bike would help more than the seatpost. Plenty of people run Al posts on carbon bikes for one reason or another. Carbon posts will be more expensive.

[OakLeaf]

My saddle does pretty well "as is," but when I had my fitting, my LBS mentioned the possibility of using a shim cut from a pop can to micro-adjust the level without replacing the seatpost. It would definitely take a lot of trial and error, but it's a cheap way to go. It would compress a lot less than tape or rubber.

Thomson seatposts are popular, and American Classic also has infinite adjustment.

[Miranda]

My saddle does pretty well "as is," but when I had my fitting, my LBS mentioned the possibility of using a shim cut from a pop can to micro-adjust the level without replacing the seatpost. It would definitely take a lot of trial and error, but it's a cheap way to go. It would compress a lot less than tape or rubber.

Thomson seatposts are popular, and American Classic also has infinite adjustment.

Thx OL... the Thompson looks nice. I would have never thought of the pop can shim.

I did try out my rubber shim today. I used a jar gripper piece out of my kitchen junk drawer. I only went around the neighborhood at a slow speed with no traffic. So, I felt ok about testing it.

At first, I was so happy. Without the groove issue, I got it to work! It leveled out beautifully. Instantly when I mounted to ride... Much better. But, it didn't stay that way. Lady bits started to get some pressure. When I got home, I thought I'm going to re-check the levelness. It shifted of course. Nose up (body weight on the back of the saddle).

Part of it I wonder if I didn't have it torqed tight enough? I didn't really want to on the short test ride to mark it up. But, I wonder with the single screw design, and one washer, in the oval slot... does that make it more prone to shift?

It would make sense I guess after looking at the other seat post, like the Thompson with a set of screws, vs my one.

[aicabsolut]

But, I wonder with the single screw design, and one washer, in the oval slot... does that make it more prone to shift?

could be... maybe that's why that kind has the notches. i've also seen that with a few 2 bolt designs, like some FSA posts.

[Miranda]

could be... maybe that's why that kind has the notches. i've also seen that with a few 2 bolt designs, like some FSA posts.

Thx... That would make sense then. I think without the grooves, it's just slick metal to metal at an angle to hold into place at the washer. I rode most of the mini-test in the drops. I'm sure that put more weight on the washer. I'm glad you mentioned the FSA brand. When I did some limiting searching for a carbon post with a different design, I saw one you were talking about. But didn't know the brand. And couldn't see if it had the grooves in the clamp by the pic. I did do some reading on the triangles as well. That's an alternative I didn't know existed. None of our lbs seemed to have anything like that on the floor. Or ever even mentioned it as an option. Sometimes I think it's just dependent on the help at the time.

[Miranda]

You don't really need a carbon seatpost to help the ride. A carbon rear triangle on your bike would help more than the seatpost. Plenty of people run Al posts on carbon bikes for one reason or another. Carbon posts will be more expensive.

OK, that's good to know. Sometimes I've had the experience in the lbs that the part ends up being the most expensive whatever it is. I wonder, do I really need that for more $ ? But, I do know certain things you get what you pay for. I'll have to geek it out a bit.

[Miranda]

... I'm getting a new bike soon and will give a lot of thought to which seatpost to get. I definitely want one that's easier to adjust.

OK, you just read my of earlier today. When I got my bike, I never really thought too much about my individual components design. It looked ok in "the bike package". While I still don't have it all nailed now, there are definately some things I know I want different. After this experience, I'm with ya... a post without this type adjustment factor for sure.