Saddle height and fear

[PamNY]

I have a plan -- it's to go ahead and buy the bike, and adjust the seat down a inch or an inch and a half, so I can get my feet to the ground. That way I can get used the bike, and the shifting ... and then I can gradually raise the seat back up to right height as I gain confidence.

So, my question is ... is this plan crazy? Is it inherently flawed?

That's exactly what I did and it worked just fine. I live in Manhattan and no way was I starting out in traffic with the seat where it should be. Hope you get a great bike and enjoy it!

Pam

[hirakukibou]

If you have access to a trainer, another thing that might help, is put the bike on the trainer and practice shifting until it becomes easy. This way you have some "muscle" memory when you are actually on the road.

Your plan with the saddle is also a good one. This is similar to what I do, as a cycling instructor, with students who are new to a specific bike and want to get used to something new for them.

But it is also a good point, that as you increase your miles, you do want to raise your saddle, as you will be uncomfortable and your knees will suffer.

Best of luck!

[ln_ib]

Thanks for the thoughtful and sound advice. Also key: another LBS employee came over and said it looked like the seat was actually adjusted too high for me. She brought it down, and I made sure she erred toward the low side, of course. Now I'm feeling much more comfortable in the saddle.

[KnottedYet]

That is a BEEEEEOOOOOTIFUL bike! Congratulations!

[Zen]

They did class it up since I bought mine, but I got such a deal I can't complain. And I kind of like my root beer color too.

Is that the stock saddle?

[Grog]

Classy!

[ln_ib]

That is the stock saddle. My first assessment is that it will need to be replaced, but LBS is telling me to be a little bit patient. Patient?!

[indigoiis]

If you have access to a trainer, another thing that might help, is put the bike on the trainer and practice shifting until it becomes easy. This way you have some "muscle" memory when you are actually on the road.

Your plan with the saddle is also a good one. This is similar to what I do, as a cycling instructor, with students who are new to a specific bike and want to get used to something new for them.

But it is also a good point, that as you increase your miles, you do want to raise your saddle, as you will be uncomfortable and your knees will suffer.

Best of luck!

This is better to do than lowering the saddle - practice mounting and dismounting on a trainer, and raise the bars instead. On the trainer, your rear tire will be higher than on the road, so as you get used to the trainer, once you get out on the road it will almost feel "too" upright.

[featuretile]

I also felt intimidated about a drop handle bar road bike (and now that's my third bike in a year). You probably saved yourself a couple of upgrades. I may be one of the few people who can actually put a toe down with the bike tilted to get on and off. I put the toe down, then slide forward to get off. When I get back on, I put the right foot in the half toe clip, start peddling, and then get the left foot in the half toe clip. It took a few weeks to get that second toe clip on, but you can ride with it upside down until you get to a safe spot. Club members assure me that I will eventually want to go clipless, but I don't want to fall down while I'm learning that skill since I had ACL surgery a few years ago. Being able to touch the ground with my toe took all the stress out of riding a road bike. However, I raised the saddle up 1/4" a few weeks ago. I think you made the right choice and the bike looks beautiful!

[Biciclista]

I think we did a survey way back when about how many people kept the stock saddle on their bike, i think it was like 20% of us kept that stock saddle...
You shouldn't be in constant pain. it's one thing to get sore after riding for an unaccustomed long period, but to get on there and be OUWCH that's not right...
feel free to visit our saddles threads...

[ln_ib]

Thanks, Biciclista, and I am already visiting the saddle threads ... and, I have to admit, thinking about how nice a Brooks saddle would look on that bike.

[Ritamarie]

Wow, that is REALLY pretty.

This thread made me realize that I have no idea the order of things when I come to a stop. The only thing I know for sure is that I unclip my left foot well before the stop because I do that very consciously. I'll have to pay attention next ride.

I asked my DH which foot he unclips when he comes to a stop, because I thought it was unusual for me to unclip my left foot when I am right handed. He said he had no idea. How can you not know that?!?

[ln_ib]

I actually noticed, because I'm really paying attention now, that when I stop I step off first with my left foot, although I'm not clipped in, and I'm right handed. But I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been paying attention to every little thing I'm doing.

[Crankin]

You're not weird, RitaMarie. Although I started out unclipping right, somehow, I switched to the left. Now, I can't even get on my bike from the right side... after 9 years. I really don't know the order I do stuff either. I unclip a little before a stop and I *think* I lean a tiny bit left and forward. Next thing I know, my foot is on the ground. It all happens in like a second.
I have tried unclipping on the right side. While I had no issue actually taking my cleat out of the pedal, I felt like I would fall if I tried to actually put my foot down. I know you are supposed to feel comfortable doing both, but I never bothered to try again. Interestingly, I can unclip and stop on both sides on my mountain bike, mostly because I always am on the alert to stopping due to obstacles (I generally suck at mountain biking).