Bicycle Seats

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

hacksaw, post lowered

You've visited the Butchered Classics Facebook page then. (don't look at it if you're a rivet counter, easily offended, think old motorcycles should be restored or have any taste)

[weeksy]

hacksaw, post lowered

You've visited the Butchered Classics Facebook page then.

shortening a seatpost is far from uncommon. The wifes has 3-4cm removed as it was too tall for her.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

shortening a seatpost is far from uncommon. The wifes has 3-4cm removed as it was too tall for her.

I think mine would be as little as 1cm, but I know there's a shorter alloy seat post in the garage, I saw it when I was looking for a puncture repair kit.

[weeksy]

shortening a seatpost is far from uncommon. The wifes has 3-4cm removed as it was too tall for her.

I think mine would be as little as 1cm, but I know there's a shorter alloy seat post in the garage, I saw it when I was looking for a puncture repair kit.

Not all posts are the same diameter

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Not all posts are the same diameter

I didn't know that, I have got a hacksaw though.

[weeksy]

Not all posts are the same diameter

I didn't know that, I have got a hacksaw though.

Its usually written on the post.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I think it's a 31.8, but I've also got a set of Vernier calipers

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Looked at my shorter seat post, it's way too short and fits nicely inside the seat post of my bike, so I shortened my seat post by 15mm, not sure why I only cut this much off because there's a bout 200mm of post going into the frame.

I'm tempted to try and make a homemade dropper post with the other seat post that I've got, not because I want a dropper seat post but as an engineering exercise - jeez, I'm such a middle aged man.

[weeksy]

Looked at my shorter seat post, it's way too short and fits nicely inside the seat post of my bike, so I shortened my seat post by 15mm, not sure why I only cut this much off because there's a bout 200mm of post going into the frame.

I'm tempted to try and make a homemade dropper post with the other seat post that I've got, not because I want a dropper seat post but as an engineering exercise - jeez, I'm such a middle aged man.

That'll take you a gazillion hours or labour for a crap post that won't work. Buy one for £100 instead.

[millemille]

Is it possible you've got your saddle set too high, or even too low?

Yes, it could be a little too high, doubt if it's too low as I'm not exactly over endowed with height.
Going to try adjusting the seat tonight, going to drop the front of the seat a bit, as equally it may be the angle of the seat, I know from any testing you should only try one thing at a time

If this is teaching you to suck eggs, forgive me, but the following has always worked for me for setting seat height.

Sit on the saddle and rotate the cranks so that the lower pedal is in line with the seat tube, put your heel on the low pedal. Your leg should be dead straight BUT your hip should not be dropped.

Then with the ball of your foot on the pedal your leg should be slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke BUT it is critical that your hips are not rocking as you pedal. Your pelvis should remain level, if your saddle is too high the pelvis rocks and it pulls your legs together which can chafe the inside of your thighs.

Matron...

[Slenver]

I've always found the seat/shorts thing slightly ludicrous. It's considered normal that the seat should be so uncomfortable that shorts require padding. Why not, y'know, just put the padding on the saddle? Wouldn't that save a lot of money and effort? I've only got one saddle but several shorts.

I'm pretty sure that if BMW, for example, started selling cars with bare metal steering wheels that required special gloves to operate then it wouldn't go down very well.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Today's update, went out this morning with the seat lowered 15mm, this made my legs ache very quickly and felt wrong, so changed it to 10mm lower than it was when I got the bike (so up 5mm) ride for an hour and felt much better, but I could feel the seat digging into my thighs as I pedalled, so when I got home I put the seat back by 10mm, bought some Endura shorts and gloves from my local Evans, the shorts were reduced from £85 to £50, they're loose and don't have any padding.

Just got back from a 2 hour ride, and whilst everything isn't peachy in the buttock area it is a lot better and I can certainly ride at least two hours now without any buttock problems.

Sadly the same can't be said about my tube, as I think I've got another puncture. Is two punctures in 85 miles normal?

[Buckaroo]

There's a good reason why saddles are designed the way they are.

Interstitial sit bones.

The harder, narrow saddles are way more comfortable than you would expect.

Conversely, padded wide saddles are not.

You must support your interstitial bones.

I cycle at least one ride of 65 to 75 miles distance each week, sometimes longer.

When I first started to cycle I had a padded seat. After a few longish rides it had to go.

I have used 140mm wide road bike saddles (prologo) ever since.

After a good many years and miles I have read and applied the correct techniques to get all my bikes perfect for me and the miles I do. Rarely do I ache or suffer discomfort.

I'd suggest you do the following.

Avoid overly padded seats, including the very wide ones. Get a good pair of bib shorts or shorts with a good amount of padding. Don't wear pants, go commando. Underwear will give you sores on long rides or particularly hilly routes. Butt cream is the cyclists best friend.

Google KOPS bike set up to get your knees in the ideal spot when pedalling. To set up seat height, sit on the bike and place your heals on the pedal and pedal backwards. Your hips should not rock. Get the seat height right and you're all set. This is the Italian method and it's pretty effective and saves taking all sorts of measurement.

Hope this helps.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

6 miles yesterday, no pain.

I'm not going commando, I'm 53 with old man's testicles, they could drop out anywhere.

[weeksy]

6 miles yesterday, no pain.

I'm not going commando, I'm 53 with old man's testicles, they could drop out anywhere.

You wear underpants beneath your cycle shorts ?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

You wear underpants beneath your cycle shorts ?

I'm not wearing tight lycra cycling shorts, I couldn't find any without padding and I find the padding very uncomfortable.
I'm wearing MTB baggy shorts these I think https://www.evanscycles.com/endura-mt50 ... t-EV374432

[weeksy]

You wear underpants beneath your cycle shorts ?

I'm not wearing tight lycra cycling shorts, I couldn't find any without padding and I find the padding very uncomfortable.
I'm wearing MTB baggy shorts these I think https://www.evanscycles.com/endura-mt50 ... t-EV374432

I think your view of padded shorts may have been clouded by some cheap and cheerful ones in the past ? They really are a thing of comfort and will make a massive difference.

I'm not talking a pair of £8 ones from Sports Direct...but decent ones. The ones that come with the Troy Lee Design ones are superb. But even then i doubt they're anywhere near as good as top of the range ones either.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I don't feel that I need them so why bother with something that I find uncomfortable, I'm fine now in a pair of tighty whiteys and some decent baggy sorts.