FAQ Uncomfortable Seat
There are two issues to address here the first is saddle position, and second is saddle choice. The first thing most people want to do is replace their saddle. We are instead going to start with Saddle position, the best seat for you can be overlooked if not properly set up. The information found here is broad and basic in scope, for more comprehensive assistance, come into CYCLEWERX and we will get you fixed up.
When it comes to seat comfort the most important thing to keep in mind is that we all have “sit bones” which is where we are intended to sit. When setting up the position of your bike seat it is important to keep this in mind. We will start with seat angle, all seat post configurations allow you to tilt the seat with the nose “front” of the seat up, or down. Most seats are designed to be set up flat, you can either “eyeball” this or use a level. When the seat is positioned nose down, it forces you to slide to the front of the seat and on to areas of your body that were not meant to be sat on. When it is positioned with the nose up, it can cause discomfort when leaning forward to the handlebars. The second saddle position issue leading to discomfort is saddle height. If your saddle is set to high it can cause you too reach for the pedals rocking back and forth an the seat, which can put pressure on those unwanted areas. For more information on setting saddle height click here.
Saddle choice can simply take time to figure out by trial and error. Here we will discuss information about saddles that can help you better understand your choices. The first thing to understand is that when you see all of the different saddle shapes and designs, most of the visible differences have more to do with how or what type of bike/riding position you have rather than just simply the size of your backside. In most all cases a large and wide seat with springs and extra padding is intended for an upright riding posture and a relaxed ride. For an aggressive “leaned over” posture and a vigorous ride, choose one of those skinny “uncomfortable looking” saddles. The important thing is to pick your saddle to match your riding style.
|