Re: [RBW] Re: How do I know when a saddle fits?
+1 for the Rivet Pearl. I've got one on a Soma Double Cross, and the version with the cutout is indeed an excellent fit for several positions fore and aft! On Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 3:25 PM ascpgh wrote: > Emily, I have dealt with roughly your sort of physiological dimensioning > my whole riding life and currently have three variations of coping, each > with saddles that bear varying results. Those results have inseparable > connection to how well each of the bikes they are on fits me. > > My commuter is a stock Surly Disc Trucker "box bike". I added a Brooks > B-17, pedals , Nitto RM 013 handlebar, dyno hub/ lights and a shorter a > stem. The frame size that produced the best reach to the handlebars > required a long extension of the seat post and would have required a > pretty high angle stem for those bars to be level with the seat, my comfort > zone, and would also need significant setback dimension of the seat post > head. The frame size that gives the best pedaling position requires a short > stem to keep me from reaching, sort of. I still feel like I reach for the > bars on that bike and do not ride it more than 20 miles. Even on the bigger > size I find my legs drive me to slide back on the seat, onto the cantle > (that metal thing) for many climbs before I pedal out of the saddle. Lots > of compromises but it's my 14 hour lock up bike. > > My Rivendell Rambouillet was the best stock bike fit to my body I'd ever > experienced and prevented me from going custom. Grant envisioned it as a > long hours in the saddle sporty/light touring bike in the French > audax/randonnour-inspired design for comfort over hours of riding. Shorter > top tube than seat tube, with 2° upslope and 2 cm extended top head tube > lug all conspired to provide this. It all conspires to fitting me well. It > was a stock build kit from Riv with the B-17, RM 013 bars, I added the > fenders, and changed the derailleurs, shifters and brakes. I do pedal from > the saddle quite a bit more than others in groups before getting out of it > and standing for hills. I still find myself sliding back on the seat for a > rearward position to get some pushing forward on the pedal strokes when > going uphill. That puts me on that cantle again, less than on the commuter > but with the bars in more comfortable reach. > > I finally did go custom to for the sort of riding I have available and > enjoy from my front door. I've refined what I look for in saddles, > acknowledging that I do stay on the saddle across more terrain than others, > scooting rearward for that pushing bit where others pop up, pedaling out of > their saddles. That fore and aft position range has made me a connoisseur > of saddle tops that have a platform of surface wide enough for my sit bones > but also retaining that in the longitudal dimension of my back and forth > positioning. I want that platform to be level and I don't want extra > material rubbing my legs. > > I am using a Rivet Pearl with cut out on my custom bike. The cut out lets > the centerline of the leather "hammock" between the nose and cantle without > the same amount of weight my sit bones applied to those spots that breaks > in the points where they do bear weight. Without the cut out, that leather > remains a linear high ridge from front to back where the less skeletal > portions of my rear end are perched. I thought I had picked perfectly when > I chose the Rivet Diablo but after three months' riding and several > centuries everything was breaking in nicely except for that ridge line down > the center and it was creating discomfort. They were quick to respond to my > issue and sent the the cut out version of the Pearl which has been perfect > ever since. > > Hope this is of some help to your situation. > > Andy Cheatham > Pittsburgh > > > > > > > > On Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 11:46:29 PM UTC-4 Emily Guise wrote: > >> Hey all, thanks so much for your insights! I'm local to Portland OR, and >> there is a bike fitter in town, Pedal PT, who also does physical therapy. >> I've been wondering if I should get a fit with them, and it seems like I >> should look into it more seriously. >> >> My travel/adventure/distance bike is a Bike Friday, and that's the one >> I'd get fit. I do tend to like the flatter saddles, and usually ride with >> the nose titled up. A challenge is that I have very long arms and legs but >> a shorter torso. Anyone with a similar body type have any advice? >> >> I have tried women's specific saddles- I tried a Terry Liberator for a >> while, but it was just SO hard, even though the cutout was fantastic. The >> same with the Brookses, I always felt like I was sitting on the metal edge >> or the leather was as unforgiving as wood and as uncomfortable. I'm trying >> out Riv's new plastic saddle on my Platypus right now. It's sort of >> comfortable but also feels maybe not quite wide enough. I'll have to give >> it a few more weeks. >> >> >> On Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:22:12 AM UTC-7 John
Re: [RBW] I have questions
Oh, man. Those wheels are gonna look ACE!! I'll chime in anecdotally that the difference between 42-48 isn't super noticeable as long as you get your PSI where it feels comfy for you. Have an amazing time on that 2-day ride. As for front rack security, I don't use a strap, but I also check bolt tension fairly regularly. The straps are ugly, but are great for peace of mind if you don't check your bolts always before getting out on a ride. On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 9:21:08 AM UTC-7 J wrote: > You don't say which Gravel King model you are using, but I see in your > Philly post that you have Ultradynamico Cava tires on your bike. So maybe > you run the file tread GK? Anyhow, I rode through 2 sets of 700x42 Gravel > King SK on my old Sam Hillbourne before moving up to 700x50 which just > barely fit. I thought I'd notice a big difference but it turned out not to > be true, as long as I kept the air pressure up. I only have 650b bikes now, > and don't ride Gravel King SK after discovering the Rene Herse file tread > much smoother and faster "feeling". I've switched back and forth from 42 > and 48mm RH file treads as well as 42 Gran Bois and have settled on 48mm RH > (Switchback Hill) which measures quite a bit over 48mm on my wheels. The > 42mm tires gave the perception that I was faster but the strava data did > not corroborate, and the 48mm have so much lovely float over gravel > compared to anything narrower or with tooth, I figured why bother? YMMV but > I think 48s won't be an issue. If my words sway you at all towards RH, just > keep in mind that they are not great in wet conditions with steep descents > combined with rim brakes. I learned this twice this fall, and kept RH > knobbies on until a few days ago. > > mysterious J > > On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 11:42:19 AM UTC-4 Patrick Moore wrote: > >> The 60 mm Schwalbe Big Ones that used to be on my dirt road Matthews were >> among the very fastest-rolling tires I've used, including various "racing" >> tires and 2 extralight RH models. I'd say that the right 48 mm tire will >> roll plenty fast. >> >> I've not used any Gravel Kings. >> >> Patrick "it's not my tires that make me slow" Moore >> >> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 7:10 PM Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! < >> jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> ... Can 48 mm tires do a 15-17 mph road ride pace? I have 42 on all my >>> other bikes. Would 48s be slow? The ride is a 2 day event, 100 miles total. >>> I’d like to keep the tires if I could, because they’re new and they are fat >>> enough to also double as gravel tires, should I decide to do a gravel ride >>> again. But I do more road rides than anything else, and if those 48s will >>> cripple me, I’ll go back to 42s. What’s the consensus? >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/826f877f-bad8-442d-9178-6e61ae6e5072n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: How do I know when a saddle fits?
Pain is an obvious sign that something is wrong. And I think that's one reason why it's easy to tell when a saddle ISN'T a fit. But what feels right can be so subjective. Obviously Riv and Grant are big proponents of Brooks. I've had several Brooks saddles, and not every one feels the same. I've had B17s that were stiff as a board despite many years and miles of riding, and then more recently the B68 that I got with my Appaloosa that felt broken in from the first ride. With saddles, like anything else on a bike, YMMV. Despite the variety of experiences I've had with Brooks saddles, I've felt they were all comfortable in their own way. The key for me has been finding the positioning that works for a particular saddle on a particular bike. Moving it little by little to find the sweet spot. If I feel myself sliding up the nose as I pedal, I consider tilting the nose upward a little. If my knees feel out of plumb with my cranks, I shift it forward or aft a hair to find a position that works better. It's kind of like dialing in tire pressure. Just keep fiddling with it until you find what works for you and the kind of riding you do. Any kind of pain, especially lingering pain (like ongoing numbness post-ride or a persistent nerve twinge, for example) is an indication that the saddle or its positioning isn't working for you. Normal pain that's derived from effort, howeve, is to be expected with any saddle. Riding a bike is never a pain-free activity in that sense. Using your muscles, putting pressure on your wrists, feet, and sit bones is going to cause some discomfort. One thing that helped me a ton is realizing that no bike rider (pro, enthusiast, or regular fella like me) is ever riding for any significant distance without changing up their posture. Moving around on the bike is normal. Shifting weight, pedaling while standing, moving hand positions--all these things can affect how a saddle feels for me. Especially, like you say, when the distance is over 20 miles or more. Butt toughness also tends to build up for me over the season. I'm always a little sore after not riding for a while. If I've been riding a lot lately, I can do more miles without a sore tush. Don't know if any of that helps at all, but hopefully it gives you something to think about. I'm curious about others' experiences. On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 1:28:42 PM UTC-7 George Schick wrote: > Oh boy. There are so many variables that go into good saddle fit and > comfort that I'm not sure where to begin. One has to do with the type of > shorts (or other garbs) which you wear to ride. Many on this blog have > talked about the thinner the padding in their shorts the more comfy the > ride. Then again, there is the matter of riding position. If you are > riding in a more upright position on a bike with bars that reach way back > you will likely put more pressure and possibly friction on your groin area > causing discomfort. There are those who seem to like riding that way - > kinda like a rolling leg press machine, putting lots and lots of pressure > on the pedals with every stroke in a very high gear, maybe that's how they > get by with it - but that's not normative with everyone. And, of course, > there's always the usually undiscussed issue of just how sensitive those > lower bones (ischial tuberosity tissues}, and other skin and muscle > tissues play a part. > > On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 3:00:24 PM UTC-5 Emily Guise wrote: > >> Hello folks, I come to the group with a dilemma. I've never had a saddle >> that I could ride for longer than 20 miles comfortably. I've always ended >> up with sore sit bones, numb soft tissue, or both. This has really limited >> my ability to go on longer trips and after my five day ride on the C&O >> canal trail last Sept, it was more apparent than ever I need to find a >> saddle that won't hurt. >> >> I've tried dozens of saddles over the last 15 years- leather, plastic, >> cutouts, no cutouts, wide, medium, softer, harder, you name it. :( Most of >> the saddles that have stayed on my bikes for longer than a month have a >> central cut out, are on the wider side, and plastic. They're good for >> around town, but that's it. I've never had my sit bones measured. >> >> It occurred to me recently that because I've never had a truly >> comfortable long-distance saddle, I have no idea how one feels. So I >> figured I'd ask the group. How did The One saddle feel for you? Did it >> "disappear"? Was it love at first sit? Did it need to be adjusted a lot >> before finding the ideal position? Is there a certain amount of miles you >> ride before it becomes uncomfortable? >> >> I'd love to hear the group's collective wisdom so I know what to look for >> in the next saddle I try out. Thanks! >> >> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop recei
[RBW] Re: anyone else tried Ritchey Beacon Bars?
Dave!! They look amazing on that Jones. I have an SWB that I've wanted to put drop bars on... these might be a candidate. Where do you mount your shifter? On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 12:39:14 PM UTC-7 DavidP wrote: > Great that the Roadini is working out so well for your son (and wife)! > > I have the wider XL version (52cm at the hoods, 67cm at the ends) on my > drop bar Jones 29er, which is setup with the drops as the primary position > (my bars are set just a bit lower than your son's). Despite the amount of > flare I find they are comfortable on the hoods also. > > My more roadish gravel bike has a 46cm Salsa Cowchipper. > > -Dave > > On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 3:08:16 PM UTC-4 pi...@gmail.com wrote: > >> I built up my son's Roadini with Ritchey Beacon Comp bars ( >> https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/Hdny6ViFROaPcQIM_FkEbg.aW9haXdpnlfOy4Dg9_oNzx), >> >> and I've had a few people test ride it. What impressed me about the bar was >> that despite purposefully not mentioning anything about the handlebars, >> everyone who's used the bike defaults to using the drops automatically. >> It's a great position, hybrid between regular drops and straight bars, and >> just to show how nice a bike the Roadini is, my wife used it on her commute >> a few days and now wants her own Roadini! >> >> Like all Grant Petersen bikes, it's the kind of bike where the more you >> ride it the more you like it. I've noticed that about his designs since the >> Bridgestone RB-1. I still feel that the bike could use a lower BB >> (especially when shod with 38mm tires), but riding with 28mm tires makes >> the bike feel so agile. >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9d7dc10f-5994-4201-86e4-eaa3c788cd48n%40googlegroups.com.
[RBW] Re: Roadini on F1 Track ride report
That sounds like a total blast! I think it speaks well of an event when you can see riders of all styles, abilities, and ages coming together to have a good time. Love that Roadini. The Safety Pizza and snazzy bar tape complement it so well. On Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 1:37:05 PM UTC-7 Mike Packard wrote: > Howdy, > > We have a Formula 1 track in Austin called Circuit of the Americas and on > many Tuesdays they have a bike night. Last night was the first one of the > season. > > The track is about a 3.36 mile loop with 1 very steep (11%) uphill (and > corresponding steep downhill). The pavement is so smooth and free of > debris, in certain places it makes a satisfying sticky-grippy sound as the > tires roll. There is a bypass for the big hill if one does not want to do > it every lap. > > Aside from the novelty of riding on an F1 race track, the really special > thing about it is it's just nice to ride somewhere without having a single > thought about cars or having to stop for any reason. There's so much space. > Everyone can ride at the pace they want. There are some really fun slight > descent sections that are a blast to pedal hard and get going really fast > under my own power (i.e. not just hill induced). Or just toodle around with > your legs outstretched singing out loud. > > I brought my 57 Roadini and had a lovely time. This time was neat because > my friend brought his 8-year-old twins who'd never been before. I was > impressed they did the big downhill (I wouldn't have been brave enough at > that age.) > > Definitely worth checking out if you're within striking range of Austin, > especially before it gets too hot. > > Mike > > https://circuitoftheamericas.com/bike-night/ > > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/acc41f5f-a05f-4a67-8e07-8bf1e4ec91a8n%40googlegroups.com.
