Had a bike fit ,how long needed to confirm fit?

[mattr]

A saddle with cutout is also recommended

It is? Weird. I've not used one in 35 years and had no issues.

[TobinHatesYou]

A saddle with cutout is also recommended

It is? Weird. I've not used one in 35 years and had no issues.

Have you never tried one at all? They seem to benefit most people.

[nycebo]

Having modestly lowered my saddle recently and enjoyed a rejuvenation of comfort and power, I wholehearted suggest that the OP stick with it for a bit. Candidly, I've also moved the cleats farther rearward on my shoes. It's astonishing how much more comfortable everything is (feet, knees, hips, bum, li'l buddy, etc). YMMV.

Here's an article from Colnago on the subject of lowered saddles: https://www.colnago.com/en/news-en/the- ... -position/
"Mounting the saddle too high is instead a very common mistake among enthusiasts, conditioned by the fact that in this way you have the impression of expressing more strength on the pedals. What is needed instead is more awareness of the fact that excessive height triggers a series of problems that lead not only to bad pedalling, but also to real physical discomfort: pressure on the soft parts, irritation, pain and grazing.

In conclusion, we can say from experience that when a cyclist is not satisfied with his/her position on the bike, very often all he/she need do is lower and setback the saddle a little in order to discover a new and much more pleasant way of cycling."

And here's another from Leonard Zinn on the subject of cleat position: https://www.velonews.com/2019/01/bikes- ... ing_482703
"I personally think that anyone with big feet ought to have their cleats further back than road cleats other than Speedplay allow.

I have three reasons for believing this:

1. Firstly, the calf muscles have to control the lever that is your foot from its hinge at the ankle to its attachment at the pedal. If you reduce the length of that lever, you reduce the energy wasted on your calf just keeping your foot stable.

2. Secondly, the bigger (heavier and stronger) the person, the harder they will push through the small interface between the pedal and the cleat. This larger force goes through the same tiny area of interface as a lightweight rider, but it puts way more stress on the metatarsals of the bigger, stronger, heavier person’s feet, leading to more “hot foot” pain if the cleat is located at the ball of the foot, and, in some cases, results in neuritis or neuroma between the joints of some of the metatarsals.

3. Thirdly, since you essentially shorten your leg length from the hip to the cleat by moving the cleat further back on the shoe, you can run a lower seat height with a more aft cleat. This results in lower aerodynamic drag and improved cornering due to a lower center of gravity, not to mention the possibility of a smaller frame size if you are in between sizes."

[mattr]

A saddle with cutout is also recommended

It is? Weird. I've not used one in 35 years and had no issues.

Have you never tried one at all? They seem to benefit most people.

*tried.....*
Yes. Uncomfortable compared to my original saddle. Even tried one with a channel. No real difference there. Not worth the €20 extra.

[zefs]

Judging by how many people don't have their position set correctly I would say only saddles with cutouts should exist, meaning it will atleast aleviate a lot of the pressure caused by a too high saddle (just an example).

[nycebo]

Judging by how many people don't have their position set correctly I would say only saddles with cutouts should exist, meaning it will atleast aleviate a lot of the pressure caused by a too high saddle (just an example).

You put into words what I've been thinking for ages.

I think most people with numbness probably don't have the standard saddle set correctly (as you said, likely way too high). The saddle manufacturers are simply serving a market that ostensibly shouldn't exist. But takes all kinds....

[Karvalo]

If your saddle was 20mm to high the bike should have been unrideable which suggests that it may have been 10mm to high and is now 10mm too low. There are some funny trends in bike fitting. On fact there too much trend.

Yes, especially since the comment that it was because of a tight hamstring implies the fitter would have positioned the saddle higher for a person with normal hamstrings, in which case the current position is going to be a compromise.

Absent any underlying medical issues the message to the OP should be to work on flexibility until they can out the saddle back where it's supposed to be.

[dim]

i have only had a couple of easy 20 mile rides since the fit but it seems i am using my quads more than before .

1. does that make sense?

2. Is that a good thing?

I have a new bike and am still adjusting the fit

I've just raised my saddle by 15mm .... I found that if the saddle is too low, my legs never have a chance to relax the muscles when I pedal (they are always in 'tension' .... do a 100 mile ride, and you will struggle to walk the next day

I don't know if that makes sense, but thats the best way that I can describe it.... when the saddle is in the correct position, on the downstroke, your leg relaxes for a split second

I still need a longer stem and narrower handlebars, but one step at a time .... I have the new Dura Ace 9100 pedals (blue cleats), and it's taken me 2 days to adjust them (I hope that they are set correctly now, but I will only know on the weekend when I go for a long ride

I have also swapped my Fizik Airone wing flex saddle for my favourite heavier Brooks Cambium C17 carved saddle .... a huge difference especially over bumpy roads

I'd love to have a proper fit such as a Retul or similar, but it costs approx £200.

[KotP]

Ended up lowering my seatpost approx 20mm and bringing in my reach 30mm.

Why not ease into it, making 5mm adjustments every few weeks?

[TobinHatesYou]

You put into words what I've been thinking for ages.

I think most people with numbness probably don't have the standard saddle set correctly (as you said, likely way too high). The saddle manufacturers are simply serving a market that ostensibly shouldn't exist. But takes all kinds....

I disagree? Look at your anatomy. Your sitbones / ischial tuberosities and pubic rami are what you sit on. There is a lot of compressible soft tissue forward of those bony structures including your external genitalia. The nose of a saddle is largely useless as a support structure. I only really use mine when certain muscle groups are sore and I get "on the rivet" to activate other muscles. Also when I am on the rivet, my weight shifts to my feet rather than my pelvis. Other than that, I really only use the nose of a saddle as a brace for my inner thighs when cornering/descending.

This is why ISMs, Dashes, Cobbs, Powers/Stealths/copycats exist.

So why put a shell + padding where no contact with your anatomy should even be made. It makes no sense and that's why cutout saddles are now the norm...and non-cutout saddles will continue to dwindle in popularity to the point where they really will barely exist at all.

[ukracer]

Thanks gents some good replies.

I intend to stick with it for a few more weeks , and hopefully like mentioned above work on my tight hamstring with the intention to slow move the saddle back up slightly

[BiaNeutron]

Just querious, you mention that you had been riding for a while, then decided to have a bike fit. What was your reason for having the bike fit done?

[ukracer]

Christmas present freebie!
(Glad i did tho cos looking at the footage i think i needed it , it looked terrible)

[nycebo]

So why put a shell + padding where no contact with your anatomy should even be made. It makes no sense and that's why cutout saddles are now the norm...and non-cutout saddles will continue to dwindle in popularity to the point where they really will barely exist at all.

You make some good points. However, think about sitting on a sofa or a hard chair? Do your soft bits go numb? The problem is that riders (non-pros) who aren't remotely as flexible as they think they are make the mistake of pivoting forward (rock) along the softbits to get "aero". In so doing, they are definitively not sitting on the bike correctly. More flexible riders pivot from the hip to do so, thereby not exposing their softbits to the "press".

Here's a fun test. Imagine taking a 2x4 stud suspended in the air and straddling it with your feet dangling. Your soft bits are definitely going to feel the pressure. No amount of channel OR padding is going to help. But then, lower that 2x4 to only 1 foot off the ground and then squat down to sit on it. Because you are now squatted with your knees well elevated, your rearward ischial tuberosity is going to take the pressure....but your softbits will be fine, channel or not, because of the way in which you'd be angled above the board.

Anyway, one should always do what works best for oneself. I'd never encourage you to change if you're comfortable. The OP, otoh, came here seeking advice. Between too high a saddle, too slammed a stem, and too far a reach (long stem, etc), they all contribute to numb soft bits or lower back pain. But then again, everyone wants to look PRO, right?!

[TobinHatesYou]

...

A chair or sofa isn’t comparable to a saddle. Your weight is being supported by the entire buttocks in those cases.

Also your analysis of how riders get aero is pretty off. Riders (like me) with good flexibility who rotate their pelvis forward are even more prone to perineal pressures. Our soft tissues end up rotating downward and our gravity shifts forward more dramatically. It’s the riders who bend/arch their backs, keeping their pelvis more upright who don’t need as much saddle tilt. I have my SMP pointing around 4deg downward.