Offset or non-offset seatposts

[Saab2000]

There needs to be a thread on stem length soon. That one will be even better than this one. Then maybe a tubular vs. clincher and a steel vs everything else winner take all smackdown. Cage match.

This is my Selle Italia Turbumatic 4 on a Record seatpost on my Look 585. steel rails. It's badass.

[DOOFUS]

So how is saddle set back determined? Sounds like it's pretty much "wherever. feels good here."

where the power is best and the back is flat and the weight is on the sit bones

there is no formula

[spicoli]

@ Saab; as a fellow Turbomatic user I agree they are a badass saddle but maybe a bad example for this silly thread. They have super short rails and they are set way back on the saddle so they are almost unridable unless you slam them back. Which brings up a great point for those who hate the look of a zero post but anatomy say's they need it, try a Turbomatic since the useable tail portion is very short and will move you forward. Setback or zero; saddle plays into it more than you would think.

Cannot believe I got sucked into this one too!

[spicoli]

Jackpot! I am getting very afraid with how much I've been agreeing with Doof lately!!! ;-) Cheers dude

where the power is best and the back is flat and the weight is on the sit bones

there is no formula

[Shinomaster]

There needs to be a thread on stem length soon. That one will be even better than this one. Then maybe a tubular vs. clincher and a steel vs everything else winner take all smackdown. Cage match.

This is my Selle Italia Turbumatic 4 on a Record seatpost on my Look 585. steel rails. It's badass.

What about midgets using really long crank arms?

[jerk]

Cannot believe I got sucked into this one too!

what would you rather talk about on a bicycle forum? using rabbit ear antenna? citibank a good investment? compression socks? john lennon?

[DOOFUS]

I am now going to officially ghey this ghey thread to its gheyest

my saddle is slammed back on the rails of a 25mm setback post because that's how my bike looks cool, even if I look like a fat monkey humping a coconut once I sit on my bike, but if I moved my seat forward I would be a hunchbacked monkey humping a lumpy coconut, so I put my saddle back.

[jamesand]

what would you rather talk about on a bicycle forum? using rabbit ear antenna? citibank a good investment? compression socks? john lennon?

Chain lube, brah.

[corsa,inc]

Please note pros can ride anything because they're skinny and super fit. They also ride frames that are too small and to make it work they put donkey dick length stems on them and slam the saddle back. Watch the end of a european race with 1km to go, they all sit on the nose of the saddle like they're on a TT bike. The 6 hours leading up to that point it is far more comfortable to ride with a ton a set back with a really smooth pedal stroke.

[Human Epic Jolt]

zero offset.

[jerk]

Please note pros can ride anything because they're skinny and super fit. They also ride frames that are too small and to make it work they put donkey dick length stems on them and slam the saddle back. Watch the end of a european race with 1km to go, they all sit on the nose of the saddle like they're on a TT bike. The 6 hours leading up to that point it is far more comfortable to ride with a ton a set back with a really smooth pedal stroke.

huh? they ride what they ride because those bikes are the most efficient, comfortable and fastest equipment with which to do what they do. the bikes are not too small. what makes you think that riders, trainers, doctors, directors, framebuilders and an entire multi-million dollar industry whose sole purpose is to insure that the pro cyclist is as comfortable and efficient as possible would be on equipment that doesn't fit?

[caleb]

I remember specifically David Millar saying that he didn't know any reason for his bars being slammed other than he thought that was the way a bike should look and so he slammed them on any bike he got.

The function versus style distinction being presumed in lots of posts is a false dichotomy. A "look" doesn't develop at the highest levels of a sport if it's not functional. If everyone has the same goal of going fast in an efficient manner for a 1-5 hour race, there's a good reason the bikes and riders tend to have some similarities. And it's not because they all got together to talk about how to look cool, it's because they all converged on a point that worked best while they were trying to figure out how to beat one another.

So someone like David Millar can say...
all fast guys' bikes look like x
I want to be as fast as possible
my bike should look like x,

and he'll end up with a pretty darn good fit.

A parallel anecdote...

A few years ago a former D1 nordic ski coach was helping me work on my technique, trying to get me to do some things more like the Norwegians. It was hard, it hurt, and I didn't want to do it.

Coach: If you want to be as fast as possible, you must mirror what the Norwegians do.

Me: But it doesn't feel like it's working. I'm tired and feel really inefficient.

Coach: That's because you're still a pussy. If you stick with it you'll get faster.

Me: Jeez, I'm not sure it's worth it.

Coach: Well, there's only one way to ski really fast. If you want to ski fast then you'll do what I say. If you want to keep skiing slow then I can't coach you. There's no right or wrong way to ski slow. People do it all sorts of different ways. But people who ski fast do some things the same.

I still work on what coach told me, mainly the part about being a pussy.

[Christian Fox]

A parallel anecdote...

A few years ago a former D1 nordic ski coach was helping be work on my technique, trying to get me to do some things more like the Norwegians. It was hard, it hurt, and I didn't want to do it.

Coach: If you want to be as fast as possible, you must mirror what the Norwegians do.
Me: But it doesn't feel like it's working. I'm tired and feel really inefficient.
Coach: That's because you're still a pussy. If you stick with it you'll get faster.
Me: Jeez, I'm not sure it's worth it.
Coach: Well, there's only one way to ski really fast. If you want to ski fast then you'll do what I say. If you want to keep skiing slow then I can't coach you. There's no right or wrong way to ski slow. People do it all sorts of different ways. But everyone who skis fast does some things the same.

I still work on what coach told me, mainly the part about being a pussy.

this is a great anecdote. the best way to acquire good technique is to carefully study and shamelessly imitate (via lots of practice) someone who is really, really good at something. if someone were to ask me how they should 'fit' on a bike, I say look at michele bartoli and do that. or at least start there and work backwards until you get as close as you can.

[CalD]

Being fairly new to this forum, I'm just reading and seeing if people actually know what they're talking about. It seems that some do, some dont', but I'm happy to say that so far I think the balance is in favor of those who actually do know something about something. Sometimes it's not about bikes, but I guess that's what the OT thread is for. So far I've read some posts that are informative, accurate and well written. And every now and then I read one that is all those things plus makes me laugh out loud. I signed on today quite surprised to see that this thread is still going strong. I agree completely with calebs view on this topic, especially the part about being a pussy. Now I don't really do much cross country skiing, but if I do, I'm gonna try my damndest to do it like a Norwegian!

[mainemike]

what would you rather talk about on a bicycle forum? using rabbit ear antenna? citibank a good investment? compression socks? john lennon?

women sailing surfing skiing beer women pot. wtf?

[SteveP]

im trying to stay away...
when hacks like us try to look like michele bartoli on the bike...
it just doesnt happen that way..
he was one of the sweetest positioned riders in the last 20 years.
he was 30 yrs old and a freak of nature.
forget bartoli. its ludicrous for his name to come up in a conversation like this.
we are playing soft pitch mixed gender softball here.
we are not batting against mariano rivera with 2 outs in game 7.

look at the bright side.
1/2 of us morons look better than johan museeuw on the bike and practically everyone here looks better than sean kelly on the bike.

also note.
it would be interesting to see bartoli or bettini riding and their position now since they have retired... assuming they still ride.
that would be far more appropriate to the conversation.

note. i am positive a 55 yr old moser still looks as good as he did when he was 29. dont include him in this.

[davids]

Being fairly new to this forum, I'm just reading and seeing if people actually know what they're talking about. It seems that some do, some dont', but I'm happy to say that so far I think the balance is in favor of those who actually do know something about something. Sometimes it's not about bikes, but I guess that's what the OT thread is for. So far I've read some posts that are informative, accurate and well written. And every now and then I read one that is all those things plus makes me laugh out loud. I signed on today quite surprised to see that this thread is still going strong. I agree completely with calebs view on this topic, especially the part about being a pussy. Now I don't really do much cross country skiing, but if I do, I'm gonna try my damndest to do it like a Norwegian!

Welcome to the Salon.

[Archibald]

huh? they ride what they ride because those bikes are the most efficient, comfortable and fastest equipment with which to do what they do. the bikes are not too small. what makes you think that riders, trainers, doctors, directors, framebuilders and an entire multi-million dollar industry whose sole purpose is to insure that the pro cyclist is as comfortable and efficient as possible would be on equipment that doesn't fit?

Yeah, I don't get that either. Why do they do that? Is that why drugs are so prevalent? To make up for the poor fit?

[Saab2000]

@ Saab; as a fellow Turbomatic user I agree they are a badass saddle but maybe a bad example for this silly thread. They have super short rails and they are set way back on the saddle so they are almost unridable unless you slam them back. Which brings up a great point for those who hate the look of a zero post but anatomy say's they need it, try a Turbomatic since the useable tail portion is very short and will move you forward. Setback or zero; saddle plays into it more than you would think.

Cannot believe I got sucked into this one too!

I have used the Turbomatics for so long I can hardly remember using anything else. I Flites before that and I have tried but cannot really use them anymore. The Turbomatics are better. But they do indeed have really short rails. And you are right that I cannot get into the proper position unless they are totally slammed back.

Someday I'll have to try a modern saddle, like something from within the past 15 years or so, like a Fizik Aliante, and see what the fuss is all about.

[Curt Goodrich]

Center your inner Buddha.

IMG_3174.jpg