Saddle Angle?

[cosmicbike]

Whilst it applies to a specific saddle, is there a general rule on how to set up a saddle? Just fitted a Selle SMP to my commuter as a trial. Initially set up with the high points level, but a test sit felt wrong, so angled the nose down a little. 6 miles to the High Street and back, it feels like the pressure is too far forwards if that make sense? Sitting more upright on the bike, with just fingertips on the bars, and it's a whole lot more comfy. Just not sure which way to adjust it to make it that comfortable in my normal position?

 

[Spiderweb]

From your description and the photo I would slide the saddle forward on its rails and see how that goes.

 

[User6179]

Whilst it applies to a specific saddle, is there a general rule on how to set up a saddle? Just fitted a Selle SMP to my commuter as a trial. Initially set up with the high points level, but a test sit felt wrong, so angled the nose down a little. 6 miles to the High Street and back, it feels like the pressure is too far forwards if that make sense? Sitting more upright on the bike, with just fingertips on the bars, and it's a whole lot more comfy. Just not sure which way to adjust it to make it that comfortable in my normal position?
View attachment 341409

I could not get the angle right on my SMP , if you put it on level you tend to slide forward into the dip in the middle , if you tip it up at the front it did not feel comfortable, wasn't the saddle for me .

 

[Sea of vapours]

I have an SMP Composit saddle. Tilted forwards is likely to be good, depending on what position you are in on the bike (how low, basically) and on how much you can tilt your pelvis when leaning forward. i.e, if you lean forward to the bars by bending your lower spine, rather than tilting your pelvis forwards, the appropriate saddle tilt will be different (not that bending your lower spine is remotely a good idea, but allegedly many people do, or have to). Fore and aft adjustment will also have a major effect so get that right before sorting out the saddle tilt. It does look relatively far back in the photo, but that's going to depend on body proportions so I can't comment on whether it's 'right' on not. The best thing to do for setting up an SMP saddle is read Steve Hogg's excellent article.

EDIT: Just to add that I spent several weeks, when I first got mine, tweaking the angle. Once it's right it's extremely comfortable to the point of 'disappearing' on rides of 100-200km. The angle is critical though: half a degree variation is detectable, but not problematic, whilst a whole degree does become considerably less comfortable. The point there is to record the angle, test it, then narrow it down to +/- half a degree if you can. It's a bit of a fiddle, but worth it once you get it right.

 

[cosmicbike]

I hadn't spotted that @Spiderweb until I looked at the photo again, no idea why I set it so far back.

@Eddy I'm giving it a go as I need to replace the saddle on my Roubaix which became downright painful on yesterdays 100km ride. The commuter covers more miles so being used as a test bed.

Thanks for the link @Sea of vapours , just reset the saddle following the information on the site, will see how it pans out tomorrow on the way to work. I have an extended commute in mind, with a 5mm allen key!

 

[Dave 123]

View: https://youtu.be/7LTaChZjM8w


Don't mention it.....

 

[EasyPeez]

I'm not sure how you can bring yourself to sit on that.

I'd constantly feel like I was sitting on his face -

 

[Ian H]

I wonder whether the saddle is designed mainly for a more upright riding position.

 

[Sea of vapours]

I wonder whether the saddle is designed mainly for a more upright riding position.

Both from SMP marketing and personal experience, no, it isn't. Mine would have to be tilted back a bit to be comfortable more upright. It's rather the opposite in that it makes a quite tilted position very comfortable as the end to end curve fits well like that and the huge cap in the middle facilitates being relatively 'flat'.

They may not look comfortable but once positioned correctly they're excellent (at least for me, but also for the handful of other people I know who've spent time tweaking to get them just right). They are sensitive to being positioned optimally for the rider though.

 

[GuyBoden]

read Steve Hogg's excellent article.

Excellent stuff, thanks.....

Copyright Steve Hogg
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/09/all-about-smps/
"As you can see, the ischiopubic ramus narrows from rear to front. What that means is that maximum width of the pelvis is less important when it comes to determining seat width than which part of the ischiopubic ramus is bearing the majority of weight and what width the pelvis is at that point. And that will depend on the how far the pelvis is leaning forward. As the pelvis leans forward , weight is being borne less on the inferior ischial ramus and more on the inferior pubic ramus, where the separation width of the left and right ramen (plural of ramus) is narrower. Which means in turn that if you have a wide pelvis but are flexible enough to be able to roll your pelvis forward well and extend your back well, you may be able to comfortably use a narrower seat than would be expected. Conversely, a rider with a narrower pelvis who is inflexible and sits with a more upright position may need a wider seat than would be obvious at first glance. Naturally, there are any number of permutations of morphology, function and seat choice in between those extremes."

 

[velovoice]

+1 Steve Hogg's advice. The Selle SMPs are unlike any other saddle and "customary wisdom" won't apply.

 

[gavgav]

Whilst it applies to a specific saddle, is there a general rule on how to set up a saddle? Just fitted a Selle SMP to my commuter as a trial. Initially set up with the high points level, but a test sit felt wrong, so angled the nose down a little. 6 miles to the High Street and back, it feels like the pressure is too far forwards if that make sense? Sitting more upright on the bike, with just fingertips on the bars, and it's a whole lot more comfy. Just not sure which way to adjust it to make it that comfortable in my normal position?
View attachment 341409

I will be interested to see how you get on with the Selle SMP. I fitted one to my Cube last year and whilst it was pretty comfortable to sit on, no matter what position I put it in, it killed my knee on all 5 or so rides I used it on. My knee has never quite been the same since!

 

[3narf]

I don't understand why they tip down so steeply at the nose. What possible use can the forward 2" - 3" have?

 

[Sea of vapours]

I don't understand why they tip down so steeply at the nose. What possible use can the forward 2" - 3" have?

Lateral stability, just like any saddle really. If you start removing all the bits you don't directly sit on then saddles would all be really short and you'd readily move sideways on them.

 

[User6179]

I don't understand why they tip down so steeply at the nose. What possible use can the forward 2" - 3" have?

You never caught the arse of your shorts on the saddle when sitting back down ?