# Your saddle's not level...there's a problem with that



## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...fer-new-surprise-at-the-uci-bike-check_181449

The whole "I'm not talented/gifted/much able by other means" thing aside, this rule would crush my hopes and dreams. rrr:


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

The UCI seems to go out of their way to demonstrate to everyone just how incompetent an organization they are.

Even aside from the rule itself (who gives a **** if the rider finds it more comfortable for his testicles on a 5 hour ride to have the nose tipped down slightly), the sudden enforcement of this rule on cycling's biggest stage with no prior communications to the teams is just terrible management.


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## SolidSnake03 (Jun 22, 2011)

Why is this even a rule in the first place? I don't really understand how the tilt of a saddle matters AT ALL from a rules/regulations perspective


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

But did they inspect for electric motors ?


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## bruce_wayne (Apr 30, 2010)

I'm wondering if this is something I seem to be noticing in a lot of different sports lately. It's almost as if officials (umpires, referees, etc.) get caught up in the excitement of the moment and can't resist "adding to the drama" by making questionable calls/judgments at critical points in the competition. (Maybe one example: the umpire last year in baseball who ended the pitcher's perfect game by calling the last batter in the 9th "safe" at first base when he was out by a healthy margin).

The UCI's action isn't the same as a referee calling "pass interference" in the endzone in the 4th Qtr., but they had to figure it would cause a lot of controversy and publicity. If it was really impt. that saddles be level, why not tell the teams in advance? Maybe there's a power struggle between the UCI and teams?

I dunno...


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

Perfect situation for all 22 teams to tell the UCI where to go.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

It really is getting to be time for the teams and ASO to tell UCI to shove it.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Thats a rule?! 

I agree with Riis - this is utter BS. How is testicular comfort an aerodynamic advantage? Is this a throwback/ back in my day rule where the riders just need to tough it out?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Hi-larious!!!


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

I think any pro rider whose balls hang 4" or more from his crotch should be exempt from this rule. Then we'd need UCI personnel to measure all riders gonads.


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## krott5333 (Oct 2, 2009)

what a f'n joke! Level saddle? Which part has to be level? How do they measure it? Next year saddle companies will be coming out with new designs just to conform to the stupid rule and still allow rides customization. 

UCI, go fly a kite.


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## superjesus (Jul 26, 2010)

Why exactly is the UCI still in charge with all it's ineptitude?


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

It's a strange rule. My guess is the intent of the rule is that saddles are _roughly_ horizontal.

It is completely ridiculous to have a rule that saddles must be completely level. Even more ridiculous that they'd measure with a device that isn't even measuring the angle correctly. The drive-by enforcement of the ridiculous rule was to paraphrase Mark Halperin kind of a d1ck move by the UCI.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

jorgy said:


> It's a strange rule. My guess is the intent of the rule is that saddles are _roughly_ horizontal.
> 
> It is completely ridiculous to have a rule that saddles must be completely level. Even more ridiculous that they'd measure with a device that isn't even measuring the angle correctly. The drive-by enforcement of the ridiculous rule was to paraphrase Mark Halperin kind of a d1ck move by the UCI.


Do the saddles have to be adjusted when the road inclination changes? A saddle that is horizontal on a flat road is not horizontal on a 20% climb.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Marc said:


> Hi-larious!!!


Particularly this part...


> The test jig that the commissaires had was actually one of the best I’ve seen, but it still had its shortcomings. While it did effectively measure saddle setback and aero-bar extensions, when commissaires put a level on top of riders’ saddles the *officials assumed that the measuring jig was sitting level. Several savvy mechanics brought their own levels and pointed out that the jig was not*.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Yet more evidence that pro cycling does not need the incompetence that is the UCI.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

They've been sitting on the Clenbutador file for a year now with no resolution in sight, but they have time and money to piddle around on this nonsense?
I think they are more interested in looking like they are in charge, than actually being in charge. 
And I pity the poor riders...imagine getting all psyched up for the biggest day of your career and someone starts mucking up your bike's fit a few minutes before your ride! I bet there's a lot of PO'd guys out there right now.


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## nims (Jul 7, 2009)

Special Eyes said:


> I think any pro rider whose balls hang 4" or more from his crotch should be exempt from this rule. Then we'd need UCI personnel to measure all riders gonads.


I feel this would be the right time to make a joke about a certain rider but that would be just mean ;p


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## BAi9302010 (Mar 7, 2002)

krott5333 said:


> what a f'n joke! Level saddle? Which part has to be level? How do they measure it? Next year saddle companies will be coming out with new designs just to conform to the stupid rule and still allow rides customization.
> 
> UCI, go fly a kite.


The easier solution would be to just ban saddles altogether. The riders can then choose between sitting on the seatpost, or eschewing any rump support and doing the whole race standing.


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## thebikingcello (Feb 3, 2011)

I would ask those fat asses if their saddles are level or if I can screw with your bike fit by putting a 150 stem and bottoming out your stem... they don't even own a bike...


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## thebikingcello (Feb 3, 2011)

My mom, who is a non cyclist, even knows this is bull sh**...


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## lemonlime (Sep 24, 2003)

jd3 said:


> It really is *way, way past *time for the teams and ASO to tell UCI to shove it.


Let me just fix that for you, Danny.


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

Can someone explain the logic, if exists, behind this rule? Seatposts have tilt adjustment to accomodate the various physiology of the individual riders. I ride with the nose of my saddle with just a slight forward inclination, otherwise it kills my knees. I don't know why but it occurs. I don't have any extra strain on my shoulders so it works for me. 

These guys are on their bikes for up to eight hours a day. Repetitive motion injury is a real concern. That the UCI would force one of these riders to use an un-natural position will only force an injury. Instead of focusing their efforts in creating incentives to ride cleanly (not just penalties), the UCI enforces a baseless rule. Have any of the UCI officials/rule makers ever ridden professionally or even casually?


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## dave1257 (Aug 3, 2002)

Yes, it is a very silly rule that exists for no other reason that to allow the UCI to flex their non-existent muscles and prove what the world already knows, that they are nothing more than a bunch of horses asses.

There is a very simple solution to this. All the rider has to do is remove is bike from the jig, go to the start line, and start the race and if anyone from the UCI gets in the way knock them down, hard. This is a very simple way to demonstrate who is in charge.

One of the people who responded here was talking about Baseball Umpires and the stupid things they do. When I taught High School and coached the varsity football team if the refs consistently made bad calls to the point where one team was favored over the other the offending ref would find himself the subject of a blitz that went wrong and they learned very quickly or very painfully.

You simply cannot argue with stupid people. The only thing that works is to slap them down hard.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

I can see where the rule comes from....though when you are talking a tilt of a degree or so one way or the other, enforcing it is stupid. Now if they said it couldn't be more than say 5 degrees either way from level I could possibly see it.

The basic reasoning goes back to the 5cm rule. If the saddle is tilted one way or the other it allows the rider to move the saddle just a small amount farther forward...the more the drop/raise in the angle the farther forward it could be moved.

So basically this rule is an extension of another rule...of which both are stupid rules that compound on one another...but such is life. If the riders don't want to deal with the stupidity they need to get together as a "Group" and do something about it!


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## krott5333 (Oct 2, 2009)

*Cycling chiefs call Bruyneel, Vaughters to order*
(AFP) – 3 hours ago

REDON, France — World cycling chiefs have hit back at professional team managers Johan Bruyneel and Jonathan Vaughters after the pair complained about technical checks on riders' saddles at the Tour de France.

The saddles of several teams taking part in the race's team time trial on stage two Sunday were checked by experts from the International Cycling Union (UCI) technical committee.
It emerged that some were deemed not fully horizontal, and thus did not conform to the rules, and were altered by UCI experts minutes prior to the race.

UCI road cycling official Philippe Chevallier said: "It was a pure and simple case of bending the rules."

The move prompted anger, notably from RadioShack manager Bruyneel and Garmin chief Vaughters, whose team won the stage to hand Thor Hushovd the yellow jersey.

The UCI on Monday affirmed that all teams had been forewarned of the measure in good time prior to the July 2-24 race.

"The UCI consider the behaviour of some individuals, notably M. Bruyneel and M. Vaughters, totally unacceptable," said the UCI's press spokesman Enrico Carpani.

"They believe it's up to them to oppose a measure which is part of our regulations.
"Teams had the chance to consult our technical expert, Julien Carron, for two days at the Criterium du Dauphine (stage race). They were then informed that all technical specifications would come under scrutiny at the Tour de France."

Belgian Bruyneel, who led Lance Armstrong to all of his record seven wins on the race, and Australian Brad McGee, a sporting director with Saxo Bank, were both handed 200 Swiss franc (150 euros) fines after stage two.

Their sanction was for "innappropriate behaviour towards race officials in the technical zone", according to the UCI.

Due to disagreement over a number of issues in professional cycling, relations between the UCI and some teams, notably RadioShack, Saxo Bank, Garmin and Liquigas, are strained.

Some team managers have previously voiced their support for a cycling league independent of the UCI and have threatened to boycott the Tour of Beijing at the start of October.

The Chinese race is the latest addition to the UCI calendar, however it could be used as a pawn as team managers continue their opposition to the UCI's plan to gradually phase out the use of two-way radios in the peloton.


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## hawker12 (Oct 19, 2003)

biobanker said:


> Perfect situation for all 22 teams to tell the UCI where to go.


Agreed. ALL 22 teams decide not to ride for an hour or so. Bet the UCI would be willing to "discuss" it then. Sounds like power play stuff to me or guys trying show why their jobs are necessary.


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## hawker12 (Oct 19, 2003)

Special Eyes said:


> I think any pro rider whose balls hang 4" or more from his crotch should be exempt from this rule. Then we'd need UCI personnel to measure all riders gonads.



Maybe they could get the TSA guys to help with that.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

waldo425 said:


> Thats a rule?!
> 
> I agree with Riis - this is utter BS. How is testicular comfort an aerodynamic advantage? Is this a throwback/ back in my day rule where the riders just need to tough it out?


It'd be even worse if there were female cycling teams on the tour (oh wait, they aren't allowed ). Almost every female cyclist I know rides with a cut out saddle that's tilted down noticeably. There would be a walk out (ride off?) if they tried to enforce that rule in women's cycling.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

nonsleepingjon said:


> It'd be even worse if there were female cycling teams on the tour (oh wait, they aren't allowed ).


Yes, it's only those darned rules that prevent women from showing the men what's what at the Tour de France.


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