# Is my saddle telling me something?



## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

This is a new bike, maybe 600 miles on it. But my saddle is twisting as a result of my position or how I pedal.

Drive side is lower in the back and higher in the front than the non drive side. I am right handed and Im sure my right leg is stronger than my left.

Is my bike not set up right? Im getting some recent pain on my right sit bone, but I its not bad.










Its a Toupe 143

No knee pain to speak of, so I think saddle height is fine (I went with same height as last Tarmac - same geometry, same size).


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## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

Are the saddle rails bent?


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

Yes, they're bent in the same manner as the seat. But they're bent from my riding, not from anything else (storage, etc...)


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## timaplin (Jan 16, 2009)

I'd be interested to hear what some of the more experienced riders have to say about this. I have a Selle SMP which is worn much, much more on the right side than the left. I have a lot of trouble getting comfortable on saddles, and have wondered if irregular wear could be a part of the cause...

Tim


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Sounds like on leg is longer than the other. Causing uneven pressure.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Saddle looks like it's been punched down by legs at or past their limit of flexibility, which means the saddle is much too high for *your* body.

If your muscles (especially hamstrings) are tight, common formulas and schemes for setting saddle height may have put you too high, so try subtracting 1 cm or so from your theoretical saddle height. If there's an effective leg length imbalance as I think there is (actual shorter leg, dropped hip, rotated pelvis), refigure saddle height on the effectively shorter leg. Remember to give adaptation a chance. The first few rides on a lowered saddle often feel like pedaling through deep beach sand, but that's deceptive. After adaptation, you might actually be able to make more power sitting lower.

/w


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

biobanker said:


> This is a new bike, maybe 600 miles on it. But my saddle is twisting as a result of my position or how I pedal.
> 
> Drive side is lower in the back and higher in the front than the non drive side. I am right handed and Im sure my right leg is stronger than my left.
> 
> ...


Yeah, it's trying to tell you it's busted. 

What is your weight and is it more than the Toupe's weight rating? A lot of titanium parts have weight limits, and I believe the Toupe has titanium rails. If you're a clyde you may need to go with Cro-mo or stainless steel rails- not a huge weight penalty.


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## andy11 (Aug 23, 2009)

very likely


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## andy11 (Aug 23, 2009)

take it to LBS and check your fit


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## Eric_H (Feb 5, 2004)

Are you sure it was straight when it was new? I have seen more than a few crooked saddles right out of the box. Ti rails, if anything should resist deformation to the elasticity of titanium alloys. Probably the best rail material to combat bending is carbon or solid Ti.

I am with Wim on this one, if you did indeed manage to force your saddle into its current position it is very likely that you are set up with too high of a saddle position. A very high saddle exacerbates any asymmetry a rider has (we all have them!). I would suggest getting a new saddle and setting up maybe 5 mm lower.


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

ok, I will give lowering it a try, but it feels fine to me

I'm 157lbs. 5'9

Thx for the advice. I'll report in.


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## S80 (Sep 10, 2007)

Deleted - darn thread is over a month old -


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

Update 

My saddle keeps making its way back to the position above after I straighten it. So its due to positioning while I ride.

And guess what, my MTB (new this spring) is starting to do it too.

I have no idea why - Im probably going to go for a fit but I feel reasonably comfortable after 60/80/100 mile rides, so Im probably not going to fight it. 

Bizarre tho.


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## MaddSkillz (Mar 13, 2007)

Wow, that's so strange... 

If you find out what's causing it, definitely post your findings.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

Do you carry one of those George Costanza wallets in yer back pocket?


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

biobanker said:


> ok, I will give lowering it a try, but it feels fine to me
> 
> I'm 157lbs. 5'9
> 
> Thx for the advice. I'll report in.


What size is the bike? You have a lot of the post sticking out of the frame.


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## framesti (Jan 26, 2009)

I have similar problem. Maybe mechanic raised seat or I lost flexibilty. Ride next to a mirror and check if legs are reaching? double check seat height...compare to recommended


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## malanb (Oct 26, 2009)

are you heavy? did it came with a flaw? It must be to high for you, but it is strange it bent. usually you just see one side of the saddle has more wear than the other


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## naisan (Oct 15, 2009)

been riding 25 years, seen this over and over, including my own bike - your body is asymmetrical, and it is breaking in the saddle according to how it feels comfortable. 

Forget about the saddle for now, focus on getting the best fit you can, and on doing exercise to strengthen and balance your body, which is the only way to "fix" this long term. This might include things like one-legged pedaling, single-leg weight and balance exercises, and other exercise where you can't "hide" one side behind the other. 

Once you have made some headway with these things, start gently moving your saddle (maybe get a saddle with stronger rails as well) back to neutral. 

My saddle was always one way, I had knee surgery, and now it's the other. No big deal, I have a great time riding!


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

Update: 

I think that the problem is found. I went and got fit (via Retul) and the saddle distance was a bit low. It was within threshold prior to the fit, but just barely. Setback was already at max and the saddle angle wasn't changed, but we raised the post about 1 cm. I thought it was about maxed out before but was clearly wrong. 

Since then the saddle is less deformed and it isn't working it's way crooked anymore. 

I raised my mtb saddle too. 

Thx for all the help. First time I've seen this on any of my bikes in my 25 years of riding.


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## CaliforniaPI (Sep 25, 2005)

T K said:


> Do you carry one of those George Costanza wallets in yer back pocket?


This made me laugh, 

"I think I had a piece of hard candy in there" classic Seinfeld.


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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

Any explanation why raising the saddle would fix this? I understood the suggestions to lower.


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## Dynastar (Jun 8, 2007)

A lot of people need to move their saddle a little left or right of dead center. Mine is a little left of center. I had my bike professionally fit and he said that this is normal due to differences in hip alignment, The Boys, etc. Although the bending of the saddle would be of concern, that should not happen.


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