Originally Posted by
Campag4life
Kill your unit?
You need the right saddle. Do not attempt on a Brooks. Find a saddle like Cobb sells or a Specialized with a cutout is my suggestion. Objective is to rotate forward to keep a flat back because back's do not like a lot of lumbar flexion. Rotating you should still be propped up on your sit bones on the right saddle. A suggestion is try a Specialized Toupe...but choose the right width to support your sit bones.
Since this excellent thread once again I have been suckered
into playing with my position on the bike 'again'. Sadly I am a bit of a fit junkie and always tweaking my position on road bike and mtb...slight OCD searching for the holy grail of just the right fit. I slammed my stem down and paid for it for 2 days...sore back and neck. I can't ride with a lot of drop is the bottom line after a lot of experimentation no matter what Cobb says....his 12cm drop for a recreational cyclist is quite extreme. Most that ride have a sweet spot. Too high a bar = pain, too low a bar = pain. The trick is finding the spot in the middle. My theory after exhaustive experimentation with saddle setback, horizontal and vertical components of reach is...the less flexible and fit you are, the smaller the sweet spot for fit and riding long distance without pain.
I agree on finding the sweet spot, which may or may not be KOPS. But the way Cobb sets up the bikes with huge bar drop, and saddle angled nose up, has to cause pressure on the soft tissue. How could it not?
Also, I tried a Brooks Team Pro last week for the first time. After adjusting it to be a hair higher than level in the front, even though it's hard as a rock, it's more comfy than my Alias. Not sure why, but I may be a Brooks convert!