Sojodave

I rode in the Cache Valley Gran Fondo the 75-mile version. It was the largest road ride in the US that day(probably the only one). Last year I did the 105 mile version, but this year with the Covid, I haven't had a chance to ride with groups and my mileage is down from last year. Two weeks before the ride, I broke my saddle rails on my Power Expert and had to switch to a Specialized Romin Evo Pro. I thought I had it dialed in with it being 4% down(flat in the middle). I did a 54-mile ride with that saddle and it was comfortable and I had no pain.

We left at 6:30 and the had us leave in groups of 40. Somehow, I was in front riding at about 24 mph when two riders passed. I grabbed their wheels and we were doing 30 mph in the flats. We rode about 4 miles and they turned the corner and I realized they were riding the 105 and I had to turn around to go to the 75 mile route. I started riding by myself and I noticed my saddle wasn't very comfortable. I kept riding and by the time I came to the first stop at about 18 miles, I was in pain from my sit bones. I left the first stop and I caught a woman and she asked if she could draft off me. Since she asked nicely, I let her and we rode to the next step and my saddle was really hurting. I couldn't figure out why it was hurting so bad. I thought it was my shoes that I traded at the last second. Maybe the cleats were positioned differently?

The woman got dropped on our first climb and I caught a big group and we did some more climbing. My saddle felt better on the climbs, but as soon as we hit the flats I was in pain again. The last 25 miles I was trying to stand up as much as I could. When I ended the ride, I could hardly drive home because my bum hurt so bad.

When I got home, I measured my saddle and I discovered that somehow the tilt was only at 1%. I moved it back to 4% and went for a ride and it was comfortable again. The Romin Evo Pro has carbon rails and they must have slipped. I had used a calibration wrench, but I guess they still slipped. DOH!, I wished I would have checked the tilt at the first stop. Live and learn. Who knew a slight tilt would make that much difference. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Hikebikerun

By 4% tilt, you mean angled slightly downward?

I’ve been messing around with saddle position trying to find the most comfortable positions.... also went through 4 saddles in the last month. I think I found the right one, a Power Arc, but I set it horizontal at the behest of the LBS guy. Maybe I should try tilting down slightly as I liked that position on my first saddle.

jpescatore

I went the other way - from a downward tilt to level - a few years ago after a real bike fitting that came with buying a new bike. It is all an individual thing, over the years I thought I had achieved the optimal seat height/reach/tilt settings. After the fancy Retul fitting session and the physiologist (not bike shop guy) watching me pedal and looking at the results, he had me (1) level the seat; (2) raise the seat 1/2 inch or so; (3) move my cleats all the way back in my shoes.

Could be psychological, but those changes made major differences on long rides, especially hilly rides. Last year I did the Seattle to Portland 2 day ride and did 123 miles on day 1 and 83 on day two and my rear end felt find - that was on a rental bike, but I brought my own seat and transferred the height/tilt/reach dimensions from the fitting session.

I became a big fan of professional fitting - it really is an individual thing, no one seat or positioning is magic even for people of same height/leg length, etc. Differences in flexibility, sit bones, foot angles, all kinds of stuff matters.

Sy Reene

To the first part.. if the center of the saddle is flat, what is the 4% measurement of? (straight line from the top of the rear of the saddle to the tip of the nose?)
Also.. when a saddle slips in the seatpost clamp rails, it usually travels forward or backward but at the same angle it was set at. That said, if you continue to have some sort of slippage there, you could try a dab of CF assembly paste, though it might cause a bit of marring of the rails visible when you remove the saddle.

DaveSSS 

A two bolt rocker style clamp like the FSA k-force won't change angle and allows very small angle changes. I've used them exclusively for at least 15 years. With saddles that are curved, like my smp stratos, I lay something flat on top and use a digital level to check the angle. On the road, I only make small changes, loosening one bolt by a quarter or half turn and tightening the other by the same amount.

https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/en/s...-seatpost-sb25

Sojodave

The 4% tilt was tiled down using a board across the saddle. The Romin Evo is "S" shaped and doesn't have a level part. The manufacturer says to level the middle of the saddle which brings mine to about 4% tilted down. I have had a professional fit; however, it was on a Specialized Power Saddle. I'm using a Ritchey Flexlogic Seatpost and I agree, the two-bolt rocker style would have prevented my saddle from sliding.