Originally Posted by
Lemond1985
I never have understood the saddles that point down. I like to be pulling on the bars when I ride, not pushing. Who are these people who are pushing on the bars, and why are they doing this? I just don't get it, never have.
I come forward quite a lot going hard and in one of my climbing positions. (I "ride the rivet" a lot except I refuse to sit on hard steel - hence no Brooks seats for me!) A seat that isn't tipped down a bit leaves me with issues. (Bars are several inches below my seat and my stems and top tubes long.) I have real weight on my hands until I start going harder. I'm a skinny, long limbed fellow. Not having my back close to flat on long upwinds gets really old. I also rotate my pelvis down so a lot of pressure on soft stuff. Opens up my abdomen for good diaphragm breathing and keeps my lower back from finishing rides in pain. (My bod likes to be on a position not all that different from a good feline stretch.)
I consider the exact amount of downward tip critical and run 2-bolt seatposts on 4 of my 5 bikes. (5th is my workhorse city fix gear. Old Trek with a -22 degree 175mm stem. Post is a scratched up Campy Chorus 1-bolt. No detents and getting the tip right was easy. 10 years later, every time I get on that bike it is so right on perfect! Oh. that seat too is pointed down a bit.)
Ben