Thanks again for all the great tips, everyone. I'm happy to report that my knee pain has all but disappeared since the seat post adjustment and saddle change, but to be safe I am making sure to stretch even before a short ride.
Originally Posted by
exile
Saddles are so personal irclean it's hard to make a recommendation. I have a Brooks flyer pre-aged on my commuting/touring bike. However my saddle is about even or slightly below the handlebars. On my commuting/hardtail bike I am currently using a Rido 2 saddle which I am still adjusting. It is replacing a BG Sonoma 155. On this bike my saddle is about even to above my handlebars.
Remember with saddles there are other adjustments to consider beside saddle height. You have both fore/aft positioning as well as tilt. Both may help as far as comfort is concerned.
I am not sure how long you have been riding but do you think it is an repetitive/overuse type injury? Maybe a few days off the bike would help (although i do know how addicting it can be). If you are going from a sedentary lifestyle to riding a few miles every single day without time off maybe its time for a break.
Happy holidays and hope everything works out.
Thanks, exile, same to you. I appreciate your viewpoint concerning saddles. I'm sure that there are many saddles that people swear by that others find intolerable and vice-versa. My little experiment has proven to me that the mechanical advantage gained by using a rigid seat post and a narrower saddle not only protects my knees but makes me a more efficient rider. I have played with the tilt and the fore/aft adjustment using tips that I picked up here and I think I've got it right, but I carry my 6mm allen key, just in case. I just want a few saddle suggestions to consider because I need something to replace the cheap one that I'm currently using. I realize that I may be opening Pandora's Box as there are probably as many opinions on saddles as there are on any other bicycle component. Being a newcomer (albeit an aged one) to the cycling lifestyle I am in the dark when it comes to saddle choices. I am learning as I go and I have already replaced an estimated 15% of the components on my bike - I expect that in time the only original part remaining will be the frame. In the meantime I will keep searching the forums for information and in the new year I may start a "What saddle do you use?" thread. Happy Holidays, everyone!