General Cycling Discussion - Saddles and Seatposts

So now that I know all about why quick release lever orientation, I need to know the following:

Why do you put a saddle on a seatpost? Shouldn't it be a saddlepost?

Inquiring minds need to know... :D

Well, you CAN put a seat on it.
And I guess way back in the day when the term "seat post" was coined bikes came with big fat "seats" on them and we didn't start using saddles until some time after.
On the same thought, a motor uses electricity and an engine uses burnable fuel, so why is the engine of a car attached to the frame via "motor mounts"?

Why do you need to "clip in" to your "clipless" pedals?

Why do "flat" mountainbike handlebars come in 3 degree and 5 degree bends?

So many questions. . .

How come a 10 speed bike has 20 speeds? Unless you are talking about a 10 speed from 20 years ago in which case it actually has 10 speeds. Then of course, your 10 speed bike that actually has 20 speeds really only has 18 speeds because of cross chaining. Then again, the highest gear is so high that no one uses it so now you are down to 17 speeds. Also, there are several gears that are redundant so now you are down to 14 speeds. So why do we have 10 speed cassettes?

...and seatstays should be saddlestays...

...but you get saddle sore, not seat sore...

Gallagher, where are you when we need you?

Maybe you put your "seat" on the saddle? The seatpost is really there for your seat...the saddle just makes it more comfortable?

(it's a reach, I'm aware ;))

I'm sorry, but THIS is a saddle.

http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/images/basicsEnglishSaddle.jpg

Sheldon Brown: "You'll notice that I do call them "saddles," not "seats." There is a reason for this. A "seat" is something you sit on, and is designed to bear essentially your entire weight. Recumbent bicycles have "seats," but conventional upright bicycles have saddles. A saddle is intended to carry some, but not all of your weight. The rest of your weight is mainly carried by your legs, and some by your hands and arms."

Taken from http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html.

...this seems reasonable to me, as I'm not arguing that the saddle should be called the seat. I'm just trying to figure out why it's not called a saddlepost.