Originally Posted by
Sojodave
I need help with saddle setback and I'm starting to chase my tail. For some background info, I'm 6'4", 200ish lbs with a 36" inseam and a long torso. I ride a 61 Specialized Roubaix Pro that I started riding in March. I had a bike fit on my old bike and the fitter told me I needed a 102mm setback on a Power Saddle. When I first got my bike, I had a CG-R seat post that has a 25mm setback and I couldn't get to 102mm setback on a Power saddle. I tried a 0 setback seat post and at 102mm, it felt uncomfortable with a lot of pressure on my hands. I tried changing stem length, it didn't work. I did a balance test, I felt the most comfortable with the saddle setback at 120mm. I set my saddle at that point and did 25-mile ride on three consecutive days and I thought I was golden. I had an event that was 103 miles ride and after 20 miles, my bum was KILLING ME and I suffered the rest of the ride. I'm not sure what to do now.
Here are my questions:
1. If I changed the saddle to a longer saddle than a Power (240mm), would that change saddle setback or would it be roughly the same? As an example, if I got a 270mm saddle, would that add or subtract from my setback?
2. I'm now confused about what setback I need on my seat post. At 0 setback, the 102mm would work, 120mm, an 18mm setback would work, 120+ the CG-R seat post would work.
3. Should I stick to my balance test or KOPS, or what my bike fitter told me I needed on my old bike or should I just eyeball it?
4. I got in three rides before the 103-mile ride with that saddle setback at 120mm, should I keep it at 120mm and see if I get used to it?
5. Should I burn my Power saddle in a volcano and get a longer-nose saddle?
Just to make sure I understand, you had a fitting on a different bike from your new Roubaix Pro, and after that fitting you were comfortable on the old bike, correct? If so, what saddle did you have on the old bike? Do you still have that saddle and bike? Hopefully you do, and if so, I would simply copy the touch point measurements from the old bike to the new one and then swap the saddle from the old bike to the new one.
In other words, measure the distance back from the center of the seat post to the point on the saddle where your sit bones typically rest, and also from the center of the seat post to the bars and replicate that on the new bike. Also, measure the distance from the pedal spindle (at full extension) to the top of the saddle on the old bike and match that on the new bike. Also, match the drop distance from your saddle to the bars between the bikes. Make sure you match the saddle tilt.
If you do all of that, then you have replicated all of the touch point dimensions that you were comfortable with. Of course you may have to change the stem and/or spacers on the new bike to get the dimensions matched, but that's simple and cheap. Oh, and take all of the measurements on the old bike before swapping the saddle to the new bike (or buy an identical saddle for the new bike in case you want to occasionally ride the old one).