since6

I will be riding an upright bike soon, weather looks good for the next five days to a week? I have been told that with an upright position it's better to have a broader saddle rather than my current Selle Italia Gel Max SLR due to the mountain bars, raised stem and more upright riding position compared to drop bars. I will test this out tomorrow weather allowing, but wondered what broader saddles others have used for their upright riding bikes? I have tried a spring seat in the past and like the beam bikes didn't like it due to the bounce built into the seat via the springs. All that energy that should be going forward with each pedal stroke just going up and down. Thanks for your thoughts suggestions.

rhm

If you look at the human pelvis...



you will see that the part that comes to bear on the bicycle saddle, the so-called "sit bones", is shaped kinda like the rockers of a rocking chair, but backwards. The 'rungs' are closer together at the front than at the rear. So when you pivot the whole pelvis forward, the narrow part comes to bear on the saddle; if you sit more upright, the wide part comes to bear. That's why you want a wider saddle.

At the same time, when you sit upright, more of your body's weight is on the saddle rather than the handlebar or even the pedals. It takes more effort to unburden the saddle for bumps; that's why wider saddles often have springs and more padding.

That's the theory. I can't advise you on any specific saddle; I really don't like riding upright like that.

Velo Mule

If you would like to try a leather saddle. I liked my Brooks B72 a whole lot. I sold it with a Raleigh Roadster. I have to get another one at some point.

agmetal

Brooks B66/67/72

FBOATSB

Whether you try a Brooks or not, have a look at their website. They have good explanations for their saddles and appropriate riding styles for all types of sprung saddles. I got a B66 when I had to ride full upright. As my condition improved, I found I could go back to drops with only minor tilt adjustments. I have never felt the springs "springing" by the way.

oddjob2

Good deal
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...ng-saddle-wide

since6

Thanks rhm though in the case of my spine L5 is going to have to get reattached in the next two months.

I will check out Brooks and their explanation on right saddle for riding. On the springing, I'm a heavy guy, working on leaving the 270s on a journey to the 180s, damn hard journey. The spring saddle was a Brooks and riding upright on my Nishiki Mixte I could feel up and down springing with each pedal stroke. Not a lot, but enough. Also will check out Velo orange.

Long term plans when I (hope/plan to) return to cycling next March/April I will explore going to a drop bar set up with something like Shimano Sora shifter/brakes (had them on our first tandem and loved them). If that works then the problem goes away, but maybe I'll be lucky and the Selle saddle will work on this bike. I'll know tomorrow and report back

squirtdad

brooks b17 if you want springs Brooks Flyer

ollo_ollo

+1 for the Brooks B72, it has just the right amount of bump relief from bad pavement without introducing any of the bounciness one gets with their spring saddles like the B66 and others. I'm a little guy, so a bouncy saddle isn't that big a problem, just annoying compared to the perfection of a B72.

Don

smoothness 

B17/Flyer over the B72; i feel that you get diminishing returns with the b72 b/c extra chafing on the skirts. the only case where i would recommend those would be on a 3 Speed Raleigh or a Dutch bike, as they were designed for you to sit bolt upright.

clubman 

My thought is that if this loss of energy is protecting you from pain and suffering, why worry about it. Upright riding positions are not for speed, just a modicum of comfort. Good luck with surgery. Just had my patella filed down by almost a cm last week.
Just say yes to morphine.

rhm

The amount of bounce you get from a saddle with springs depends on the balance between the strength of the springs and the weight of the rider. A saddle that seems very firm under a 150 lb rider is going to be a lot springier under a 250 lb rider.

Companies like Brooks really should state the ideal rider weight for a saddle like the B72 or B66, but i have never seen that information. I have seen a lot of broken B72's, though. Rider weight doesn't seem to be as great a factor with the narrower saddles, since weight is better distributed into handlebar and pedals.

since6

Thanks all, well got the water bottles installed and took measurements off my Stevenson Custom and the seat pedal distance is within a quarter inch, but I will have to move the saddle back a ways but should be able to get the nose of the seat to the middle of the handlebar the same. But the seat tube pump won't fit. The bike doe have a pump peg on the head tube so no problem, except....no one carries full size frame pumps anymore, so I'll hang the mico - pump off the banana bag. So all looks good for a ride and see how the body and sit bones feel afterwards. I hope the seat on the bike works as the right saddle is one of those must have things and this seat works for me, but all the other bikes I ride are drop handlebars.

Good news, going through my spare stuff I found a new 44cm Nitto Rondoneur bar, my favorite! A good omen. But that means swapping out the controls, but it would put me back in the right geometry for my seat.

Yes, weight makes things different, and not just on hills, which is why a seat that works for you is such a blessing. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Hmm...in the action movies the Hero/Warrior is always seen duct taping on his Bowie knife which seems to work, duck tape the bike pump to my leg....Naaah!

Bad Lag

Brooks B-67

It will really make a difference. It is comfortable right from the get-go.

stardognine

Hahaha, I just recently electrical taped a frame pump to my new-to-me C'dale, then later realized, it fits almost perfectly, if you put it on right. 🙄😁