Funny, I have a curved saddle and yes I can tell if its level or not. It's called using a level, laying it the length of the saddle, and adjusting the tilt until the level says it's level. Not exactly demanding work, there. Infinite adjustment seatposts make getting one's saddle easier, but its not "near impossible". In addition, if you change your saddle or seat post, a level will help you dial in the position with respect to tilt a lot easier and quicker. Seriously, a cheap level is a few bucks..and you are advocating that someone should just guess instead? :rolleyes:

Any reputable fitter will start you with a level saddle, then recommend adjustments as he/she deems appropriate based on the rider's comfort level during the type of riding they want to do and their preferred position on the bike. The majority of riders I know have leveled their saddles, curved or flat, and the portion that do not are not off by more than a couple of degrees of angle from level (up or down as their anatomy requires).

I'm saying that it's completely unnecessary to use a level. YES, just guess. Use your eyes (and some common sense) to get the saddle relatively "level" and go from there. It's just a starting point and you're almost always going to have to make adjustments from that point anyway. Why waste your time using a level? Saddle curvatures are different from saddle to saddle which makes the base line established by using a level useless. Just LOOK at the thing, fudge it until it looks good enough and go from there.

Two bolt seatposts commonly show the degree of tilt with fine hash marks. They make adjustments a LOT easier because you don't have to loosen the saddle rail clamp all the way to disengage the teeth and change the angle, which on a single bolt seatpost makes keeping your fore/aft position the same difficult.

You don't need a fitter to tell you what your saddle angle should be either. That's up to your butt to determine! It's easy to do the adjustments yourself too.

Yes, because OMG 10 seconds (max) to actually level your saddle and start from an objective baseline to move up or down from is SOOOOOOOO HARD. Seriously. In an area where fractions of a millimeter or degrees make a difference between comfort and discomfort, you are advocating throwing darts at the broad side of a barn, and if you hit it, good enough :rolleyes: It is so difficult to grasp that establishing a baseline is flat out a lot easier than just guessing, especially if you are trying a lot of different saddles? You try one saddle, find that if the shape was different, 2 degrees nose up works. So, the next saddle you try, you set it at 2 degrees up and go from there. Whew, what a lot of work. Truly.

If someone is just starting to ride more than the local MUPs for a couple of miles, and they get a fit, yes a fitter should advise them (not tell, do try to actually read what i posted) on type of angle based on what they are seeing as the person pedals on the trainer, because that person doesn't know any better or know how to determine what is going to be comfortable. If they are more knowledgeable, then of course they can do it themselves.

Hi Fungirl

Hope that you're having more luck with your saddle these days. I'm glad that the MTB saddle feels comgortable and seems to be working for you. After all, a saddle is a saddle and if it's comfortable and you are happy, then isn't that all that matters? After all, I didn't hear you say that you were thinking of becoming a professional rider.

A bike fit is still a good idea though. Until I got properly fitted for my new bike, I didn't realise what a difference it would make to my riding, but the difference is huge. It only took about 1/2 to 1 hr all up and it was worth it. Then you don't go straining body parts when you ride. After having my new bike for 5 weeks, it needed to be serviced (had done 700kms) before a big ride. I rode my old bike for three days and it was amazing to feel the difference. I wouldn't have believed it unless I experienced it.

Hi Wildflower

Thanks for your response. Yes the MTB saddle works good for me. Don't have to 'push' myself to the back of the seat anymore, which I did with my other one. Maybe I will get a bike fit, have everything set up properly (although not really complaints but sometimes not all the time, numb feeling in my right hand/fingers). Two months from now I am going to do a 260 km ride in two days. Might be worth to get a proper bike fit, I think.

If you're that picky about it and you want some sort of precision measurement to establish a base line, you should be using an angle finder, not a level. Like such:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/A...rs/Johnson.jpg

Using a carpenters level on a saddle is like trying to true up a warped board.

You're not guessing blindly by forgoing the level. You're using your eyes. It's not that difficult, it's not a shot in the dark, and it's only a starting point. Can't you tell when a picture you've hung on the wall is level by looking at it?

A fitter can put you in the proper position for pedaling, but he or she can not tell you what is most comfortable as far as saddle angle goes! The fitter can get it in the ballpark. The fore/aft position can be established simply by looking at your pedaling mechanics when on a trainer, but as far as the angle goes that's up to your anatomy and they'll need your input on what is most comfortable. Even without experience in bicycle fitting you can feel when you have too much pressure on the soft tissues. The fitter knows which questions to ask to determine which changes need to be made, but it's up to your butt and not the fitter's eye.

Like I said, good seat posts have those hash marks on them which makes it a breeze to keep the saddle rails at the same angle when switching saddles. You find the most comfortable position with one saddle, and when changing saddles you use THAT as the baseline. It would be silly to whip the level out every time.

EDIT: Oh, yes. The proper saddle is the one that is most comfortable. Forget about "road" or "mountain" labels. A mountain bike saddle on a roadie is perfectly fine, as long as you're comfortable with it.

Hi Fungirl

glad that your MTB saddle is working for you. I wouldn't bother changing if it's working. If you are planning to go on this long ride, i would reconsider getting properly fitted though. A few centimeters to make the distance between the handlebars can make the world of difference and you don't have to stretch your arms so far. Likewise, women's bodies are smaller than mens' and if the distance between the seat and the handlebars is adjusted then you don't have to reach so far. The pedalling height is also important. A proper adjustment means that your feet and legs don't have to strain because the distance is too short between the saddle and the pedals. If you rhands are hurting, then check to see what you are doing with them as you ride. If you are gripping the bars tightly without realising, or holding the bars near the shifters/brakes, then that can cause strain and pain. Moving your hands a little can make the world of difference and so can reducing the holding pressure.