i ride alot of gravel roads and some pavement. i was wondering your thoughts on some new pedals and grips.

also, either a new seat or seat cover that a little more comfortable.


thanks,
bryan

I find lock-on grips to be much better for me IMO.

One of my favorite rides is a gravel MUP about 7 miles from my house. I have an old Nishiki Ariel that I've set up just for that ride. I used to ride wearing chino or jean shorts and used a Bontrager CRX comfort saddle. But I've been using padded riding shorts with by other bikes, so I started using the same with the Nishiki, and that spelled the end of the CRX. I'm in the process of selecting a harder saddle and will probably go with a Bontrager CRZ. With regard to pedals, I saved up my bucks and went with Shimano SPDs and SPD mountain bike shoes. The power increase on hills is worth it. For the type of riding that you do, have you traded your tires for a smoother surface for less rolling resistance? That was one of my first modifications, and now I'm about to trade for an even smoother tire that's only 1.5 instead of 2.0.

Have you ridden the bike for a while yet? You will get used to the seat over several hours of riding so never upgrade a 'new' seat because most people find they adapt!

I've ridden thousands and thousands of miles on gravel roads on my Trek 4300. Get yourself a Brooks B17 saddle and you can thank me later.

Well i'm sorry but everyone has differnt opinions etc on fit. The smartest option is to ride the seat you have now for several hours, then if you still dont like it buy another one.

Everyone has different opinions? Here are 47 people who all agree on the Brooks. That says a lot!

So? What about all the other people who agree on other seats? That link means nooothing.

Do you ever wonder why when you walk into a bike shop there are heaps of different types of seats? Some skiiny, some fat, some squishy, some small, some lighter etc. Obviously they do this because there is no one 'best' saddle for anyone.

So to the original poster, ride that seat for a few hours, if you still hate it, then go looking around.

*tee hee* ^^^Reminds me of the three bears!


Everyone is different. Every butt is different. If after a while the saddle still rubs you the wrong way, measure the distance between your sit bones and find a saddle the right size for your application.