[Gnarly 928]

What would you recommend as the saddle with the most available rail to increase set-back?

I need to move the saddle rearward on my Ridley Noah to acheive the proper position. I am limited by an integrated seat post. The other (Damocles) I use a Richey WCS carbon post (has a large set-back) and mount my WCS Streem saddle rearward. In order to match positions on the two bikes (they are the same frame geometry) I need a few more millimeters than I've been able to squeeze out of the seat mounting head of the Noah..

So I am contemplating (reluctantly) trying to find a saddle with longer rails. Arione, maybe? Lighter is better as I race some.

Don Hanson

 

[Slow Eddie]

Arione, definitely.

... Arione, maybe?

One of the larger adjustable zones out there. Something like 12cm I think.

As long as your butt likes it.

If it's just a few mm, any way to (safely) mod the Noah clamp to slide back a little more? Would reversing it do anything? I'm not visualizing it, so thes options may be totally off base.

 

[Eric_H]

Try an Aspide

What would you recommend as the saddle with the most available rail to increase set-back?

I need to move the saddle rearward on my Ridley Noah to acheive the proper position. I am limited by an integrated seat post. The other (Damocles) I use a Richey WCS carbon post (has a large set-back) and mount my WCS Streem saddle rearward. In order to match positions on the two bikes (they are the same frame geometry) I need a few more millimeters than I've been able to squeeze out of the seat mounting head of the Noah..

So I am contemplating (reluctantly) trying to find a saddle with longer rails. Arione, maybe? Lighter is better as I race some.

Don Hanson

The Arione has long rails, but relative to the widest point of the saddle the rails are do not allow the saddle to go back that far. The Arione is a deceptive saddle, its nose is actually short if you lay it over other saddles and match up the side curvature and widest points. Most of its additional length is in the triangular section at the back. But my main point here is that with the Arione you will likely be able to get the nose of the saddle back further using a plumb-bob, but where you actually sit on it will not be any further back.

I had a setup that required a saddle that could be put well back and I found the Selle San Marco Aspide was the best. I could get my fit more rearward with it than a Flite, Arione or anything else I tried.

 

[Dinosaur]

The Arione has 9 cm of useable rail length.

Lining up the Arione with other saddles is deceptive. The rails are placed in a different place. You get 1cm of extra length in the nose and 2cm in the tail. You should flip the saddles over and compare the rails, better comparison.

I used an Aspide until I broke my hip, can't use it anymore, not enough support. The Arione works fine for me.

The San Marco Rolls has a lot of room to play with, but you might have problems using it with the Ritchey seatpost because of the construction of the Rolls.

You might be better off finding a seat post with more setback then changing saddles.

I think FSA (?) has one with 3cm of setback.

 

[acid_rider]

Arione is ok for decent setback but Selle SMP will give you another 15-20mm (>1 degree of STA, at least) over Arione. I have both of those saddles. Selle SMP has longer rails than Arione plus its shape dictates that you sit further back than Arione and this combination allows you the greater amount of setback. This is what Steve Hogg told me. I have no reasons to doubt the man! Also Selle SMP is a very effective saddle when it comes to removing unwanted pressure in those "special" areas. yes, it is expensive but worth the money, IMO. I have two of those Selle SMP now (Evolution models), on each of my road bikes. Good luck.

 

[Gnarly 928]

Dang!
Just when I got used to the Ritchey, too. I tried an SMP but not. I guess the Aspide will be next. I 're-worked' my mounting system already on the Noah and got a couple of extra millimeters rearward, then I fudged my position on the other Ridley forward until I was sitting both the same. Then, for grins, I slipped the Damocles saddle back by almost 3/16" and rode my normal 60-mile loop with 3500' elevation gain. The strain on my muscles felt much more balanced...quads less sore, glutes more tired. I hate it, but my bod wants to be back there. If the saddle switch is not enough to acheive that position on the Noah, I guess I'll have to go up to the next frame size. That is one shortcoming for the Ridley ISP frames of 2008..or at least mine..no provision to adjust the saddle position fore and aft..
Thanks, all
Don Hanson

 

[Dinosaur]

Dang!
Just when I got used to the Ritchey, too. I tried an SMP but not. I guess the Aspide will be next. I 're-worked' my mounting system already on the Noah and got a couple of extra millimeters rearward, then I fudged my position on the other Ridley forward until I was sitting both the same. Then, for grins, I slipped the Damocles saddle back by almost 3/16" and rode my normal 60-mile loop with 3500' elevation gain. The strain on my muscles felt much more balanced...quads less sore, glutes more tired. I hate it, but my bod wants to be back there. If the saddle switch is not enough to acheive that position on the Noah, I guess I'll have to go up to the next frame size. That is one shortcoming for the Ridley ISP frames of 2008..or at least mine..no provision to adjust the saddle position fore and aft..
Thanks, all
Don Hanson

If you do a fair amount of climbing the Aspide might be a great saddle for you. But for sitting for long periods on the flats it's too hard and too narrow for me. I found myself getting out of my saddle a lot when I was climbing with the Aspide. Kind of came natural.
You might go to Excel Sports and look at their saddle reviews, they have quite a few for the Aspide. Some good, some bad, but they print all of them...

 

[FatTireFred]

brooks

 

[acid_rider]

re SMP - I do not understand your comments

I tried an SMP but not /QUOTE]

what does above comment mean? "but not"?

btw SMP nose/tail tilt is critical for comfort.

If you still have Selle SMP available to you - read on.

First find correct fore/aft position and correct seat height. This is critical for any seat.

SMP seat shape effectively puts you further back than most saddles plus the rails are longest too, at the front end/nose. There is only one sweet spot on SMP (similar to Aliante) - on the widest part of the rear end, sitting on your sit-bones only. Experiment with fore/aft movement, you may be surprised, I sure was.

I still think SMP allows more rear set-back than Arione or Aspide. Line them up against each other and measure the sit-bone contact points against the BB. I have Aliante, Arione and SMP and SMP wins on rear setback.

Re SMP tilt - start with nose-tail level (highest point of nose to highest point of rear - level). If you feel pressure behind your "two closest friends" then tilt the nose down by just 1 degree (literally!) and reassess. Most people are in the range of 0 degrees (completely level) to a max of ~3 degrees nose down. Generally the less padded SMP the more likely 1-2-3 degrees nose down will work best. But in my case (SMP Evolution) it is completely level as I found myself sliding down the dip when nose was down and once I leveled it the problem went away.

Finally, SMP requires a break-in period for most riders (male and female) because the seat design forces all weight on rider's sit-bones. So for first 3-4 weeks expect some soreness in sit-bone area (and nowhere else!). In 3-4 weeks it should clear up. For the first few rides you might feel like you are sitting on two rails. This feeling also goes away after 2-3 weeks. If it does not - your fore/aft position is wrong or your seat height is wrong.

 

[leviathans_child]

sounds like someones bike doesn't fit

 

[FatTireFred]

sounds like someones bike doesn't fit

indeed

 

[Galen_52657]

Dang!
Just when I got used to the Ritchey, too. I tried an SMP but not. I guess the Aspide will be next. I 're-worked' my mounting system already on the Noah and got a couple of extra millimeters rearward, then I fudged my position on the other Ridley forward until I was sitting both the same. Then, for grins, I slipped the Damocles saddle back by almost 3/16" and rode my normal 60-mile loop with 3500' elevation gain. The strain on my muscles felt much more balanced...quads less sore, glutes more tired. I hate it, but my bod wants to be back there. If the saddle switch is not enough to acheive that position on the Noah, I guess I'll have to go up to the next frame size. That is one shortcoming for the Ridley ISP frames of 2008..or at least mine..no provision to adjust the saddle position fore and aft..
Thanks, all
Don Hanson

Velo Orange seatpost with 30.2 mm setback.

 

[cxwrench]

Velo Orange seatpost with 30.2 mm setback.

And you're only 12.5 years late w/ your first post. You friends w/ Tom K?