Adjusting to different seat angles

[LarryOz]

Bob, Rick, anyone else out there that regularly switches between different bikes/seat angles:
Do you find it hard to "get in the zone" after changing from Vendetta to Silivio (or other), and then back again?

Just wondering how much saddle time I should put in with my "incline pad" on my Vendetta before trying to tackle something like the Assault on Mount Mitchell (which is May 18th); which has about 11K climbing over a Century, and most of it in the last 25 miles?

Thanks in advance,
Larry the Oz

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Larry I would get as much time on the seat angle you are going to ride the Assault on Mount Mitchell as you can, especially if you are going from 20 to 28 degrees in angle change...that may also change the boom length. Besure to check that too when you change the seat angle. I think Bob goes back and forth quite often, so he's worked those compounded groups of muscles quite well.

Let me ask you a question, when you went from your Silvio to the Vendetta did you notice being slightly weaker in your ride, or a little more muscle soreness?

When I used to ride my Tour Easy for a long duration and then hop on the Musashi, I would be sore until my muscles acclimated to the different BB and seat angle.

 

[ratz]

Going between preconfigured bike; Q, V, and S is pretty easy I don't see any acclamation time just jump on and go. However switch the configuration of any Bike even a little and takes at least 90 minutes of riding to get dialed in boom length wise; and at least two rides to get fully re-adapted. So I would be the key; setup changes require adaptation; pre-setup bikes that get equal love don't require much.

If it was me I'd probably setup the V20 for Michtell and the Vendetta 2.0 for the normal road; then then ride both equally during training; that way ready for Michtelll and the later flat rides you have on your calendar.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

If it was me I'd probably setup the V20 for Michtell and the Vendetta 2.0 for the normal road; then then ride both equally during training; that way ready for Michtelll and the later flat rides you have on your calendar.

Good point!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Going between preconfigured bike; Q, V, and S is pretty easy I don't see any acclamation time just jump on and go.

Bob, you switch out between these bike quite often, so I don't think you would notice like me...and you are still just a young kid, and aren't old like Larry and I!

I pay the price when I make the slightest change in my bike. For example, not a single change in 3000 miles, then change my BB Q factor by 2mm, ouch!

 

[ratz]

Bob, you switch out between these bike quite often, so I don't think you would notice like me...and you are still just a young kid, and aren't old like Larry and I!

I pay the price when I make the slightest change in my bike. For example, not a single change in 3000 miles, then change my BB Q factor by 2mm, ouch!

Yeah but last year I made up for age with way over weight and out of shape. But that's almost tended two then you old guy watch out I'll be putting out ⅓ the power of larry and complaining climbing hills ⅓ the size you are riding.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Yeah but last year I made up for age with way over weight and out of shape. But that's almost tended two then you old guy watch out I'll be putting out ⅓ the power of larry and complaining climbing hills ⅓ the size you are riding.

! Bob, I still had to watch out for you when you where over...(can't say)... And had 1/10 Larry's power.

Let's see if my math is correct that puts me, oh no !

 

[LarryOz]

Thanks for the input both of you.
Rick, to answer you question about when I switched from my S to the V:
Yes, I feel lost I lost power (a lot of it), but I did not feel any soreness really. I just could not push nearly as hard.
I could go just as fast even a little faster on my V, but of course it did not need as much power to do that.
During my testing on the last day with my S, I was able to push an average 361 watts for 5 minutes (this was after starting at 100 watts and riding 5 minute segments as I increased the wattage 25 watts each time. I recorded the gear I was in and the rpm and tried to hold the wattage where I wanted it.
On the Silvio I max'd out at avg of 361 watts for 5 minutes. My average speed was 25.4, pulse=164, cad=91 (this was after building up in 25 increments from 100 watts)
On the Vendetta I maxed out at 265 watts for 5 mins. Average speed=25.9, pulse=169, cad=90 (same buildup from 100watts)
...
So, you can see on the V, my wattage was almost 100 watts less, speed slighter higher at 25.9, but pulse higher at 169.
These tests where done Sept. 27 and 30th respectively.

This makes me want to go out there now to the same track and do the same test again, as I have gotten significantly stronger since then (I think).
I still might not be up to being able to hold 361 watts for 5 minutes, but I am pretty sure I could do somewhere between 310-330. I will be interesting to see what kind of speed that brings in. I'll have to do it will those slow Mavic Pro rims though since that is what I used on the first test. Then I can do it with my Cruzbike CF 88's, and then with the full discs. Not sure when I can do this, but will post the results when done.

Interesting side note: I tried to upload (attach) my excel spreadsheet of all that data I was referring to and it would not let me upload. Says unsupported file type. Seems like we could do this on the old forum

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Interesting side note: I tried to upload (attach) my excel spreadsheet of all that data I was referring to and it would not let me upload. Says unsupported file type. Seems like we could do this on the old forum

Try "Save As PDF"...PDF files maybe allowed!

 

[LarryOz]

Converted to pdf, but doesn't seem to the same "look" and "feel" as suspected, but the data is there at least

 

[LarryOz]

Dont' really know why they won't allow a spreadsheet upload. I'll run it by Lucia and the webmaster.

 

[Lief]

I was able to push an average 361 watts for 5 minutes

Larry, I don't care how old you claim to be, how much soreness you claim to have in your shoulder, or how many surgeries you've had on your knee - you have one hell of a set of muscles/heart/lungs to do that! and at ~150lbs!

"I'll have what he's having."

 

[Charles.Plager]

Dont' really know why they won't allow a spreadsheet upload. I'll run it by Lucia and the webmaster.

Asking for spreadsheets (specifically .xls and .xlsx) isn't crazy, but they do want to be careful not to let you upload just anything. (And it is possible to have nasty things in a spreadsheet.)

Another option: get a Google account and upload your spreadsheet to google docs. You can even set it up that other (select) people can edit it.

 

[LarryOz]

Thanks Lief - and yes I am 55, but have never felt in as good a shape as I do now (yeah - except for my shoulder. 4 weeks from surgery tomorrow)
- and good point Charles - but the same goes for any jpg or any other picture format for that matter. Anyone can take a picture of anything that would be distasteful and then upload it on the site.

Yes - I have goggle docs and have shared docs with others. It is great! It would just be nice to be able to post/embed a spreadsheet onto a thread.
We are so data driven and using comparisons all the the time - spreadsheets are a nice way to present the data.

 

[ratz]

We are so data driven and using comparisons all the the time - spreadsheets are a nice way to present the data.

Your a computer guy I fully expect you to hand create HTML tables in a text editor and post them.

 

[MrSteve]

Bob, Rick, anyone else out there that regularly switches between different bikes/seat angles:
Do you find it hard to "get in the zone" after changing from Vendetta to Silivio (or other), and then back again?

My Sofrider has two custom, quick-change seats.
I built the first one with a 33 degree recline.
This is the seat I use most.

Years later, I built the second one with an 18 degree recline.
This is the seat I use when I want to pretend I'm a racer.
Aerodynamic efficiency rules... and this seat rules.

Why?
The fake reason for building my own seats is that my sweat had corroded
the bolts holding the bottle cages to the stock seat pan and was pitting the
aluminum seat pan itself.
I'm corrosive.
The real reason for building my own seats is that I could.
I'd built all my own kayaks, custom-fitted to my body and felt, correctly
as it turned out, that building custom-fitted seats would be worth the effort.

Now, everyone is different and I know I'm different, so take this for what it's worth.

The 33 degree seat is very ergonomically similar to the stock Cruzbike seat,
except for the subtle swells and dells that mold it to my unique back.
When I hammer in this seat, my lower-body power is either generated
between the hips jammed in the pocket of the seat and the pedals or
between my shoulders bridged on the back of the seat and the pedals.

The 18 degree seat sits two inches closer to the head tube and two inches lower
on the frame that supports the bottom seat pan than does the 33 degree seat.
This way, I do not have to adjust the TFT when I change seats.

The 18 degree seat has a subtly different shape, because I lie flatter and my spine
has a different shape.
The 18 degree seat has a shorter seat pan -where the buttocks are supported-
because that worked best for the low seat when stopped ... and the leg(s)
were on the ground.
When I hammer in this low-drag seat, I'm already mostly bridged and so power
is generated between both my shoulders; hips and the pedals... with a little boost
from the neck muscles via the head rest.

The 18-degree seat is faster uphill, faster on the flat and, of course, much faster
downhill.
For me, it transmits what power I'm still capable of more efficiently.

The 33-degree seat gets the most use because it's easier to see stuff when your head
is not on a head rest; it's also easier for me to access my water.

Is it easier to get from 'zone' into another 'zone.'?
Not for me.
But, like I said, I'm different.

 

[LarryOz]

Ratz - Yes I could do that - just as I hand coded complete web pages with spreedsheets, calenders,etc 2 decades ago - but definitely no time for that now - then I couldn't complain either. :O
Steve - Good data and input - Thanks,

I actually rode my 100 minute recovery ride this morning on with my "foam wedge" built to just slip lay on top of th CF seat. Then my Ventist pad on top. (on my KICKR) Since I was only riding recovery at ~160watts, I could not really tell a big difference. The only difference I noticed was my HR was a little lower, but that is not a good gauge. Bad thing was - since at my neck I was 2" off the original CF seat, my headrest was not really in the right spot. Terrible neck ache now I think for my neck laying so far back. Obviously not ready for the road yet!

 

[Happyrider]

Larry, unless you want to upload an interactive spread sheet, why not just do a screen capture and upload it as a jpeg?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Larry, unless you want to upload an interactive spread sheet, why not just do a screen capture and upload it as a jpeg?

That may be the easiest fix.

 

[LarryOz]

Road with my "8 degree offset wedge" yesterday. Forgot to account for the headrest however - terrible neck ache all day. Here's why:
Original 20 degree:


Seat with "wedge in place - head has no-where to go except back!

So much for that experiment. I definitely need to build an adjustable headrest bracket now!
Thanks for all the good info on that Rick!
No if I could just get rid of this neck ache!