Huge Favor - Take this Survey on Bicycle Saddles

[MattTuck]

I'm working with some students on a market research project and we're trying to tackle the very subjective issue of bicycle saddles.

If you guys have some time, it would be great to get your opinions. Feel free to share this link with cycling friends, clubs, teams, even across the hall. The bigger sample we get, the better.

Thanks all!

Survey Link (http://tuck.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cYHBEbZLnrpYBtb)

[PaMtbRider]

Done.

[tuscanyswe]

+1

[DRZRM]

Done

[MattTuck]

Thanks all. We'll keep it open for about a week, so feel free to pass it around. If anyone is interested in the results, I'm happy to share them when it is all done. Just PM me.

We have some hypotheses that we are testing, but don't want to share what those are until the data is in. (Don't want to bias folks)

[moose8]

Done.

[dogdriver]

Done, one each for road (Aliante) and mtb (Gobi).

[professerr]

Tried to take the survey, but my anti-malware blocks the link from connecting, fyi.

[MattTuck]

Tried to take the survey, but my anti-malware blocks the link from connecting, fyi.

Hmmm, good to know, though I don't have a solution sadly. I'll talk to IT. I guess I should stop moonlighting with my Nigerian prince scam through the same servers!

[vav]

Done. I'll for sure be interested in seeing/reading the final results.

[bobswire]

✓

[Fishbike]

Done. Please post link to results when done.

What was the students' reponse to the saddle idea? Were non-cyclists able to understand the importance of a comfortable saddle and the concept that not all saddles work for all folks?

[cookietom]

Done

[Duende]

Donners

[gasman]

That was easy

[Matt-H]

Done

[distanc3]

Done.

+1 on posting results after the research is done :hello:

[tiretrax]

Done. I'm always interested in what is behind this and what information is being sought.

[Nooch]

done

[Shortsocks]

Done. :)

[zennmotion]

Done, Arione and WTB SST

[Spinner]

completed

[Vinci]

Done.

[donevwil]

If a saddle gets very high ratings will it go back into production ? If so, can I do the survey a million times ?

1697879420

[MattTuck]

Ha! I can only imagine the power point presentation you'd have to make to get a company to bring back a saddle.

"And as you can see here in the graph, chaffing for this saddle is 43% lower than the average chaffing of other saddles...."

[CaliFly]

Done. Love Qualtrics for surveys, btw. :)

[melonyogloo]

Done

[SpeedyChix]

completed for both road and mtb saddles.
Results posted would be grand!

[john903]

Done, and am looking forward to the results.
Thanks.

[leooooo]

Easy, done.

[TBDSeattle]

Done, and am looking forward to the results.
Thanks.

+ 1

Done, and interested in the results.

Also, quick question about survey design. The choice to use a text field for the height questions struck me as odd. I would have thought that a categorical variable from a drop-down menu for feet and inches i.e.

How tall are you?
Feet (categorical drop down)
Inches (categorical drop down)

... would be easier for the respondent. Where you saving a question, or is there another reason for structuring the question that way?

Thanks! I'm designing a survey in Qualtrics at the moment...

[Ahneida Ride]

Done .... Do I win some free HandleBra wrap ? :banana:

[TheEnglish]

Done. How do I post this to Strava?

[joep2517]

Done... Glad to help.

[T.J.]

Done

[Bob Ross]

done

[jojobos]

yep did it.

[dyerwolf]

Another one done....

[David Kirk]

Done and done!

dave

[Black Dog]

Done Didily Done Matterino.

[MattTuck]

+ 1

Done, and interested in the results.

Also, quick question about survey design. The choice to use a text field for the height questions struck me as odd. I would have thought that a categorical variable from a drop-down menu for feet and inches i.e.

How tall are you?
Feet (categorical drop down)
Inches (categorical drop down)

... would be easier for the respondent. Where you saving a question, or is there another reason for structuring the question that way?

Thanks! I'm designing a survey in Qualtrics at the moment...

You're probably right, it would have been easier for the respondent. But I figured cyclists are not just a good looking bunch, but good at math too! In fact, I almost had them collect the data in meters. ok... maybe not the bit about the meters, but it was just a quick survey to give the students some experience on conducting market research. Messing up is part of the learning process.

I think the data will be interesting, but I'm not sure I'd invest my life savings in a saddle company based on the results, if you know what I mean.

[MattTuck]

PS. Thanks everyone. Feel free to share with riding friends, team mates, etc. We're up to almost 200 responses. So it is a pretty good sample, I hope.

[TBDSeattle]

PS. Thanks everyone. Feel free to share with riding friends, team mates, etc. We're up to almost 200 responses. So it is a pretty good sample, I hope.

bump... for a cool idea.

I can't let the idea pass that this is a "good" sample though... I guess describing this sample frame as good is a function of how you define your sample population ;)

At any rate, I continue to be interested in the results!

[sw3759]

easy peezy.glad we can help :)

maybe they can make it a sticky til your finished

[chuckroast]

I'm in

[pdmtong]

done

[thwart]

… for MattTuck, I'd do anything… even a survey.

[pbarry]

So now I get your avatar. :hello:

I feel a bit sorry for the non-cyclist students who have to study on esoterical Italian and British saddle models/nomenclature. :eek:

[wc1934]

done
bliss? haha

[jmeloy]

Doneski

[MattTuck]

bump... for a cool idea.

I can't let the idea pass that this is a "good" sample though... I guess describing this sample frame as good is a function of how you define your sample population ;)

At any rate, I continue to be interested in the results!

Yeah, "good" is maybe not the right word. The sample size is hopefully big enough that they can do some simple analysis and get p values that are reasonable.

So now I get your avatar. :hello:

I feel a bit sorry for the non-cyclist students who have to study on esoterical Italian and British saddle models/nomenclature. :eek:

Ha! They'll get over it, or get an F. ;)

[bking]

completo

[avalonracing]

Done.
The whole point is to prove that the Fizik Aliante is the best saddle over on the road (and the Gobi is on MTB) ;)

[soulspinner]

Done.
The whole point is to prove that the Fizik Aliante is the best saddle over on the road (and the Gobi is on MTB) ;)

Ha I agree:cool:

[William]

Done!:cool:






William

[bike-md]

Done

[Nooch]

Done.
The whole point is to prove that the Fizik Aliante is the best saddle over on the road (and the Gobi is on MTB) ;)

Or Matt's just trying to identify who rides his favorite, discontinued saddle so he can start hoarding...

Anything's possible!

[LegendRider]

Done.

[douglas]

Done

[bobswire]

Done.
The whole point is to prove that the Fizik Aliante is the best saddle over on the road (and the Gobi is on MTB) ;)

Sorry Dude, Regals still rule.

[Gsinill]

done

[JAGI410]

Done, twice. My road saddles and Mtb saddles are different.

[redir]

Took it for my Brooks Swift. Hope you post your findings back here some day.

[MattTuck]

Took it for my Brooks Swift. Hope you post your findings back here some day.

I definitely will. We're keeping it open for about a week, so feel free to forward to cycling friends and or club/team mates.

[jmoore]

If a saddle gets very high ratings will it go back into production ? If so, can I do the survey a million times ?

1697879420

I could be talked into it

[WNCRider]

Done

[roydyates]

I did the survey. Gotta admit I'm puzzled what can be deduced.

Coincidentally, I happened to visit Dartmouth on Wednesday. I couldn't figure out why the cheap MTBs on the racks were locked when the students leave their iphones and macbooks unattended (for extended periods) around the student center.

[sparky33]

Coincidentally, I happened to visit Dartmouth on Wednesday. I couldn't figure out why the cheap MTBs on the racks were locked when the students leave their iphones and macbooks unattended (for extended periods) around the student center.


Are you kidding? Bikes steal themselves in Hanover, but no one needs another laptop.

[MattTuck]

Are you kidding? Bikes steal themselves in Hanover, but no one needs another laptop.

At some point in the year, they tag all the bikes on the racks. They come back a month later and just take any bikes that haven't been moved and put them all in a big pile. Lots of cheap low range components if anyone was interested.

[MattTuck]

I did the survey. Gotta admit I'm puzzled what can be deduced.

Coincidentally, I happened to visit Dartmouth on Wednesday. I couldn't figure out why the cheap MTBs on the racks were locked when the students leave their iphones and macbooks unattended (for extended periods) around the student center.

You should have told me. Although it was cold, we could have ridden, or atleast grabbed coffee. What were you doing on campus? Don't even ask me about what they're doing up the road. Tuck is sort of separated from the undergrad experience.

Survey is actually looking at some of the potential reasons people don't like their saddle. We had a hypothesis that people would rate their saddles lower if they were heavier. And that there may be a market opportunity for saddles targeted at heavier riders -- or we might see that certain saddles work for heavier riders better than other saddles. Surprisingly, we haven't seen that relationship materialize in the data.

Once we finish out the survey and clean up the data though, there may be some other stuff we can tease out. I admit I just did some surface level analysis on 2 or 3 of the variables -- so not very comprehensive. We'll see if anything comes out of it once they dig into it.

[pbarry]

You should have told me. Although it was cold, we could have ridden, or atleast grabbed coffee. What were you doing on campus? Don't even ask me about what they're doing up the road. Tuck is sort of separated from the undergrad experience.

Survey is actually looking at some of the potential reasons people don't like their saddle. We had a hypothesis that people would rate their saddles lower if they were heavier. And that there may be a market opportunity for saddles targeted at heavier riders -- or we might see that certain saddles work for heavier riders better than other saddles. Surprisingly, we haven't seen that relationship materialize in the data.

Once we finish out the survey and clean up the data though, there may be some other stuff we can tease out. I admit I just did some surface level analysis on 2 or 3 of the variables -- so not very comprehensive. We'll see if anything comes out of it once they dig into it.


COOL PROJECT! You know that we are counting on you to find the definitive best saddle for everyone !! JK!

[UberBike]

done.

Too bad you dont have it show a running tally after you complete like some surveys.

[iPaul]

Done. Your survey just reminded me on wy I continue to love the turbomatic no matter what updated style is being made these days. Thx

[Tim Porter]

Done. At 215 lbs, I'll be interested in your results.

[mbrtool]

Done

[morrisericd]

Terry Fly!

[roydyates]

You should have told me. Although it was cold, we could have ridden, or atleast grabbed coffee. What were you doing on campus? Don't even ask me about what they're doing up the road. Tuck is sort of separated from the undergrad experience.

Survey is actually looking at some of the potential reasons people don't like their saddle. We had a hypothesis that people would rate their saddles lower if they were heavier. And that there may be a market opportunity for saddles targeted at heavier riders -- or we might see that certain saddles work for heavier riders better than other saddles. Surprisingly, we haven't seen that relationship materialize in the data.

Once we finish out the survey and clean up the data though, there may be some other stuff we can tease out. I admit I just did some surface level analysis on 2 or 3 of the variables -- so not very comprehensive. We'll see if anything comes out of it once they dig into it.

You're tougher than me. It was 22 degrees and it snowed 3 inches the night before although I can admit the roads were surprisingly clear. In any case, I was visiting with my high school kid who was trying to figure out if he should go to Dartmouth. In any event, it looks like he is going to join class of 18, so I'll try and look you up on a future visit.

It's interesting to test whether heavy guys hate their saddles more. An alternate hypothesis is that distributions for heavy people have more extreme love-hate relationships with their saddles, ie more variance, maybe even a bimodal
distribution?

[roydyates]

Are you kidding? Bikes steal themselves in Hanover, but no one needs another laptop.

Really?? I've been on a lot of campuses and Dartmouth/Hanover reminded me of the movie Pleasantville.

[jghall]

Completed twice. Have several bikes and 2 different/main saddles.

[gavingould]

done

[biker72]

Survey taken.

[1centaur]

Survey is actually looking at some of the potential reasons people don't like their saddle. We had a hypothesis that people would rate their saddles lower if they were heavier. And that there may be a market opportunity for saddles targeted at heavier riders -- or we might see that certain saddles work for heavier riders better than other saddles. Surprisingly, we haven't seen that relationship materialize in the data.

As the BMI haters would tell you, there is a difference between heavy fat and heavy muscle. And if we were talking fat, would fat riders be unhappy because the saddles are wrong or because fat people are more likely to complain (several options after that on the decision tree). Hard to overcome the statistical rigor of the high n experiment that IS the market over the last 50 years. While there might have been a bias to Euro saddles for Euro body types in prior years, we have certainly seen some larger/wider saddles for the last decade or so from makers in the US market such as Bontrager and Specialized. If there is a market opportunity, it might only be in a biomechanical breakthrough that the saddle makers agree would be great but cannot yet achieve.

If the survey points to a hypothesis, it would be interesting to contact saddle makers to get their thoughts.

[sparky33]

Really?? I've been on a lot of campuses and Dartmouth/Hanover reminded me of the movie Pleasantville.


It is Pleasantville, really it is as it seems. I never locked my door.

Though unlocked bikes sometimes got "borrowed" for the journey across campus by folks finding themselves with a lapse of good judgment for one reason or another. Mostly harmless shenanigans.

I'd enjoy taking a look at the survey results when all is said and done....

[WSBA Jr.]

Completed, look forward to results. Enjoyed the comparison to Pleasantville, campus sounds like a good place in near future for the junior racer and STEM kid who lives here...

[sand fungus]

Completed

[MadeinGermany]

Done.

[BSBD]

Done.

[FixedGear]

Done. Thanks :bike: