Does anyone align their saddle slightly off-center?

[scottcw]

A friend who is a Cat 2 road racer aligns his saddle so that instead of being dead center down the TT, it is slightly off - he visually aligns the side of the saddle with the outside edge of the TT.

Does anyone else do this? if so, why?

[Peter]

I've read of this being done before to compensate for leg length discrepancies and various anomalies of posture. I've tried it but I can't say I feel any great differences.

There's no rule against it, so experiment because it might work for you.

[scottcw]

I've read of this being done before to compensate for leg length discrepancies and various anomalies of posture. I've tried it but I can't say I feel any great differences.

There's no rule against it, so experiment because it might work for you.

I think this was his rationale. So which way to you turn the nose to compensate for discrepancies in leg length? toward the shorter or the longer leg?

[shinomaster]

mine hangs over to the left a bit. My left leg is shorter and rubbs the seat.

[scottcw]

mine hangs over to the left a bit. My left leg is shorter and rubbs the seat.

My left leg is also slightly shorter. So you nudge the nose of the saddle to the left when viewed from the back of the bike?

[kestrel]

mine hangs over to the left a bit.

Mine hangs to the left also, do you think it has something to do with your dominant hand?
:banana:

[Kevan]

Sandy rides with his facing backwards.

Has something to do with his enjoying the ride that much more. :D

[shinomaster]

SAndy said you take yours off Kevan!

[dirtdigger88]

Maybe it has to do with something. . . else. :eek: which side do your boys "hang" out on :p

jason

[M_A_Martin]

Um...no jason...

I have a functional leg length descrepancy also...my saddle is tiltled slightly to the left as well. And well...last I checked...I didn't have anything extra to worry about "placing".
:p
Ginger

[Too Tall]

WHAT LEG are YOU talking about ehhh?????

I tink Texas A&M started that bit yrs. ago by publishing some otherwise great info. on how to get aero. The recommend is to put the saddle left or right by 1/2 the width of the TT..or is it the saddle nose???? Hmm, either way the idea is to give your whatsamagiggleeverythingsouthofthebeans a transverse area of relief. It sorta works on your basic flat saddle w/ no cut out or gutter.

Solution for minor Leg length discrepency???? I think not.

[M_A_Martin]

Well Too Tall...

I know that if I keep the saddle dead on straight, I wind up with a saddlesore on the right regardless of the shorts I'm wearing or if I use chamois butter or not.

And I know that I do have a functional leg length difference. Identified by my orthopods, pts, and other helpful folks.

And I didn't read any studies. Its just what works. I don't see it as a leg length descrepancy fix, I see it as a chaffing fix.

[scottcw]

As a follow-up, I tried this before riding this weekend and I think it made a difference my left (slightly shorter) leg and hip area are not sore at all. I almost always had leg and hip pain after riding prior to this adjustment. I will see how it goes long term.

[Too Tall]

OK, I'm blushing ALOT. By your leave. Clever, very clever.

Scottcw, you are chaffing less because you've moved the saddle skirt outta the way of your thigh.

[Tom]

Abrasions always on the right, left hip always sore at hamstring insertion, left leg does all the work, right leg just along for the ride and I put more weight on my left hand than my right.

I adjust the nose to the left to compensate?

[scottcw]

OK, I'm blushing ALOT. By your leave. Clever, very clever.

Scottcw, you are chaffing less because you've moved the saddle skirt outta the way of your thigh.

I never said anything about chafing less. I have never had problems with chafing. I said that my left leg and hip are pain free after the adjustment.

[Dr. Doofus]

Dear Serottans:

Your Doctor had problems with a degenerative+bulging L5 disk in 1996-97, and, after a epidural cortisone settled things down, your Doofus would still twist as he rode. For the better part of a year, his saddle was a few degrees off to the right -- for no matter how dilligently our team mechanic tightened the seat cluster, your Doctor would inadvertently twist as he pedaled.... After a year, the difficulties subsided, and since 1998 your Doofus has ridden a saddle that is smartly in line with the top tube....

For what its worth, your Doofus noted Sean Yates' saddle was kinked off to one side ever so slightly...also due to a lingering back problem....


Your Humble Servant,

Dr. D. Doofus, Esq.

[Andreu]

Maybe someone could help me....I have been racking my brains and fruitlessly trying to search the web. In the 80´s there was a rider (I thought it was Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle but cannot find any photos to verify) who rode very skew-whiff with his body pointing in a different direction to the bike. It looked like his saddle and handlebars where at an odd angle (or maybe it was his body??).

Anybody with a better memory?
When I had a really dodgy back I know it helped me too to have the saddle at a very slight angle!
A :bike:

[little.man]

http://www.bicyclesports.com/Positioning.html