On Saddle Height

I noticed recently that the saddle on the Coppi was dropping lower and lower, every few months I would raise the saddle and then over a few weeks it would drop back down. On Saturday when I went to Biseagal they put some goo in the seat post tube to keep the seat post at a fixed height, yet by Wednesday it was clear the saddle was dropping again.

So yet again, Thursday this time, I took the Coppi to Biseagal and we measured the diameter of the seat post tube. Now I should add this is the same seat post and tube that I bought the Coppi with (used) in 1994. The seat post tube has a diameter of 26.6mm but the seat post is 26.4mm and that 0.2mm (200 micrometers) is enough to cause the drop.

Well I traded in my seat post for a black one that is the 26.6mm and now the seat is up to a good height, and it makes a really big difference, all of a sudden going into the drops does not feel so awkward and spinning fast is a much more natural sensation.

I have to admit on reflection the Coppi always felt faster whenever I adjusted the seat post, for example, when I attached the pedals or when I replaced the bar tape, now I realise, the problem was as much as anything the saddle height. The moral here is that having good equipment might make you feel good about what you own, but if it is not setup properly you just won't get the sort of advantage that bad equipment set up properly can provide.

So I guess the big summary here is spend that extra time and get sized correctly.

Friday, the day after the saddle height fix, there was a steady wind from the west which makes the ride to work (I live east of the office) rather difficult. On the other hand I lacked the will power to obey the 50km/h speed limit on the ride home. It was a race, Michael on the 15 or 20 year-old steel frame on his fractional horse power legs vs. the internal combustion engine in your typical one or two ton killing machine. Hardly a fair match, but I sure gave those oblivious operators of their killing machines a good run for their money. In one section of Queen street between Parliament and River I was passing cars going at speed. I strongly suspect that if I chanced to look at the driver I would have been met with jaw drooped incredulity.

If only I had indexed gear shifting, holy smokes, I could beat the cars climbing hills as well as in the flats. I guess there is another moral tale here, cars suck, but we already knew that.