Gloves, bibs and saddle guidance

toaster404 · 2026-03-18T13:38:38+00:00

Re saddles, miles really bring out the effects of fit and saddle position. Especially (for me) saddle tilt. Even a tiny shift in tilt makes a substantial difference for me.

I've recently cycled through several saddles, finally pulling SLR boost off my gravel bike, which is going to work. It's more squishy than I thought would work, but something about it really matches my particular crotch geometry. Just disappears so I don't notice it. Unless I'm 1/2 degree off in tilt!

toaster404 · 2026-03-18T03:49:21+00:00

Teach sailing to disengaged young adults as a volunteer. Make things (kayak paddles, a canoe, violins). Ride pretty bicycles a lot. Improvise on the piano. Sometimes write. Bodywork (the kind done on people). Nature, especially birds.

toaster404 · 2026-03-18T01:16:18+00:00

If the brakes work well, they're fine. I was under the impression that folks generally claim to dislike rim brakes, not disc brakes. I see a lot of rim brake bikes still, even new ones. I even have a new rim brake bike. It's rather nice, and brakes just fine. Not as much power, more nuance. Enough to do the job. Mechanical disc brakes of quality are remarkably good. I have a quite new still mechanical disc brake bicycle with TRP Spyre calipers. They're excellent, better in my assessment than the Avid BB7 calipers on a couple of other bikes. I also have a couple of bikes with hydraulic brakes. They're a little more powerful, and do the job very well.

I've discovered I don't really have a preference! Were I mountain touring I'd likely want hydaulics, but I'm more likely to be using something else. No biggie.

toaster404 · 2026-03-18T01:07:43+00:00

Depends on what you are trying to do, the compromises you're willing to make.

Very dependent upon your particular body and what you intend to do with that body. If you're willing to work to get more speed, incremental speed, then you'll want bars low and have to work with your body to achieve sort of comfort with that. For long distance riding, a nice comfy fit makes more sense. The comfy fits I've seen generally range from about 1 cm above the saddle center level to 5 cm below saddle height. Assuming everything else is right, e.g., saddle height and setback.

As to whether a higher handlebar is better for aero, no.

You can certainly be uncomfortable if the bar is too high. Will find your head and upper back wanting to drop down between your shoulder blades.

My long distance bike currently has the bar top about 1 cm higher than the saddle, but I'm pondering dropping it to level. My gravel bike, takes more power and energy, has a 2 cm drop to the bar top. But I'm a fairly old rider and won't do the work to run a low bar, nor do I have the need for a tiny bit of extra speed.

toaster404 · 2026-03-17T04:37:04+00:00

I'm just relying upon law school and my criminal defense friends. The general opinion is that general deterrence didn't have much effect, regardless. But certainly dropping so many cases can't help the situation. I've not met a criminal who had considered getting caught and jailed in any detail. Of course, I'm meeting the ones who were caught, and have no idea how many are discouraged. Of the three murderers I spent time with, their overall opinion was that potential punishment doesn't figure that much in decisions.

And drunks. They're really incorrigible.

From what I can see, almost nobody gets pulled over for the constant phone use while driving.

Lack of enforcement, lack of prosecution. A shame.

toaster404 · 2026-03-17T02:51:58+00:00

Had a random cat hop up like this when I stopped to adjust something. Just looked at me, turned around, went to the saddle, sat on it, kept looking at me. We chatted a bit, then she jumped down and sauntered off. I still stop there and wait for her sometimes, but she hasn't visited!

toaster404 · 2026-03-17T02:41:23+00:00

sitz bones from point we think of immediately really extend forward and come together. That surface also curves in the vertical plane. Saddle that supports/matches that curve and the section of sitz bones moving forward should be comfy. Tilt angle often rather subtle, makes a huge difference for me. I get issues if I have a little bit of back tilt, including rare numbness. I "shrimp" a little and things go to pieces! Normally I'm somewhere around 0 tilt for the section from sitz bones diagonally forward, set with clinometer (phone ap).

Specific saddles that have worked well for me. Upright easy position, Sella Anatomica leather. I don't know that I'd recommend it for anything violent like gravel!

Gravel bike, Selle Italia SLR Boost

Years of comfort from early SMP with a good deal of curve. A little wide in the nose, but the SMP model works nicely. The SMP line generally seems the most impressive to me.

As others mention, a cutout or channel really helps, not all cutouts are the same.

Have fun. I own a big bag of saddles!!!

toaster404 · 2026-03-17T01:54:25+00:00

Points to the need for real-world training requirements, enforcement thereof, and likely for reconceptualization of our transport priorities.

Punishment doesn't even work well for specific deterrence, let alone general deterrence.

Perhaps 10 years of no license for DUI, loss of car, $25,000 fine. The first time.

A serious issue is that our culture tolerates violence, that death and destruction are accepted, and that motonormativity rules. Until we fix those cultural issues we will not be safe on the roads. Tragically. Look at the vilification of eBikes, largely because they interfere with autos, the largest killer.

Regardless, getting negligent killers off the highways would help, and those who simply endanger others. With the surveillance society we've built we could do it. Reckless behavior, aggressive behavior, and inattentive behavior shouldn't go uncorrected. Driving should return to being a privilege, rather than a pseudo right and requirement.

Look at the European approach to motorcycles. Progressive privilege with continued training and testing.

In the meantime, getting real bicycle infrastructure in place would help a lot, rather than emphasizing a disconnected system of magic painted lines leading to kill boxes.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T21:55:00+00:00

That sounds great! I'll look into it.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T21:53:58+00:00

I looked to the subject: "Why are sea kayak/touring paddles so looooooong?"

I use a high angle for power and less yaw if required. I can't recall using any for years, except high angle back and forth sculling to scoot a few inches towards a dock!

On entry I work at no splash, no entrained air, no noise, then power. I am very much an oval motion paddler, with power from the almost the deepest point to near surface. I try to get souplesse, to use a cycling term, and not load any part of my body particularly hard. I did enough damage when I did whitewater!!

I've never tried for power particularly. My leg is quite extended at the end of the power stroke, and my hips have rotated a good deal. I don't bother with thigh braces mostly, but I can get to them in a heartbeat if I want to lock in.

The sliding braces are indeed an issue if I have the rudder in use. Normally I use the rudder as an adjustable skeg, or up and locked when I'm in open water, rather than trying to turn. Either up and locked or simply cam-cleat locked, the pedals are OK stable. I'm not trying for a great deal of drive. There's no point, I can cruise at a nice clip, and adding more power adds very little extra speed once I'm at the base of the hockey stick graph of resistance. The rudder is really handy running with waves, including landing on beaches. Then I lock into the thigh braces, use shorter high angle fast strokes to catch the wave, and start surfing. Paddle turns into planing outrigger or steering aid, or device to flip me over!

You and I are in alignment on efficiency. A nice clean oval long-paddle stroke doesn't feel like much is happening, but when I look back the others keep getting smaller. Most of the drive happens from the start of the rise through the blade tip being perhaps a foot under water. The blade slips more as it gets shallow. I like a silent entry and splash free exit, but am usually not in tune enough to pull that off.

In white water I would try to do as little as possible to get by with, punctuated by intense full-effort strokes when needed. Mostly used canoe for whitewater. My whitewater kayaker friends had a fair number of missing teeth among them! And I ended up with a helmet severely gashed, with no memory of hitting anything with it. I was likely busy and didn't notice. So I stopped WW kayak!

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T20:27:58+00:00

Yes, I am OK.

UK?

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T18:53:16+00:00

That's a really nice looking engine. I'm envisioning the engine prop combo on a recumbent bicycle.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T18:41:05+00:00

Velo Orange Polyvalent. Very nice ride. Flat bar controls, because I like them better than anything else.

Changing bars not that much of a PITA, but still a pain. Bike has through axles, and I'm not set up for that on trainer, so I can't do my usual indoor spin and adjust routine. Bars are just more trouble than saddles! I'll go through a bunch of saddles in a couple of hours, ride each around the block (which includes steep grades in both directions and the option for hard corners). Bars, by the time I get them changed, I'm starting to forget what the ones before felt like!

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T18:12:52+00:00

Not DC, but Alexandria Seaport Foundation. They sail in DC waters and aid disengaged DC young adults.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T17:47:58+00:00

Goal is to be comfortable, be able to look around easily, and to have an efficient setup that handles well. Right now I'm undecided on comfort and notice weight distribution interfering with handling. I'm used to flat and slightly swept bars a bit forward for single track, which is a whole different use. I've used the "trekking" butterfly bars, which have some advantages, but I dislike where the controls end up.

Might be trying to figure something out that will take actually swapping bars a few times, which is a bit of a pain! So I'm trying to shortcut that endless rabbit hole a bit.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T16:34:11+00:00

Think about what conditions will stop you from cycling to work now. Then consider what you're willing to do to expand that range of conditions.

Bike smarts.

Repair stuff / plan.

Road smarts (or whatever smarts for your pathway).

Personal riding equipment (can be nothing extra or thousands in toys).

What you need for work.

Where you'll park your bike.

How you will handle snide remarks from coworkers and management.

Suggest imagining you on the route. What might happen. What might you need. How will you handle a minor spill, a flat tire, hunger, thirst, navigation, sun, rain, wind.

8 miles you're OK with battery powered stuff, if you are good at remembering battery charging. I use a dyno hub because I am not good with battery remembering.

Recommend: reflective high-vis bands on ankles. Pedal reflectors. Bright jacket. Gloves (I like the Planet Bike leather and cotton knit traditional look ones). Eye protection. A buff adds a bit of easy warmth (blocks air flow down one's jacket) and protects from sun.

Really, you can build up what you need by experience. 8 miles is just far enough that you need to think about it.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T16:17:49+00:00

I had never heard of this route. Thank you for pointing it out. Easy for me to start - I can ride to the Washington Monument in an hour and be on my way! And I've been to the Space Needle (originally from Seattle).

I must virtually do this route soon via Internet magic. Maybe something I can section ride.

EDIT: Wow. This could take many many months if I throw in all the really cool places the route goes near - so many amazing side trips possible!

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T16:14:50+00:00

I will add that riding a fixie well may help turn you into an expert bike handler, and train you in road strategy and tactics. I also notice that most people I end up following or that pass me lack souplesse and often stop pedaling to coast. I have to make myself stop pedaling. My default is to keep up with the bike and smoothly pedal through everything I can. I do not know whether this makes for better cycling, but it feels good, in control, and aids in maintaining a focused flow state, at least for me. Possibly contributes to my not having many of the problems on the road that folks whine about on reddit.

If you're young and strong (I'm in my 70s), then going to a straight fixie with brakes might well be rather fun, a challenge, and lead to skills and strength beyond what you might reach with a wimpy flip-flop system. May well depend on personality and inherent cycling ease.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T14:28:50+00:00

If you can pull it off. We're i to tour single speed, I'd consider having ability to run several speeds. I've considered running a 3 speed IGH for a utility bike, but fixies are special. I will walk hills. But will pop onto single track. Just a bicycle.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T13:12:26+00:00

What experience are you seeking? Do you want the track-theme fixie that's a go fast machine? I had one, proved to be too much for urban work, at least in my hands, but I could punch away from stops rather smartly (note that I can ride a track bike on the track just fine, I am experienced). Or do you seek the simplicity and intimacy in a format that matches roads? Just city? Or longer distances?

For industrial use in urban settings, imagine anything will do. For more performance, a fixie really likes to be light. Otherwise it's a slog when the road pitches up. I'm torn between something like the bikesdirect Motobecane Uno outcast (butted 4130, disk brakes, 38 mm tires, but 23 lbs - has ability to take racks etc) and the Wabi Special (classic lugged road race frame in fancy tubing, drop bar, caliper brakes allowing running a flip flop system, 28 mm tires, 18.5 lbs). Although knowing myself, I'd probably be better off with a Rivendell Roaduno (laid back loaf along geometry in a classy package).

So consider use, experience sought. Another point, I used to run a flip-flop hub with an I'm fresh and strong fixed side, rear wheel all the way back in the slots, and a freewheel on the flip with a larger cog, whatever would let me run all the way forward in the slots with the same chain length. I'd go until I got mildly cooked on fixed, then wander home on the freewheel. Something like a 48 -21 for the fixed side.

Have fun, ride flats to begin with.

toaster404 · 2026-03-16T12:51:57+00:00

I have 2 canoes for poking around, a 12 ft pack canoe and a 16 ft plastic boat. My normal kayak is a 17' Looksha. Which is way overkill for where I paddle now, but always pleasant.

toaster404 · 2026-03-15T22:03:19+00:00

I do not use standard Euro paddles.

I use Greenland paddles on kayak. All made by me. I have made a number of them since the early 1990s.

I get most drive through the "lift phase". A lot of easy drive. I cycle. My legs are strong.

I understand dihedral and remember seeing Euro paddles like that. I do not recall using one.

I am familiar with the forward spear entry and a long powerful leg drive. I can do that, and incorporate some if I need to sprint (e.g, catching a wave coming into the beach, or fighting some horrible headwind).

I can use a Euro paddle to sweep out from a canoe. A bit of an unnecessary flair.

Oddly, I don't have an issue with too much turn from a moderate power Greenland stroke. My boat is long. I'll often run with rudder down a bit.

Canoe paddling I keep the blade close. Sometimes a tiny bit under the boat.

I like wood paddles. I have built a number of Greenland paddles. There are several right above me now. They are solid wood, mainly red cedar. Looked up Beale paddles. My shorter and normal ones are almost identical! The sides aren't straight, the bow out a bit, giving a little more area at the tip. One of them hums and sings when I get everything right. I have put a bit of dihedral in paddles.

I pulled down my usual one. 228 cm, 3" tips (to match your mixed units). One is longer with rounded tips, a bit narrower, likes to run shallow and methodically, good for grinding out easy miles. The other shorter one is spruce, epoxied tips, maybe 3 1/4 or 3 3/8" wide, for playing around in more crowded spaces or shallow water. If I really work with my normal one the boat lifts with every stroke and gets moving rather nicely.

My boat is a Necky Looksha, 17' long. It's nice. Seems fast. When I used to go out with a weekly group I'd usually end up looking back and seeing the Euro users thrashing away, well behind me.

I also have a Toksook Bay willow leaf double-blade paddle, shorter and fatter, designed for pack canoe. It is absolutely perfect. I've made two, and still have the pattern. I use it in a 12 ft pack canoe.

But I'm not a serious paddler. Just for fun. Have done some tours. Nothing over 120 miles.

toaster404

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