[imageWIS]

1) What’s a good replacement seat? The seat that came with the bike is horrific and after 3 / hours of riding I feel like my gluteus maximus is going to fall off, I need something more suited to longer trips.

2) According to the Trek owner’s manual, on mountain bikes you should have
“2-3” clearance from the top of the tube when your feet are placed one the ground, but with my feet on the ground, I’m right on the bar, yet the rest of the ride felt fine (although I was not comfortable at the end of the ride, but I attribute that to the fact that I really could not sit). I bought a medium (17.5), is the size right for me? According to the bike shop the bike was the right size…

Jon.

 

[sanjuro]

1) What’s a good replacement seat? The seat that came with the bike is horrific and after 3 / hours of riding I feel like my gluteus maximus is going to fall off, I need something more suited to longer trips.

2) According to the Trek owner’s manual, on mountain bikes you should have
“2-3” clearance from the top of the tube when your feet are placed one the ground, but with my feet on the ground, I’m right on the bar, yet the rest of the ride felt fine (although I was not comfortable at the end of the ride, but I attribute that to the fact that I really could not sit). I bought a medium (17.5), is the size right for me? According to the bike shop the bike was the right size…

Jon.

How tall are you, and what is your inseam?

 

[imageWIS]

Aprox. Inseam: 31”

Aprox. Height: 5’-6”

Jon.

 

[maxyedor]

The clearance issue is nothing to do with comfort. It is to keep you from denting or otherwise damaging some very important man-parts should you stop and not get off the side or back of the bike. As for the seat can't help you because it's all personal pref.

 

[SK6]

While the manual covers basics, the bottom line is whatiscomfortable for you.

As far as the saddle is concerned, that is a personal preference. Some people like Fender guitars or Gibson's, Ford or Chevy...Point is you get what best works for you.

 

[bjanga]

The seat might just feel uncomfortable because your butt is not yet used to the abuse. There is no escape from the pounding.

The frame sizing sounds right. I ride a large (19") Trek 6500 from 2002 and I have some clearance, but not much. I am 6' now, I was 5'10" when I bought the thing.

 

[LordOpie]

1) What’s a good replacement seat? The seat that came with the bike is horrific and after 3 / hours of riding I feel like my gluteus maximus is going to fall off, I need something more suited to longer trips.

2) According to the Trek owner’s manual, on mountain bikes you should have
“2-3” clearance from the top of the tube when your feet are placed one the ground, but with my feet on the ground, I’m right on the bar, yet the rest of the ride felt fine (although I was not comfortable at the end of the ride, but I attribute that to the fact that I really could not sit). I bought a medium (17.5), is the size right for me? According to the bike shop the bike was the right size…

Jon.

Hey bro, I used to live in Boca. I really liked the town. They have the best martial arts school I've ever trained at or even visited, so if the arts ever interest you, visit Yama-Ryu Ju-Jutsu.

As for biking, three hours on a bike for a new rider is a LONG friggin' time! There's no saddle that would've been comfortable enough.

Here was my saddle route:
1. Terry Liberator... nice cushy saddle.
2. Terry Dragonfly... medium hardness with good support for long days.
3. Brooks B17... hard leather saddle.

As you get used to riding, you may find that you don't want any padding as it might push into nerve endings, but I doubt anyone can start right off on a hard saddle right away.

As for bike height, there's (probably) the right bike out there for everyone. Did the shop measure you up or fit the bike to you? There's nothing you can do about the top-tube on any particular bike, but different bikes have different geometries, so maybe ask the shop, maybe return the bike for a full refund and look at a bike with more of a sloping top-tube.

And if you're not going to mt.bike much -- and I can only think of Quiet Waters Park -- perhaps a road bike is more in order?

 

[imageWIS]

Hey bro, I used to live in Boca. I really liked the town. They have the best martial arts school I've ever trained at or even visited, so if the arts ever interest you, visit Yama-Ryu Ju-Jutsu.

As for biking, three hours on a bike for a new rider is a LONG friggin' time! There's no saddle that would've been comfortable enough.

Here was my saddle route:
1. Terry Liberator... nice cushy saddle.
2. Terry Dragonfly... medium hardness with good support for long days.
3. Brooks B17... hard leather saddle.

As you get used to riding, you may find that you don't want any padding as it might push into nerve endings, but I doubt anyone can start right off on a hard saddle right away.

As for bike height, there's (probably) the right bike out there for everyone. Did the shop measure you up or fit the bike to you? There's nothing you can do about the top-tube on any particular bike, but different bikes have different geometries, so maybe ask the shop, maybe return the bike for a full refund and look at a bike with more of a sloping top-tube.

And if you're not going to mt.bike much -- and I can only think of Quiet Waters Park -- perhaps a road bike is more in order?

I’ll go to Quiet Waters every once in a while. To give you an idea, yesterday I went from 441 and palmetto to federal highway and back, and looped around the lake behind Lago del Mar on my way back.

Maybe I should I have taken it easier, seeing as my ass still hurts this morning.

Jon.

 

[LordOpie]

Maybe I should I have taken it easier, seeing as my ass still hurts this morning.

eh, ride as long as you want. If it's just pain, that's your call. If you get numbness or skin rash/irritation, then you have a problem that NEEDS to be addressed.

 

[Angus]

saddles are a personal thing. Some have better enginering behind them, I have and old WTB that I love and some of there newer designs get rave reviews, but most likely your butt is sore just because your not used to long rides also what are you wearing? any padding? I almost always wear shorts with a fair amount of padding, but a few weeks back I wore some long tights and no padding, and my butt was sore after what is a normal 35 mile road ride for me.

 

[enkie]

Ha yes, to echo everyone standover is really only about safety in the case that you have to jump off all of a sudden, the main thing you should be concerned about is saddle height and fore/aft position.

In my experience the Sella Italia gel flite is one of the most popular saddles. But. . .to each their own.

Congrats on the new bike! Trek kicks ass.

 

[imageWIS]

How upright should I be? Diagrams / pictures would be appreciated.

Jon.

 

[LordOpie]

How upright should I be? Diagrams / pictures would be appreciated.

You should be comfortable.

If you were concerned with being aerodynamic, you'd have gotten a time-trial bike or at least a road bike, maybe with aerobars. But aerodynamic is irrelevant if you're not racing.

Plus, if you're bent way over, you're compressing your lungs and I suspect less oxygen in your body is more of a fact that whatever you gain from being aero.

Be comfortable

 

[imageWIS]

You should be comfortable.

If you were concerned with being aerodynamic, you'd have gotten a time-trial bike or at least a road bike, maybe with aerobars. But aerodynamic is irrelevant if you're not racing.

Plus, if you're bent way over, you're compressing your lungs and I suspect less oxygen in your body is more of a fact that whatever you gain from being aero.

Be comfortable

I was pretty damn conformable (except for the seat of course) for the first 2 hours of riding. Could be that I’m just not used to the bike. However, I rather exchange it now if need be than waiting and fighting with the LBS.

Jon.

 

[LordOpie]

First off, it's a good bike. Second, if you're new to biking and you were "pretty damn conformable for the first 2 hours of riding", then I'd say without hesistation that you've got the right bike and the right setup! Third, you'll need more bikes in the future and this is a great one to keep in your stable.

Now you've got to find the right saddle and shorts for you

PS: MunkeeHucker likes more padding, I like less. Some like a lot, some like none... sorry, no right answer, but atleast you're spending money researchign something in pursuit of health and happiness.

Mazel tov.

 

[imageWIS]

First off, it's a good bike. Second, if you're new to biking and you were "pretty damn conformable for the first 2 hours of riding", then I'd say without hesistation that you've got the right bike and the right setup! Third, you'll need more bikes in the future and this is a great one to keep in your stable.

Now you've got to find the right saddle and shorts for you

PS: MunkeeHucker likes more padding, I like less. Some like a lot, some like none... sorry, no right answer, but atleast you're spending money researchign something in pursuit of health and happiness.

Mazel tov.

First of all, getting a Mavel Tov from a person living in Colorado is a rear thing (mind you I said living in, not owning a ski house in Vail… ), although you did live in Boca…

Secondly, I am still off on the height of the seat, since I think I should put it a bit higher. How much leeway should my knees have when my legs are fully extended?

Jon.

 

[Tenchiro]

Your ass is going to hurt on your first ride, and will probably be worse tomorrow. Give it a few rides and you will probably get used to it. If you still hate it, fo to your LBS and they should be able to fit you with something comfortable. Personally I like the WTB Speed series seats.

You might also want to get a pair of padded shorts, I personally think they feel like a diaper (a soggy one after a few hours), but most seem to like them.

As far as leg extension, your knees should almost fully extend, but if you wobble back and forth when you pedal your seat is too high. Have someone ride behind you for a bit and see.

 

[LordOpie]

really rough rule of thumb: sit on the saddle as normal, put your heel on the pedal, your leg should be near full extension.

If you want to make adjustments, do one thing at a time, ride with it for a while, make another small adjustment.

 

[imageWIS]

Your ass is going to hurt on your first ride, and will probably be worse tomorrow. Give it a few rides and you will probably get used to it. If you still hate it, fo to your LBS and they should be able to fit you with something comfortable. Personally I like the WTB Speed series seats.

You might also want to get a pair of padded shorts, I personally think they feel like a diaper (a soggy one after a few hours), but most seem to like them.

As far as leg extension, your knees should almost fully extend, but if you wobble back and forth when you pedal your seat is too high. Have someone ride behind you for a bit and see.

The thing is I want to take the bike on trails, but also I want to use it to go to the corner store, which would lead me not to change into padded bicycle shorts. Thus I am going to want a seat with padding, or at least softer than the default seat that came with my bike.

Jon.

 

[sanjuro]

The thing is I want to take the bike on trails, but also I want to use it to go to the corner store, which would lead me not to change into padded bicycle shorts. Thus I am going to want a seat with padding, or at least softer than the default seat that came with my bike.

Jon.

A lot of new riders have suffer from pain in the rear, because they are not used to sitting for hours at a time.

We used to sell a thousand gel pads that way. But after a few weeks, your muscles toughen up down there, and you don't feel any pain.

A better seat is not a bad idea, but you probably won't need a balloon seat. And there are plenty of baggie shorts with pads sewn into the inner liner.

 

[Angus]

The thing is I want to take the bike on trails, but also I want to use it to go to the corner store, which would lead me not to change into padded bicycle shorts. Thus I am going to want a seat with padding, or at least softer than the default seat that came with my bike.

Jon.

You'll have to take it like a man, trust me in a few weeks you won't want a overly padded seat...