Saturday’s ride was all about covering some long, flat miles. Or so I said. Really, it was a chance for me to spend a few hours on an unfamiliar saddle, and have several folks along who could listen to me gripe if the experience wasn’t good.
Early, rain fell, leading to a rash of calls and emails asking if the ride was on. It was.
By the time we left the parking lot of Christ Community Church on Air Harbor Rd, the temps (still chilly) were starting to climb and the sun was shining. Our route was simple:
Navigate to Hwy 150 north.
Ride until we got tired of going north.
Turn around and ride back.
Doing all of this netted us 53 miles, at an average of about 19 mph.
Oh yes, the new saddle. My Fizik Arione, which I’ve always thought of as a friend, was starting to annoy me in a variety of ways, comfort-wise. In the old days — maybe 20 years ago — the solution was simple: Cough up $20 bucks for a new saddle, and if you didn’t like it, sell it to someone else for a small loss.
These days, $20 has inflated to $100+ — and often much more — making the buy, try and see if you like approach a bit riskier.
So, instead of shopping my way to a more comfortable solution, I decided to give the Competitive Cyclist saddle demo program a try. I went online, ordered a demo kit, and a few days later a hardshell case carrying 11 saddles was delivered to my door.
Saturday was my first day testing a different saddle. I’ll get in another 60+ miles tomorrow in my quest to find the perfect seat. And after I wrap up the demo I’ll post my impressions — the good, the bad, etc.