Half of riders can't differentiate between saddles in blind test

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Could you tell the difference between various saddles in a blind test? How much weight do you put on the saddle vs the pedals and the handlebars? And does bike fit and position affect these things?

After two and a half years of research at the University of Colorado, Fizik and associate professor of integrative physiology Rodger Kram have been able to quantify these things and more as part of an ongoing exploratory study. While the complete findings will be published soon, BikeRadar had the opportunity to visit Dr Kram to learn about the study and take part in an example blind test of saddles.

"We wanted to change the way we do things," Fizik's Alberto Fonte said of the Italian brand's partnership with the CU Locomotion Lab and Dr Kram. "The aim of Fizik is to be the connection between the man and the machine. In order to make better products for the rider's three contact points, we want to understand as much about that connection as we can."

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While some companies will occasionally trot out an academic expert to endorse a product, Fizik has taken a different approach, at least for now. Dr Kram said he gets approached all the time by companies asking him to 'prove' that their product has value, and he has no interest in this. "Here, we are not asking equipment-specific questions, but basic questions," said Dr Kram, who decades ago invented a running treadmill that measured the forces a runner creates in motion.

Some of those basic questions – such as, what is the division of pressure across the contact points? – have led to other questions, such as investigations about the weight distribution on each wheel for pros vs amateurs who set up their own bikes vs those who have had Specialized Body Geometry fits or Retül fits.

1. Power study, 1-4w/kg – to determine standard for future tests
2. Cadence study, 60-110rpm – to determine standard for future tests
3. Hand position – tops vs drops vs hoods
4. Rider position and saddle – road vs triathlon
5. Handlebar stack and reach – how does this affect forces at stem, bb and saddle?
6. Front/rear wheel rider weight distribution – self-set position vs Body Geometry fit vs Retül fit, plus pro rider data
7. Center of pressure location as saddle is moved fore/aft
8. Saddle discrimination ability – can riders differentiate between saddles in blind test?
9. Subject ride comfort – can this be somehow quantified?

• a rider’s weight is distributed roughly 40/15/45 to the saddle/stem/BB

• per increase of w/kg increase of power, forces decreased 3% at the saddle and 1% at the bottom bracket
• for fore/aft forces, riders averaged 20% at the saddle, and a balancing 12% at the stem and 8% at the BB

• increasing cadence caused saddle forces to increase slightly but forces at the bar were nearly constant from 60-110rpm

• riding on the hoods increased pressure at the saddle, compared to the tops and drops, surprisingly

• changing saddles didn’t affect forces at the three contact points
• TT positions put less pressure on the saddle and BB but more on the stem

• stem pressure decreased as the bar got higher, but saddle pressure stayed the same
• surprisingly, as bar reach increased, saddle force increased and stem force decreased

• self-fit cyclists had the closest weight distribution to select BMC and Cannondale riders 

• although still ongoing, 12 of 23 tested subjects couldn’t differentiate between two saddles when riding blind (Riders completed three short sessions, riding one saddle once and the other saddle twice, but in a random order. Then they were asked to list that order, such as A, A, B or A, B, A.)

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

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