There is nothing more important to a cyclist than the devices that mediates his body and his machine–saddle, shoes, and handlebars. In this piece, I’m going to talk specifically about the posterior articulation. It is beautiful when the communion is completed with a perfect storm of compatibility among saddle, chamois, and crotch. I think I’ve finally experienced this.
I estimate 95 percent of saddles are incompatible with any one cyclists. The percentage definitely goes down for weekend warriors who only spend an hour or two on a bike, since many saddles are good enough for short stints. What I’m talking about are the blokes like me who spend the equivalent of half a work week or more on a bike. Consequently, I’ve been searching for the right saddle for a few years now. In this regard, my quest isn’t much different from many other cyclists I’ve talked to and read about. Recently, I was riding an SLR which is very light and was comfortable while riding. However, I would end up with quite a few saddle sore issues apres ride. So I began using Rad Doc’s saddle testing service to try out a variety of top level saddles. Finally, my last test yielded a good formula in the Fizik Arione. I don’t know why I was holding out on this saddle for so long because it was begging for a try everywhere I looked. I saw them on pro and amateur racers bikes and I’ve had several racers recommend the Arione directly to me. Now I’m outfitting all my bikes with this saddle. As for the chamois, the seamless Giordana’s 3D-OF is working the best right now.
Another perfect storm is coming to fruition–that of nutrition. As a boy, my brother and I had 2 staple foods: orange drink (gallon jug) and licorice (usually the tub). Recently he visited form SoCal, and we had to make an immediate trip to Bi-mart to secure a tub. Unfortunately, licorice isn’t part of my in-season training diet because the tasty vines are 100% high fructose corn syrup and so is OD. I’ve been able to substitute orange Gatorade for the drink but had to forgo licorice most of the year. Now, God hath provideth for his children in the form of manna that is Panda. While my brother was here we also swung into Andy’s Market (i.e. health food central) over in Walla Walla. I saw Panda all-natural licorice for sale in either boxes or individually wrapped sticks. The latter caught my eye as a potential jersey pocket treat while cycling. I had to try it out.
On a recent ride I partook. I found the packaging easy to open and the contents enjoyable to masticate. A few minutes later I felt a supernatural sensation that was so strong that I began checking the trees and bushes to see if a new tailwind was aiding my ride. They were calm, so I knew the feeling was an infusion of power issued by God, through His Finnish people, in the form Panda. The ingredients are mainly molasses and wheat flower, with an added benefit of sodium and calcium. This is a nice healthy combination compared to the product by the American Licorice Co. Another advantage is that my brother and I discovered a long time ago that the 10-second rule doesn’t apply to licorice (even when it hits the common bathroom floor in our dorm). So if you fumble your licorice on a ride–which happens often with in-ride snacks–you can turn back and still enjoy. Consequentially, I’ve researched and found a source where I can buy Panda sticks in bulk for less than 39 cents a piece. At 25 grams of carb, that makes these less per carb than popular gels and energy bars, and they’re much more delectable. So, if you see Ling-Ling poking his head out of my jersey pocket, be careful. When he disappears, I may too.
