The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-02
THE BICYCLE SADDLE.

A good saddle is something that can
| only be appreciated by those who have
been riding a bad one. 1t is a thing
of beauty, joy and pleasure as long as
it lasts. The appearance is nothing, as
| compared with the comfort it affords,
| though in looks the saddle may not
| necessarily be disreputable. If one
would only pay attention and notice
the various saddles ridden, it will be
seen that they embrace a large field,
of all kinds and sizes, of all shapes and
peculiar appearances, embracing a
large variety of manufacture and all
styles or construction. The woman's
saddle is easily distinguishable from
that of the mans, on account of it's
short and squatty appearance, though
there are many fair riders who still
cling to the regulation mans saddle.
1t may be remarked that this is the
| first year in which the saddle for the
different sexes has assumed a differ
ent shape, and next year the difference
in construction may be even more
marked.
In purchasing a wheel always make
1t a point with the dealer to exchange
the saddle If not satisfactory. With
| most dealers this is understood, though
with some 1t is not, and no change of
saddle will be given without extra cost.
The manufacture of saddles has been
brought down to an anatomical basis,
and select one which you think is best
suited for you. A heavily built person
generally requires broad saddle,
while slender person generally gets
more satisfaction out of narrow type
of saddle. This is rather general,
though there are exceptions. A
medium sized person, of course, has to
use discretion in selecting a saddle. Do
not imagine the saddle is no good after
trial of one day. That is not suffic-
lent time. If a person is new to riding
any kind of saddle will hurt and make
the rider stiff, and oftentimes when an
experienced rider remains off the wheel
| for a year or so and rides again for
any distance he is apt to be troubled
with saddle soreness.
Whether to use a hard or soft saddle
is puzzling question for some to an
swer There are some makes of saddles
placed on the market which are as
| hard as a board, while, again, there
| are others almost as soft as a feather
bed. The cushioned and the pneumatic
saddle may be classed under the latter
| head. Then there are saddles sold with
a spring saddle post, though in the
| product of this year there are very few
| spring saddle posts used. They are out
| of date. There was time when they
stood in good use. That was during
the day of the old solid tire machine,
which weighed anywhere from forty
five to fifty-siX pounds, and perhaps
more. The spring was made with an
object and it fulfilled it's purpose we'll
With the solid tire there was nothing
to take up or deaden the vibration of
the machine. In crossing every little
rut the rider would feel the strain on
the wheel, and likewise the vibration,
which tired and stiffened one much
more than would be imagined. The
| spring saddle post was used to deaden
this vibration, and it partly did. though
never entirely.
With the advent of the pneumatic
tire the spring post began to wane.
The large tires, filled with air, were
found to be sufficient to take up all
vibration, though in the early history
of the pneumatic 1t must be admitted
that the tires were much heavier, more
clumsy and less resilient than those of
the present day. The spring of the
! saddle was found to be useless, and
the curved post was abandoned. The
straight post which Is now in general
use, was adopted. and the spring, which
was constructed in the saddle post, was
made part of the saddle. In the opin-
Ion of the writer, the spring in the
saddle is much better than a cushion
or pneumatic padding Of the surface
| of the saddle. This virtually implies
that the hard saddle is preferable to
the soft one, though, of course, the
selection of the saddle lies with the
person most directly interested.
Saddle soreness will come, no matter
what make OF saddle is used, If the
rider remains seated for any length Of
time. Some persons get sadie sore after
riding fifteen or twenty miles without
a dismount, while others may ride sew
eral hundred miles without feeling the
effect. The cause is most likely due to
a failure of the blood TO circulate as
! freely as 1t ordinarily should. From