Setting up your RIDO saddle

 

The essence of the RIDO saddle's patented topography lies in the radiussed arms of the 'Y' of the sitting section, specifically designed to give both lift (and thereby pressure relief on the perineal area) and variations in the impact zone between rider and saddle (see diagram above). This can initially feel quite strange to some cyclists: the pressure zones are just so completely different.

This degree of feeling of lift (a purely personal thing that varies from one cyclist to another) is counteracted by the set angle of the saddle which can be anything from slightly below the horizontal to several degrees above it. That is to say, the degree of contact you're having with the nose is the key.

The RIDO saddle's nose is in fact only (a) a means of effectively steering your bike at speed (something to lean against with your inner thigh as you turn - which you can't do with those strange looking noseless saddles) and (b) a device for keeping you on the saddle. It's not for taking your weight.

The shape of conventional saddles (with or without centre grooves, channels, recesses etc) leave you with no option other than to take the downward force of your bodyweight on your perineum. With the RIDO saddle you have the choice as to how much pressure, if any, you want to bear on that sensitive area of your anatomy simply by slightly adjusting the saddle's angle of tilt, up or down around the horizontal.

Sitting on a saddle is a very personal thing, so don't be afraid of adjusting that nose up or down as much as you see fit. The 'arms' of the 'Y' are curved and padded right up to the leading edge for this very purpose. Plus, because of the lift the saddle gives you don't be afraid of lowering your seat post by an inch or so to compensate.

The recommended setting for the 'original' RIDO model was dead horizontal (nose parallel with the ground). Converts of the original RIDO saddle are, however, tending to tweak the nose of the R2 up very slightly from the horizontal whilst those used to aero-position racing saddles are tilting the nose up a fraction further still. The tiniest of angle adjustment (like one ratchet notch up or down on the seat post bracket) can make quite a difference.