Saddle Nirvana and Bike weight and Tires

Getting closer all the time to the final iteration.....

 

So I rode 6 hours yesterday on my new SQLab 611 Active/short saddle. 

I have to admit it’s looking good.  The ultimate test of any clothing or ‘body gear’ is if it disappears from notice.  The new saddle did not disappear from notice right away, but in a good/opposite way.  Basically every time I moved to a slightly different position, from fully upright - all the way back on the broad ‘sit bone’ area to slightly forward on the aero bars to anything in-between all I could think was wow that just feels so ‘right’.  The padding seems perfect, firm, not to thick yet exactly the right amount of ‘give’ at the pressure points.  The edge has a nice rounded transition, much more comfortable along the inner thigh than the sharper edge on a similar shaped Specialized BG saddle I am also testing. The cover is smooth where it counts and looks to be durable.  And the ‘step’ design, with sort of a depression in the center, does seem to be superior for relieving pressure on the sensitive parts to saddles with the now common channel type cut out

Well only time (and an overnight, 2-day run) will truly answer my questions.  But I am encouraged…….

My TDR tires will most likely be Specialized Fast Tracks. I tossed on a used pair and in the process dug out the scales to check them against their predecessors (Captain Controls).  The fast tracks are ½ pound lighter per tire. And yes I could really tell the difference during that 6 hour ride, about 1.2 mph faster difference….

Anyway while I was futzing with the scale for the tires I went ahead and weighed my bike for the 1^st time in a couple of years.  Looks like I will be rocking about 39lbs of bike and gear (no food or water included in those 38.6 lbs) for the 2014 TDR.  Not the lightest by any means, but not bad……..

Yup, I can live with a TDR race bike, fully geared with a triple, tent, pad, 5L max & ton of food/room capacity that comes in at 38 to 40 lbs base weight.