Are tri saddles supposed to be level-straight like road saddles when mounted, or with a slight forward-tilt to aleviate some taint torture?
Forward tilt doesn’t alleviate “taint torture”. The right saddle and a proper fit are key. Tilting the saddle downward just forces you to use some amount of energy just keeping yourself on the saddle. Everytime I see a saddle pointed downward…I see a terrible fit when the rider climbs aboard.
So it should be level for a correct fit, right? That’s what I was thinking, but wanted to confirm.
I would not state it that way. In fact, you would be surprised at the number of Pro Cyclists who tilt saddle noses upward, even on their TT bikes.
I would say that the temptation to tilt the saddle down is usually brought on by an improper fit…and most often a top tube that’s too long. The worst is when you find a saddle tilted downward and the aero extensions tilted way upward…That’s a lot of wasted energy keeping perched on the bike that should be propelling the athlete forward…