Friday, April 13, 2007
Bill Mayer saddle
I hit the road at 5:35am (uggh) for my 7:00am ride-in appointment at Bill Mayer Saddles in Ojai. I pulled into the wrong driveway at the end of the cul-de-sac, but found the right one after a quick backtrack.
Adrian met me at the door, went over the process, and began work. First, he removed the vinyl cover from the stock seat, and we went out to the bike for the first fitting and mark-up. He made some adjustments, and we went back out for a second fitting. After the third fitting, he sent me out on a test ride, and we made some more adjustments, followed by another test ride, and then a couple of minor adjustments.
Around 10:15am I changed into my tennis shoes and walked a mile down to a restaurant for some breakfast. I read Sharpe's Fury while I ate, and wished the waitress would come back and refill my decaf. On the way back I took the long way around (which I had scoped out on one of my test rides). On one street, a couple of teenagers were having a blast skateboarding down a long, straight downhill — it looked like fun.
When I got back to the shop Adrian and the guys were out grabbing some lunch, so I settled in and finished my book. Laura Mayer chatted with me for a while, and I played with the dogs for a while. The ride in had been cold — very cold — but it had warmed up nicely.
When Adrian got back we did a final check, and I was good to go. They even threw in a free BMS tee-shirt and some other nice, unexpected bonuses. It's different from the stock seat - a little taller, with much more lateral support. I know I'm going to love it, but by the time I got home some areas of my rear that had never been used before were feeling a little special. Based on the forums, this seems like a common occurrence for many people, who say it just needs time for both you and your seat to become accustomed to each other. A lot like getting used to a Tempurpedic mattress - it takes a while for your back to get used to the right kind of bed.
All in all, a great experience. The staff at BMS are friendly, professional, and efficient — a great combination.
Posted by bnc at April 13, 2007 5:35 PM