Andrew Coggan on saddle height

A recent leg issue caused me to take another look at my saddle height (turns out what I have always used based on feel, zen, and cupcakes is close to the sciency recommendation) and I came across this advice from the bike geek of bike geeks...well, Zinn might give him some competition but here it is anyway:

Step 1: put on your cycling shoes.

Step 2: measure from the ground up to your greater trochanter. Example: 92cm

Step 3: take the desired percentage of this number (96-100). Example: 88.3cm to 92cm

Step 4: subtract the length of the crank arm. Example: -175mm = 70.8cm to 74.5cm

Step 5: set your saddle height as measured from the center of the b.b. to the lowest point on the saddle to this value.

Step 6: adjust as desired/necessary.

(If step 6 sounds too 'unscientific', consider this: for me, optimal saddle height based on, e.g., the approach of Price and Donne actually represents a range nearly 4 cm wide.) 

Still missing a feather boa and wheels.

Awesome crank, not so awesome picture.

The Nature Boy will be done this week. Tyree is building me some Stans Alpha 340 rims to Surly SS hubs and I will be well on my way to having a rideable cross bike. This is easily the longest a frame has sat unridden in my house.

In the foot care blurb of the week, I am discovering neglect is rarely the way to cure what ails you, despite being the easiest "solution". I have had a painful, cracked heelskinthing for close to nine months. I quit ignoring it two days ago and fixed it with what could only be called a mini pedicure. I'm an idiot...the foot is fine now.

What the hell is a Fipster?

The running deal is going pretty well, I spent the first couple weeks doing very short runs completely barefoot.

Then I decided to stop halfway home on my commute home and run in a parking lot in my socks. It was an odd decision and I reaped zero benefits from it.

I somehow got a splinter and the socks rubbed the bottom of my foot raw in a way pavement had not yet been able to.

 The ride back home was painful. So painful. The ball of my foot was on fire for a few hours until I dug out the wooden culprit.

This experience led me to order some super thin sandals (Unshoes for those who care) to run in which have a Vibram sole without the retarted looking alien toe fingers. I ran 20 minutes this afternoon, my longest yet...calves still get sore during the run but my feet feel like they are better able to support themselves.
Sweet.

Fipster - exercising hipster. One who eagerly engages in any newish trendy athletic activity that might elicit approval from preferred peer group. Coming to urbandictionary soon. Copyright Melissa.

I might as well continue this disjointed post with some bike news:

1. The Bici Coop Tour de Birmingham alleycat was this past weekend. I stood on the cinder block sprinter's podium, did knuckle push ups, drank beer, stared at chickens, and posed like a very manly iron statue. Great time, worthwhile use of a ten dollar bill for sure. Too bad I suck at short races.

2. The Nature Boy is still in the living room half finished. Meh. I want it all the way finished soonish.

3. Gooch propositioned me to race with him on his tandem for the cross races. I'm in. Hopefully he still is in a couple months.