Wednesday, August 22, 2018

How To Find Goggles That Fit And Don't Suck

Goggles can ruin a good swim workout or even prevent you from having one.  A good pair of goggles should fit without fuss, without pressure and should just do their job without having to give them a second thought during your workout.   But how to find that perfect goggle?  There is no magic here, mostly just a bit of trial and error. And you'll soon find out it doesn't matter a bit what your training partner or anyone else says is the "best" goggle.  If it doesn't fit you, it will suck somehow. 

Here are some of the features you'll find.  You decide which ones matter to you:

1.  Anti-fog  
Most goggles come from the factory with some kind of anti-fog coating but this coating is very delicate and will only last a week or two, for less than a dozen workouts typically.  After that, you need to restore the anti-fog with drops, wipes or sprays.  Wipes like "Foggies" will also clean off any other residue and won't require rinsing or drying time but the new Arena "no rinse" drops are also great.  
Having said all of that, some goggles are better than others for maintaining anti-fog qualities but keeping your goggles in a protective case has definitely proven to help.

2.  Polarization
We've seen lots of brands come out with polarized goggles aimed at the open water swimmer but, quite honestly, most of us have swam for years without polarized lenses.  Polarized lenses are great for reducing reflective glare off the water but it's only a benefit if the goggles fit and they stay fog-free.

3.  Adjustable nose bridges or different size options
Some of us have smaller faces and some of us have bigger faces. So, when my training partners swear by a pair of goggles like the Tyr Special Ops which doesn't have an adjustable nose bridge, I just have to take them at their word that these are the best goggles ever.  They will never fit me so I'll never experience the joy they claim to get from these goggles.  Size matters and adjustibility helps too.

4.  Straps
Double straps, single straps, split straps.  You might have a preference, you might not. Double and split straps when placed properly will help keep you goggles at the best angle for proper fit and security.

How do you fit a goggle?

At a glance:   Most of us will have an eye socket that is more ovalized vs rounded.  Look for goggles that are of a similar shape as yours eyes in the spectrum of oval-round.

Size matters:  If you have a smaller face or a smaller head, look at the smaller size or a women's fit goggle when there are options.  

You are unique:  Some of us have deep set eyes, a pronounced brow bone, pronounced nose bridge or other unique qualities that make goggle fit more of a challenge.  You will eventually learn what goggle features work for your unique issues. 


Goggles don't have to hurt or pinch. If they actually fit you properly, you don't have to have the goggles straps cinched very tightly at all.  To test goggle fit do this without using the strap:

-  For fixed nose bridge goggles, gently press goggles to your eyes and see if they will stay on with just a gentle amount of pressure. 
-  For goggles with an adjustable nose bridge, gently press one side of the goggle to your eye socket.  If that works, try the other side.   If both sides want to stay suctioned to your eye socket for a second or so, then try both together. If you can't get both sides to "stick", change the nose bridge to a smaller or larger one, depending on which way you need to go.


This won't guarantee 100% that the goggle that seems to fit in the store will never, ever leak, but it is going to help you eliminate a bunch of ill-fitting goggles.

What about open water swim goggles?


We're seeing more and more goggles that are marketed as open water goggles but what does that really mean?   Is there something specific you should look at for an open water goggle or is it all a bit of marketing hype?   I'll let you decide but here is what I would look for in a goggle I would choose for an open water swim:

Wide field of vision.  For siting, you want to lift your head as little as necessary in order to minimize throwing off your body position.  Good peripheral vision is also nice to have.  Look for a goggle with a curved lens, ideally, and one that wraps around the side of your face a little.  Mask style goggles work for some as well.

Tinted.  In sunny conditions, tinted goggles can be nice but sometimes, if I'm swimming in a place with lots to see like tropical fish and coral, light tint or clear lenses are nice.  

Polarized.  Nice to have at sunrise and sunset if you are swimming towards the sun.  

Anti-fog.  Good luck with this one. Your best weapon here is going to be your chosen anti-fog treatment.  Be awarer that goggles will fog up more and faster in colder water so just because something fogs up in open water doesn't mean the goggles are past their prime.   


Split Strap Design:



 Mask Style Design:





Double Strap Design:






Thursday, August 2, 2018

Is Saddle Discomfort Sidelining You? Things To Consider When Looking For When You Need A Different Saddle


Trouble finding the right saddle?  You're not alone! Sure, you know that first ride or two can leave you a little sore but, after a few weeks, you should be able to find a sweet spot that lets you ride in comfort. How do you find that perfect saddle?


We'd all like to find the surefire, short cut answer but if it were that easy, you probably wouldn't still be looking for answers.   Here are some of the things to consider when looking for your new happy saddle.

1.            Saddle Width - What does that mean and what part of the saddle is the measurement based on?

Yes, saddles do come in different widths. Reference to saddle width commonly refers to how wide the saddle is at its widest, near the back of the saddle. This where you will spend a lot of time if you aren't riding in the aero position or are cruising on your road bike.  Some of us find that, when we start riding aero or ramping up the intensity on our road bike, we start riding further forward on the saddle. So, the saddle width at the back of the saddle, while important when we're sitting back, doesn't address all of our potential issues.  So, another critical consideration is the width of the saddle at the front.  Take a look at a few different saddles and you'll notice that they're not all the same width at the front either.   

Another thing worth noting here that there are some “saddle fit systems” (or are they really marketing materials or gimmicks?), out there that have you sit on something that measures the width of yours sit bones.  But, from the section and video above, you’ve probably realized that these tools won’t give you all the answers.  Since you are moving forward on the saddle and pressure is off your sit bones and has moved elsewhere, those kind of measurement tools are only going to suggest the correct saddle almost accidentally.      


2.            Riding in the Aero Position may require a different saddle.

Riding in the aero position like you would on a triathlon bikes will shift more of your weight to the front of the saddle.  As well, the angle of you pelvis relative to the saddle and where the saddle is supporting most of your body weight will be completely different. the saddle will be different.  The Adamo saddle is  a good example of this. The Adamo is now the #1 saddle in the Ironman Hawaii saddle count yet it is not even close to getting that level of acceptance in road cycling.  This might be in part due to triathlete's being early adopters but it could also be that the benefits of a twin rail saddle like an Adamo are  more keenly noticed in the aero position.  

3.            How does the saddle transition from the widest to the narrowest point?  Is it a short transition?  Is the transition straight or curved?

The shape of the side of the saddle can be relatively straight or curvier.  Take a look at how the saddles goes from side to narrow:  is it a relatively straight line like the Fizik Arione or is it a noticeable curve, more like the Selle Italia SLR?  How sharply the saddle transitions from wide to narrow is important.  A narrower saddle point won't put pressure on the inside thighs of a person with narrower hips.  A wider saddle point will provide more support for someone with wider hips.  Another factor in saddle shape is how much you move back and forward on the saddle.  If you use most of the saddle at different times during your riding, a saddle that is relatively uniform shape from front to back is better and this shape should be on the narrow end. 


4.            The slope of the top of the saddle from front to back.

A saddle can be relatively flat with little curve from front to back or back to front. The Fizik Arione is a good example of this.  Other saddles have a slight upward curve at the back.  The Selle Italia SLK is like this.  Then, there is Profile TriStryke Saddle which curves slightly but distinctly upward at the tip.  This saddle is also slightly wider at the front that many.  To make up for more bulk at the front or nose of the saddle, the Profile , you'll notice it has significantly more cushioning than others. Then, there are saddles that have a distinct upward curve at the back.  This can be useful if you are climbing a lot and want something to anchor your weight against when you are climbing and sitting more towards the back of the saddle.  Then there is the distinct drop off of the front part of the saddle like the SMP series. These might not work well for riding in the aero position but they can work well when you spend most of your time in the saddle with your weight centered on the saddle. 

5.            The shape of the saddle from side to side when viewed from the back.

Some saddles are relatively flat from side to side.  Others are distinctly curved.  If you are spending a lot of time in the aero position, also take note of the shape of the nose of the saddle from side to side.

6.            Saddle cutouts

Some saddles have cutout sections for relief of body weight and the shape and width of the cutouts vary a lot.  An extreme example of a cutout is the SMP saddle which has a cutout the entire length of the nose of the saddle.  For triathlon, a cutout can be helpful in allowing your tri short to dry quicker which can help prevent chafing and saddle sores.   For general riding, a cutout can serve to remove potential pressure points from the saddle while still providing structural support for your body weight by the saddle rails and the cushioning on them.



Hopefully this will help you consider what things about your current saddle aren't making you happy and what things to look for in your new one.  Saddle selection can end up being a little trial and error but hopefully something you've read here will fast track your search.  And just to illustrate some of the points above, here are a few images. This first one shows four very different saddle shapes. I know from experience that only one of these saddles is a candidate for me.  Do you know if one of saddles might work for you?  If so, which one(s)?



And this second image shoes the side view of two saddles with different slope profiles.  Again, I will ride a saddle like the first one on my road bike but I can ride saddle with the profile of the second saddle on a triathlon bike.  Your results may differ but hopefully a something here has helped you find your happy place.