MORGAW manufacture a range of saddles for mountain and road bikes and late last month they released the MORGAW Saddle Adjust app to help riders adjust saddle position when either changing model of saddle or just re-positioning your existing saddle during a bike fit.
Once you have downloaded the app to either smartphone or ipad the MORGAW saddle adjust app will measure and record saddle tilt and saddle setback. To measure and record saddle tilt (saddle angle) simply calibrate the app by placing it flat on the same surface as where the bike is i.e. a table or bench next to your bike or garage floor if it’s level and tap the calibrate button, the green bezel will show you zero degrees. Then place flat on your saddle and you will probably get a reading different to the calibrated reading unless your saddle is already set at zero degrees. Simply press the angle button for 1.5 seconds and the app will save this for you. You can then make adjustments to your saddle angle and repeat.
The setback recording is not quite as sophisticated and is simply the app using your phone or ipads camera to record the position of the saddle rails on the seatpost clamp.
There’s a screenshot from the app below and you can view the instruction video for the MORGAW saddle adjust app here.
The app is available from the Apple App Store of Google Play for USD.99 or AUD1.49.
Alternatives to the MORGAW Saddle Adjust App?
I’m not getting paid to promote MORGAW so I will give you an alternative that I currently use while doing a bike fit. It’s not quite as streamlined as the app above but I like the accuracy of it.
To measure saddle angle download the free Level app by Fapps World in the app store, there are other free ones as well but you may get advertising on them.
Simply calibrate on a flat surface near your bike (same as the MORGAW Saddle Adjust app) then place on the flat part of your saddle, this is usually the part forward of the centre of your saddle. On a flat saddle like the Fizik Antares below that’s pretty straight forward, on a saddle like a Specialized Romin or Selle SMP that might be a little more difficult.
Unlike the app you will have to write down or remember the angle.
To measure setback this is definitely more accurate while you are going through saddles trying to find the correct fit for you and saves going through the KOP measurement while you are testing saddles. Simply measure the saddle at the point where it is 80mm wide. Mark a cross on tape at the centre. Measure back to a known point i.e. put your bikes rear wheel up against a wall measure from wall to point you placed the cross. Change saddle then set it up back to the same point on the new saddle.
Once you find your ideal saddle you can use the measurement point as the front or rear of saddle from then on.
Both the MORGAW saddle adjust app and the simple level tool measure the saddle tilt the same or a very similar way, you can’t go wrong with the app at only .99 cents or a bit more in Australia. In terms of measuring saddle setback taking photos of different brands of saddle rails then setting another up the same way doesn’t really cut it, even on a same brand and model of saddle I think measuring is more accurate than taking a photo.
You could still use either app for saddle tilt and then measure for saddle setback.
If you want to read more about saddles and bike fitting take a look at a few of the books I have read on the Cycling Books page.
