Some of the greatest inventions have been born out of necessity and Noel Dolotallas, the founder of the SwitchGrade, has developed his product out of what he has seen as a need for not only himself but other riders as well.
Dolotallas had begun noticing a number of riders who were riding with a nose-down saddle position to help on steep climbs in his area of Western British Columbia, including the Sea to Sky area, North Shore, and Fraser Valley. Alas, at a height of 5'7" (170cm), having the rear of the saddle in the way, "blocking re-entry" as he says, was less than ideal for descending. This led to him frequently readjusting the saddle nose up, prior to descents. It was time-consuming and unpleasant, but the extra room was a huge help. Specialized's Command Post WU did something similar, but it came and went, never really catching on.
In thinking of an innovative way to solve the issue, Dolotallas contacted an engineer and industrial designer to help develop a proof of concept and create some prototypes. He claims to have even gathered some inspiration from Mike Kazimer's opinion article, "
Why Is Everyone Talking About Seat Tube Angles?" and the discussion following it which helped his team validate their hypothesis and continue with development.
This video shows the action of how the SwitchGrade works.
What Is It?The SwitchGrade is a simple, patent-pending mechanism that replaces a rider's seatpost rail clamp. It's made to be compatible with a wide range of fixed and dropper seat posts. It is built from a piece of solid 6061 T6 aluminum billet and features three locking positions. The positions are indexed, separated by 10°. The key benefit claimed of the SwitchGrade is that it provides riders the choice to optimize their saddle positions for each of the three major trail features they encounter on rides - climbing, descending, and flat.
For climbing, the SwitchGrade is claimed to improve biomechanical efficiencies for grinding out long, steep, or technical uphills by moving the rider forward and over the bottom bracket. According to Dolotallas this is a similar benefit to that of riding with a steeper seat tube angle amplified by the stable push point afforded by the saddle tilt which negates the climbing grade. For descending, riders can flip the lever which instantly creates more room to maneuver about the saddle. For undulating terrain, riders can choose to keep the saddle flat and adjust it as needed.
Dolotallas also believes the SwitchGrade will be helpful for adventure cyclists and bikepackers who spend hours on the saddle and want to ease pain and discomfort from pressure on the perineum and sit bones.
The team is in their final stages of refining its prototype in preparation for launching it this spring. For more information, check out their website,
aenomalyconstructs.com
Off the cuff:
- approx weight as shown is ~170 grams. But because it replaces standard rail clamps which average 60-70 g, net gain is around 100grams
- after months of testing absolutely zero play and zero creaking.
- lever can be run front or back
- compatible with a wide range of seatposts and saddles
- easily rebuildable
I’m going to be updating the website a lot over the next few days so check back for more info.
Thanks for the positive vibes!
- Noel
Question I have on this is if you see this being more beneficial on bikes with slacker seat tubes to start? Also, can you speak to the saddle height change (if any)?
As far as stack goes, the prototype raises stack by around 10mm but that is offset by the tilt which is about 20mm. I’ll share a video on Instagram about that soon.
www.pinkbike.com/video/525107
1. How much stack height is there above the mounting point? Have you experienced bottom outs on seats which have a lot of flex or are low in profile?
2. What price range will this land in? I couldn't find anything anywhere.
(Also link to website doesn't work properly in article.)
1(a) The photo shows the SwitchGrade mounted to a Scada seatpost and the stack increase was a nominal 5mm but consider that with tilt the rear up or down you either gain 20mm for climbing or lose 20mm for descending
1(b) The prototype has ample clearance for most saddles. The photos and videos on my website show the SwitchGrade hosting an Ergon SM Enduro saddle with a deep centre channel and no conflict. The production model will be even lower and sleeker in profile.
2. Pricing is still being determined.
Yes you're right - but the website works if you go directly to www.aenomalyconstructs.com. I think the PB link is broken.
How much additional stack height does the SwitchGrade add, some frames seat tubes incorporate a bend in them, limiting how far one could insert the dropper into the frame. Some frames also have tall seat tubes, another compatibility issue.
Personally I would not want to buy a premium dropper post to adjust the travel of the dropper, to further compensate for any additional stack height increases.
Is this product patented? Curious if any significant companies have interest in your SwitchGrade.
As for refinements, what other materials could you construct the SwitchGrade from, to provide multiple options to buyers with differing budgets.
Does the SwitchGrade use sealed cartage bearings? A rubberized glove or grip on the main lever?
I noticed the 3 small lips on the lever, but I think that would be uncomfortable to people who ride without gloves. What about a mud shroud to keep out dirt or rocks?
How low profile can the SwitchGrade be made, in terms of how small you can make it but keep it strong enough. What about different length levers, to fit a variety of saddle lengths and sizes.
Also what about the ability to adjust ones saddle along the rails, can you still do that?
Thanks, Hayden
Thanks for the support!
- Noel
Hope that helps!
1a. re: stack height - The SwitchGrade as seen added about 5mm more height vs the one it replaced - I'm referring to the rail clamp assembly.
1b. re: interrupted seat tubes - The SwitchGrade was purpose-made to address the problem posed by interrupted seat tubes! Now, riders can run shorter travel posts eg 150mm, but effectively have around a 170mm post for climbing because the nose-down tilt adds ~20mm height to the rear portion of the saddle. Stay tuned for a video explaining/showing this.
1c. re: tall seat tubes - The SwitchGrade also answers this dilemma in that, again, taller riders can use shorter posts but still have the effective height as a longer one. A big benefit for tall riders is that the nose-down climbing position effectively adds 1.5 to 2 degrees of effective seat tube angle change depending on post length. This position moves taller riders forward much closer to being centred over the bb.
2. re patented - The SwitchGrade is patent pending.
3. We're using 6061 T6 aluminum. Later version may explore more exotic materials
4. No bearings. Current prototype featured a bushing. The production model will be different but I'll defer to the design team's input, stay tuned! So far the lever has not proved to be slippery despite the wet - cool idea though.
5. The small size of the SwitchGrade is exactly why this product has taken years to develop - it's no small challenge to fit the functionality of the SwitchGrade in a space roughly the size of a Hot Wheels car AND make it tough.
6. Yes you can still place the saddle anywhere fore and aft within the saddle's provided limits
I ride. Thousands of feet of elevation at a time. Often.
I’ve never once considered the angle of my saddle, aside from level in my garage.
How on Earth does the saddle get in the way when you have 210mm drop? My mind is blown
If your seat is out and out of the way when you drop it..then you aren't riding steep enough DH.. If you aren't using your seat to improve the stability of yourself in rough/dh/turns then you are really far from an expert and have no business teaching.
Have you understood what I have said ? Going downhills the seat is slammed, its well out of the way, I ride steeper than steep of which is most likely steeper than you have ever ridden.
The seat touching the inside of your leg is part of the stability in rough turns when did I say it isn't ? when it is touching the inside of the leg the seat is still slammed down... Do I need to mention I ride with Brook Macdonald frequently ? He has provided a few good tips over the years , so go on enlighten me mr master of mtn biking
Some DHs prefer the nose up so its easier to slip behind the seat and not get there crotch caught on the seat when the trail gets really steep... DHs don't really sit on there seal unless there is a long flat pedal section ... they do use the saddle a wee bit with rough cornering otherwise its out of the way so the bike can move freely.
If having your saddle shape shift to suit the angle of the terrain on your ride don't you think they would of provided a solution years ago ? About the same time as dropper posts ??
Downward pointed saddle also greatly improves climbing..
down saddle doesn't improve climbing for general trail rides. Maybe a bit more comfortable on a 2hr + climb ? Harden up I say , next you will be wanting the geometry of the entire bike to suit the angle of the ground your on... lol
Thanks again, this would be great banter during a ride or a post ride beer
Anyways, for those riders that go uphill once and then downhill for the whole elevation just gained, going downhill some pretty gnarly trails as well, would you reckon a good idea to have the saddle in the same position as DH riders, for the same exact reasons?
Apart that whole saddle-that-levels-up-once-on-the-pedals thing.
For answering your question: no. We've been riding without dropper post for some years before the event, same could go for this.
Angled forward seat is going to improve your climbing ergonomics and moves your COG forward... big climbing improvement. Why wouldn't you want that if it exists? same cynical answers?
Your trail bike has a level seat..because you have no ability to adjust on the fly.. and are adjusting it for what you ride most. My Trail bikes are all level too...because I can't adjust on the fly.
My xc bikes are angled forward...my Dh and DJ bikes angled rearwards..
I’d buy one of these.
Nice job engineering a solution, but I think the problem it solves is pretty minimal.
Wut?
It looks and sounds of high quality... not sure what the price point will be though.
I don't need or want one... but I could see paying $50ish for it.
kylesbikes.com/specialized-command-post-wu-seatpost-black.html
It was because the dropper would be very long but only have 125mm of drop
wouldn´t it be better to change the Bar/Stemheight on the fly, like a seatpost?
Low -for agressive climbing,
high - for agressive decending?
If someone designs this now - I would like to have the first production item.
yes an equalizer for the rearhub noise !!
or way better:
we employ "Kraftwerk" for designing a proper hub sound.
I like oldschool!
On a mountain bike you set the saddle for climbing comfort, and on the descent it's at the height of your knees because of dropper posts.
If you only ride DH / park you set the saddle for looks and whatever's comfortable when sitting still and chatting with your friends.
Or just Just buy a brooks B17 saddle!
The more you ride it the better they get. I bought one new before riding from Morocco back to the UK, the first few days were savage, by the end after 100miles per day I didn’t even need bin shorts!
redshiftsports.com/products/dual-position-seatpost
Then pressing the dropper post button could release the dropper *and* the seat angle bolt and you apply your weight to either the front, back or middle of your saddle to drop the post and set the angle simultaneously. If your post is already fully extended you could just blip the button and shift your weight forward on the saddle to rotate it into the nose down position, without dropping it.
If you had the saddle part way down but now wanted the nose pointing up you could shift your weight to the back but not move your bum up or down, press the dropper button and it would just point up, but stay at roughly the same height.
Would that work I wonder...
Saddle angle, try running it level. If your saddle has padding, figure that will compress a bit in the rear as you shouldn’t be sitting on the nose.. so nose a bit lower than level if it’s somewhat cushy. If you still feel pressure drop the nose a few more degrees.
BUT. Heats of to everyone who thinks about stuff and takes action to build it. This drives progression.
나는 5 년 전에 그것을 했다 ...... 및..... 레일 클램프의 작은 버전을 만들었습니다.
^^*)
I’d buy one of these for sure.
I think 100 bucks is fair.
Its only been like 40 years.......¿
I’m hoping someone comes up with a saddle rail extender so you can slam your saddle further forward than the rails allow. Steepen up that seat angle to 78/79 degrees.
www.instagram.com/p/CJprnqUB9nN/?igshid=198lsfck3gsx2
Cheers!
You did make me go read the article instead of just look at the pic and video. This is a pretty cool thing actually and the fact that it only adds net 100g makes it realistic and something I might consider.
I had a WU post on my '18 Enduro and it was horrible. Short overall drop and the classic Specialized hyper speed return so I suppose I had somewhat made up my mind from the experience.
From the article...
"This led to him frequently readjusting the saddle nose up, prior to descents. It was time-consuming and unpleasant, but the extra room was a huge help"
EDIT: article w/ analysis about the dangers of over-torque failure on thompson seatposts cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2009/04/broken-thomson-seatposts-overtightening.html
You also probably drive a car but you have feet that came with your body to get you places.
Just because you can do it cheaper doesn't mean it's better or doesn't have a place.