Orthoflex: New Owner Questions

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

> Angela C. McGhee wrote:
> > 
> > ...I really hate to see how
> > everybody turned on the Ortho-flex people.  It's a shame to not see them
> > at the trade show.  Looking at some of the craftmanship in the
> > "experimental" models made the Ortho Flex look awfully good, and I think
> > we should all be thankful to them for starting the "let's make a better
> > mousetrap" mentality popular.  I think a lot of folks just thought they
> > got big for their britches, but looking at the prices on the Italian
> > saddle ($2200), they don't seem as out of line...

I went to the AERC conference for two reasons:  just to be there
and see what it was; and to buy a saddle.  I was also very disappointed
and surprised to see that Orthoflex did not have a booth at
the trade show.  I ended up buying an Orthoflex anyway, a used
Versatel English-style offered through the AERC used saddle
booth.

I just called up Orthoflex to try to get any information on the
saddle that I could, and to order a girth.  Turns out they don't
talk to individuals anymore about anything.  I was referred to
a local dealer and have to find out everything and order everything
through her.

I would have liked to have seen more saddle vendors at the show.
I still don't feel that I have a good sense of what is available
out there, but now my attention is all focused on getting my
Orthoflex to work for me, even if the company that made it won't
talk to me about it directly.

So, Orthoflex-owning people, what are the two or three things I need
to pay attention to as I start out with this saddle?  From searching
the Ridecamp archives I gather that there are some issues related
to getting the girth tight enough, but I don't think the indexing
program is actually picking up on everything that has been said over
the last few years and I don't mind repeats of information.  I
gather that Orthoflexes are pretty rare in this part of the country
and it looks like Ridecamp is going to be my best hope for getting
insider information on my new saddle.

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA