saddle posistioning

ddraver

hey guys

I don't know if this has been deleted or moved or I just messed up but...

I read somewhere in a book aimed at roadies that the correct posistion for a saddle was to drop a plumb line from the front of your front foot knee

the line should pass through the pedal axle

IS this true for MTBing as well or is weight distribution more important?!

Dave

Crock - SmP

i've always been told you should angle it with the top tube?

ddraver

no...i mean in terms of fore and aft posistioning

Mine are normally fine completly flat in terms of angle

The Spiderman

I think the same should apply to mtbs.If you can't get the correct position,consider a post with more layback.

ED209

Mine's slightly tilted forward, so that my arse-bones rest comfortably on the back the saddle without undue pressure on any sensitive bits. I think they shold be flat, or slightly forward - certainly not tilted back - but very much depends on the specifics of the saddle

diver-boy

angle is a personal preferance i think, but for mtb you should have the seat as far back towards the rear wheel as possible, makes it easier for climbing, and stays out of the way for steep downhills!

nicklouse

diver-boy wrote:

angle is a personal preferance i think, but for mtb you should have the seat as far back towards the rear wheel as possible, makes it easier for climbing, and stays out of the way for steep downhills!

sorry incorrect.

there is a correct position for the saddle but that is only for when seated and guess what it depends on your body. how do you work it out? the same as for a road bike.

now is you look at the different types of riding there is in MTB the saddle is not actually something to be sat on but some thing wich is used to control the bike while in the air of when cornering on a fun trail.

ddraver

whats your way then nick?!

bigdawg

plumb line - knee, ball of foot/pedal axle

road & mtb

you have to get a 2nd person to look at it though, or get them to take a pic, very hard to do yourself when trying to sit in your normal position, hold weighted line and look to see if its in the right place.

ddraver

many thanks all!!!

nicklouse

as big dawg said.

but i would like to add any bike that is mainly ridden while seated.

MarvintheAndroid

This method is good for a BASIC setting, but don't be afraid to experiment to find the best position for you. Small adjustments either way can make a big difference, and don't forget that moving the saddle fore / aft can affect leg length so you may need to tweak the height at the same time.

Marv.

S_J_P

I remember (on Sheldon Brown I think) a rule of thumb that the saddle-nose to bar distance should be equivilent to your elbow to fingertip distance. I guess this could be used in conjunction with the plumb-line system to get your optimal bike size/stem length.

What was unclear though was wheather the elbow/fingertip distance was to the steerer-tube top-cap or the actual bar. Does anyone know which? (I presume it would be to the bar?)

MarvintheAndroid

For a MTB it's to the steerer tube cap, for a road bike it's halfway along the stem. Again, it's a basic guide to check you are there or thereabouts.

Marv.