note to self - check bike set up more regularly

linsen

Today I raised my saddle by 5mm

Today I took 7 minutes off my best ever time riding the 11.8 miles to work (43.30 as opposed to the usual 50.30)

Hmmm

Admittedly I was trying quite hard, but still.......

itboffin

So what sparked you to raise your saddle by so much in one go?

biondino

By that reckoning, if you raise it another 2.5cm you'll get to work in 8 minutes. Give it a go!

Don't you think maybe that the pretty intensive training you're putting in for the Ashdown is likely to be helping too?

linsen

The fact that when I tickled a few hills on Saturday I suddenly noticed my knees going above my waist

linsen

biondino wrote:

By that reckoning, if you raise it another 2.5cm you'll get to work in 8 minutes. Give it a go!

Don't you think maybe that the pretty intensive training you're putting in for the Ashdown is likely to be helping too?

Intensive - hmm. I didn't ride to work all last week and felt like a total failure on Saturday when I rode. I think my attitude helped too - I realise in the next 10 days or so I need to seriously GTFU.......

always_tyred

That's good, but take care - in the early stages of cycling I recall raising my saddle too much and getting (on seperate occasions :oops: ) a bad lower back and knee problems (from hyperextension). I trust that Mr. Linsen can advise approriately.

You may now find your sofa unfomfotable,. given that at the bottom of your pedal stroke your knees might be below the level of your waist. 8) . If you return it to DFS and replace it with a bicycle saddle, you will go under the 40 minute mark. :shock:

(overuse of smileys? :?: )

biondino

I particularly liked the bit where you said "but I don't expect your feeble, girlish mind to understand - your husband will undoubtedly know exactly how to deal with such manly mechanical issues so no need to worry that pretty, if empty, head".

linsen

biondino wrote:

I particularly liked the bit where you said "but I don't expect your feeble, girlish mind to understand - your husband will undoubtedly know exactly how to deal with such manly mechanical issues so no need to worry that pretty, if empty, head".

I try not to worry it too much - gives me wrinkles

redddraggon

biondino wrote:

By that reckoning, if you raise it another 2.5cm you'll get to work in 8 minutes. Give it a go!

How can you work the relationship out with only two data points? For all you know the relationship could be exponential and the commute could only take seconds with a saddle raise of 2.5cm

always_tyred

biondino wrote:

I particularly liked the bit where you said "but I don't expect your feeble, girlish mind to understand - your husband will undoubtedly know exactly how to deal with such manly mechanical issues so no need to worry that pretty, if empty, head".

Yes that's precisely what I meant. :roll: (Although I have no idea what Linsen looks like - other than being 6'4", obviously, and my comments had nothing to do with the fact that afordesaid Mr. Linsen has been cycling for rather longer.)

I agree that everyone should be entitled to give themselves hyperextension injuries and thereby learn from their own mistakes.

greg66_tri_v2.0

linsen wrote:

biondino wrote:

I particularly liked the bit where you said "but I don't expect your feeble, girlish mind to understand - your husband will undoubtedly know exactly how to deal with such manly mechanical issues so no need to worry that pretty, if empty, head".

I try not to worry it too much - gives me wrinkles

That's what irons are for.

True story. I read it in Cosmo. Or the internet. I think.

Maybe I made it up. Who knows. Just remember, kids, if it's dangerous, don't try it at home!

linsen

Always Tyred wrote:

biondino wrote:

I particularly liked the bit where you said "but I don't expect your feeble, girlish mind to understand - your husband will undoubtedly know exactly how to deal with such manly mechanical issues so no need to worry that pretty, if empty, head".

Yes that's precisely what I meant. :roll: (Although I have no idea what Linsen looks like - other than being 6'4", obviously, and my comments had nothing to do with the fact that afordesaid Mr. Linsen has been cycling for rather longer.)

I agree that everyone should be entitled to give themselves hyperextension injuries and thereby learn from their own mistakes.

I was in fact in grave danger of the very opposite problem - I do know about saddle height - mine had just gradually slipped.

BTW - I'm utterly gorgeous

itboffin

linsen wrote:

biondino wrote:

By that reckoning, if you raise it another 2.5cm you'll get to work in 8 minutes. Give it a go!

Don't you think maybe that the pretty intensive training you're putting in for the Ashdown is likely to be helping too?

Intensive - hmm. I didn't ride to work all last week and felt like a total failure on Saturday when I rode. I think my attitude helped too - I realise in the next 10 days or so I need to seriously GTFU.......

Erm you need a serious call to cjcp, he was great on Sunday forcing me to do one more, then one more lap, pulling me up the hills and waiting for me to catch up.

CJ & JG darted off at one point and when I finally caught up CJ had that glazed look of someone enjoying a massive dose of adrenalin.

I am now very worried about HOTA, what's the MAX time limit? :?

linsen

itboffin wrote:

linsen wrote:

biondino wrote:

By that reckoning, if you raise it another 2.5cm you'll get to work in 8 minutes. Give it a go!

Don't you think maybe that the pretty intensive training you're putting in for the Ashdown is likely to be helping too?

Intensive - hmm. I didn't ride to work all last week and felt like a total failure on Saturday when I rode. I think my attitude helped too - I realise in the next 10 days or so I need to seriously GTFU.......

Erm you need a serious call to cjcp, he was great on Sunday forcing me to do one more, then one more lap, pulling me up the hills and waiting for me to catch up.

CJ & JG darted off at one point and when I finally caught up CJ had that glazed look of someone enjoying a massive dose of adrenalin.

I am now very worried about HOTA, what's the MAX time limit? :?

Not sure there is one - saw in the instructions that the bonk wagon is following the last rider, but they didn't say when that was.

I will not be last, even if I die in the process......

Obviously then I will have my saddle at apporximately 6 foot and will therefore complete the ride before it has even started

biondino

Secret pics of linsen experimenting with saddle height (note her 8-year-old son in child seat):

farrell

Be really careful with saddle height....It's true you will gain speed benefits by adjusting it higher but DON'T go over your optimal saddle height. You may get a temporary boost but if it's too high you will cause serious damage to for ligaments.

If you must put the saddle up ,do it very gradually until you fine tune it to that sweet spot.

linsen

Yes boss

patchy

i think i inadvertently increased mine a bit this weekend - certainly felt like a more thorough workout this morning.

Saddle height is black magic though: what angle should your knee be at at the bottom of the stroke?