To practically every cyclist out there...

jrduquemin

prj45 wrote:

YOUR SADDLE'S TOO LOW!

"You never know what is enough until you know what is too much."

I suggest gradually raising your saddle, perhaps half an inch (1 cm) at a time. Each time you raise it, ride the bike. If it doesn't feel noticeably worse to ride, ride it for at least a couple of miles/km.
If it had been too low before, your bike will feel lighter and faster with the new riding position. If raising the saddle improved things, raise it again, and ride it some more. Keep doing this until you reach the point where the saddle is finally too high, then lower it just a bit.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html#height

Actually, my saddle isn't too low ;-)

dilemna

When I'm in the saddle I feel like I'm cycling with the stars so height is just fine .

Jay dubbleU

cjcp wrote:

My saddle height is based on what feels right/doesn't feel funny for the knees and knackers. Saddle angle is based on whether the blood supply is being cut off to the knackers. The position of the saddle on the rails is based on whether the back and shoulders feel funny. This is why I don't post much in the "Road" section of the forum. :oops:

OT, but why are they called seat posts and seat tubes, when the "seat" is referred to as a "saddle"?

Works for me 8)

NGale

I have to adjust my saddle once in a while, and while it is ok on the whole I do still find I get annoying backaches during and after riding, so I have a feeling I may need to raise the handlebars somewhat as well.

However being bloody awkward I am one of those people who have stupidly long legs and a very short body, which as my LBS found out makes fitting a bike for me difficult as I have to have a short reach but a high saddle, something which it seems is not conducive to one another.

I am still having to deal with the problem with numb toes in my cycle shoes, but I think this may be more of a change in positioning the clips to put the pressure elsewhere

cyberknight

Since i got my commuter i have gone from newb to N00b

Seat height has gone up a good 4 inches since i bought it and now it feels sweet !.

Only problem i do get still is tingling fingers in fact yesterday at one point it was numb , i have tried putting seat back , adjusting handlebars all to no avail , only happens on the way to work as well maybe i ride different when i am 1/2 asleep ?

Jay dubbleU

I had that problem but bought a pair of gloves with gel palms - seems to have cured it

cedargreen

Greg66 wrote:

The Lemond formula happily coincides with where I ended up putting my saddle:

Saddle height = inseam x 0.883.

Inseam to be measure with a book, a wall, and a close personal friend. Saddle height is BB to saddle surface, measured along the seat tube.

This has always worked for me (on a road bike) I found it years ago in a book called'fit for cycling' by Les Woodland. The formula was developed by Cyril Guimard, Greg LeMond's team manager who felt that most professional cyclists were riding with saddles too low for optimum performance. The .883 formula is '.....with campagnolo pedals,medium thickness cycling shoes and 170mm cranks'. And this was the 1970's, so allow some variation due to clipless pedals etc.