A huge improvement

dancook

After reading some posts here, I saw one that said if you can touch the floor whilst sitting on the saddle your saddle is far too low!

So half way home I pulled up, and adjusted my saddle.. raised it by a good 4-5 inches. Wow what an improvement, it feels like a whole new bike. I feel like a lot more of my effort is converting into speed.

Previously I had mostly stood up on my bike to keep high speeds, well as high as one can I get on a MTB Having to cycle and keep your weight up isn't brilliantly efficient. I shouldn't have to bother with this much now!

I realise to most of you this is probably old news, but I just needed to shout it out


edit. Also

I have these tyres for my bike

http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_extreme

I've never had a puncture in the year I've had them, the tread looks as good as new and they're faster than the ones that came with it.

The road conditions aren't the best, it is rural, I find myself bumping along in the gutter a bit so I don't get involved with the cars too much.

Should I just stick with these tyres?

jonginge

Good stuff. The right saddle height makes it all so much easier

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ight-14608

lost_in_thought

Brilliant! Go you!

That's what the forum is here for... although we spend a lot of time b*tching about drop bars and coalition governments...

Be careful not to have it too high, you don't want your hips rocking as you pedal, but up to that point it's all good. Having it too low makes you sooo slooooooooooow!

EDIT: tyres: if it ain't broke don't fix it...

supersonic

' I saw one that said if you can touch the floor whilst sitting on the saddle your saddle is far too low!'

That doesn't work for all people - as foot length, leg proportions and BB height all vary.

lost_in_thought

supersonic wrote:

' I saw one that said if you can touch the floor whilst sitting on the saddle your saddle is far too low!'

That doesn't work for all people - as foot length, leg proportions and BB height all vary.

I think you should change your avatar:



:P

dancook

Cheers for the replies, my inner thigh has started aching since I've come in. I'll check the height in the morning as in the link. But i think it's just because i'm stretching my muscles further.

My query about the tyre, is probably because I'm moving soon to 10 miles distance instead of 5 from work. I've been trying to convince myself and others, that I need a road bike... I wonder whether any other tyres will get me much faster without sacrificing too much of the benefits my current tyres offer.

lost_in_thought

Nope. Tyres are fine. You need a road bike.

jonginge

dancook wrote:

Cheers for the replies, my inner thigh has started aching since I've come in. I'll check the height in the morning as in the link. But i think it's just because i'm stretching my muscles further.

My query about the tyre, is probably because I'm moving soon to 10 miles distance instead of 5 from work. I've been trying to convince myself and others, that I need a road bike... I wonder whether any other tyres will get me much faster without sacrificing too much of the benefits my current tyres offer.

Yep, it may take time to get used to it. Hamstrings, especially. The normal advice is to work out what your 'optimum' saddle height is and then, if your need to raise your saddle, move towards it in small increments. Some people can get away with changing their saddle height a lot in one go but others can suffer in the knees or hamstrings.


Edit: http://le-grimpeur.net/blog/archives/18 The 'Riding position and gearing' section. Don't worry about it, I'm just providing for interest

dancook

lost_in_thought wrote:

Nope. Tyres are fine. You need a road bike.

Just what i wanted to know cheers.

jimmypippa

dancook wrote:

The road conditions aren't the best, it is rural, I find myself bumping along in the gutter a bit so I don't get involved with the cars too much.

I would say that riding there is a mistake, as you are less visible to cars if you are "hiding" in the gutter. You are also less visible on left-hand bends.

Furthermore, I have seen somewhere (I can't remember where) that cars tend to give cyclists a similar amount of space to that which they leave from the gutter.

In addition, if a lorry is passing you too close, then you have the option of going in about a yard, which should give some breathing space.

I tend to find myself riding about where most cars' left-hand tyres would go. On average, the car drivers tend to avoid most of the crud and potholes, in a smooth manner, so I don't have to make sudden changes of direction. I do also pull out to the centre of the lane if it isn't safe to overtake me (I have had one too many long arctic try to pass me on a blind bend, then suddenly pull in as the driver realised the "safety" island round the corner... cue sudden breaking by me)

Zombie_donkey

I think I need to raise my saddle. Not only for more efficient pedalling but so I can fit my light and reflector on the post at the same time.

dentyne

Saw a fellow hybrid rider on my commute yesterday, nice looking bike, relatively sporty attire, and a saddle virtually down by her ankles.

It didn't seem to be hampering her too much on the flat ground, halfway up a steep hill a couple of miles later I pop into a shop for some fags, come out and see her up in front again alternating between standing up on the pedals, which looked to be quite tiring, and pedalling away sitting down, like a frog on a matchbox, seemingly running the risk of keeling over backwards.

Thought about saying something about her saddle height as I passed the second time, but then decided to let my ergonomic cycling position* speak for itself.

Unfortunately got a bit carried away at the top of the hill, stood up, weight on the bullhorn ends, speedbump, epic bunnyhop to rolling endo at circa 30mph.
I sh@ myself.
Still, hopefully from behind it looked intentional.

*been watching too many skate style fixie vids and consequently have v. high seatpost/low bars/bulhorns pointing a few degrees downwards, because it looks good and they ride fast.

meanredspider

I tell you what, if you've been riding with your saddle that low, you'll have titanium quads! That's basically the Spinning class quad burner - to hover low and pedal. It's no wonder your hamstrings are complaining - they've been getting a free ride. I hardly ever get out of the saddle except for an occasional burst of acceleration. Sounds like you learned to ride on a BMX.

Might be worth checking out other aspects of your riding position - you don't want to be doing yourself any harm.