Holmbury Hill - Control trial

njee20

But they've moved it closer to the house, I know that was the reason for blocking the old old exit, right by them, but it was right at the bottom of the trail, it's now 200m nearer the village.

Horses for courses on the saddle height really, that's about the only trail on the Surrey Hills I really think would be easier with a lower saddle, that I ever ride anyway, and as an XC racer it's just not something I personally ever do, I've never ridden with my saddle down, and I'm fairly confident I'd be slower down BKB/Yoghurt Pots etc with it lower. Got a seat mast on my Top Fuel anyway, so physically can't really drop the saddle.

Richard2118

njee20 wrote:

But they've moved it closer to the house, I know that was the reason for blocking the old old exit, right by them, but it was right at the bottom of the trail, it's now 200m nearer the village.

Horses for courses on the saddle height really, that's about the only trail on the Surrey Hills I really think would be easier with a lower saddle, that I ever ride anyway, and as an XC racer it's just not something I personally ever do, I've never ridden with my saddle down, and I'm fairly confident I'd be slower down BKB/Yoghurt Pots etc with it lower. Got a seat mast on my Top Fuel anyway, so physically can't really drop the saddle.

Thats interesting, agree horses for courses but I am def quicker on bkb with my saddle in a sort of half way position , ie i can pedal but not so high that i cannot move about.
I supose for me it is just the way that i like to ride , if the saddle is to high i feel it compromises the movement i do on top of the bike.
Mind you on a pure Xc bike you are not looking to ride the trails the same as say an all mountain or freeride bike would and if youe racing i def get the need for the pedal efficency

njee20

I guess it's how you learn to ride too, having always ridden with the saddle up I'm just used to moving around it. I enjoy riding down things as fast as possible, that doesn't change if you're on a race bike! I just don't feel the need to move around on trails like BKB particularly, whilst it is very pedally in places, which is how I find virtually everything up there.

Like I say though, I can see real merit in dropping your saddle, just not for my riding style. Not quite sure how I'm managing to get into this discussion so often! If Popstar organises these races around the Hills I'll have to come along and see if I can keep up with you 'saddle down' boys :-)

Anonymous

To be honest, for me, the saddle height isn't about speed. It's about control over suicidal descents (which I struggle with at the best of times anyway). I wouldn't be faster or slower whatever the saddle height. Just slow . But then I don't race. I'd easily be way behind.

njee20

You'd surprise yourself!

I'll try it sometime, would be interesting on a trail like BKB, where I don't really think I'd go any quicker, and on something really steep, of which there isn't all that much around, but I'm sure it'd help.

thel33ter

I generally ride up with the saddle down boys, but I only drop it down a tiny bit, not idea why, but I feel less in control with it all the way down, it's probably because you can kind of support yourself on the sides of the saddle a bit.

popstar

You saddle up bhoyz are plain wrong! Saddle down on techy gnarly stuff is the Future. Obviously -Wedgy- and the likes of those will make you realise what real men talk about. But in Surrey Hills there aren't many trails like that to justify upy-downy seatposts.
Therefore you fit bastids win on argument of pedally trails, however throw inn more trails like -Wedgy- and us real brave men will laugh all over that kind of -techy touching saddle movement- around thingy.

Yes, just like that. I think Njee is a bloody fit racing snake with good -saddle up- skillz, thel33ter you boy gonna have some serious challenge these days.

But there are some lil techy trails rolls off where even mighty Njee20 would struggle with that wrong philosophy of saddle high up. Trust me.

Richard2118

I suppose my point is that i want the saddle as high as possible for the ups and most pedally trails, simple fact is that if you do not do this you will compromise pedal efficency and will also muck up your hamstrings over time( bad anyway but they just wont extend).
However if a trail is going to go down i am looking to nail it and will seek the jumps etc, when I know the trails i will drop my saddle to a sort of half way point so that i can get all the movement i want for drops and jumps , this simply gives me more room to move and because i can drop my centre of gravity further without the saddle in the way I have more stability in particular on the steep stuff or over rocky rooty downs, but i will still be able to pedal as required.
I suppose that shows that I am somwhere in between Xc and downhill and want to ride in n agressive style ( or would like to think i do ) and that the downs are more important to me than speed on the flat.

main thing is though as long as you ride it does not really matter how you do it as long as you enjoy it

njee20

I'm not sure how this becomes an argument, I've never ever said it's better to descend saddle up, of course it's not, it makes it much harder, and on trails like Wedgy that becomes extremely apparent! Luckily there aren't many of those around here though, and frankly I dont usually do that one anyway!

diy

There is a compromise, saddle up and forward, then you can hang over the back on the down hill sections. Personally I set my bike up for climbing. For really technical descents I will open the propedal valve to get the rear a bit lower and softer, but that is it.

Can be a bit hairy on steep down hill as my front squashes down, but I prefer technical down hill like the South face of LH rather than faster steeper DH, where it is fear providing the adrenalin.

Anonymous

diy wrote:

There is a compromise, saddle up and forward, then you can hang over the back on the down hill sections.

Just one thing to watch out for if you're a guy and end up going OTB, and that's the saddle!

njee20

I find I can move behind the saddle with it in the normal position anyway. Obviously not as well as with it down, but enough to get you out of trouble!

I'd say there's more stuff on Leith that would make me want to drop the saddle, Holmbury particularly is much more fast pedally stuff where it's nice to have it up!

diy

Yeah - LH has quite a few "horizontal log hiding a drop" type trails, which have frequently sent my HT riding buddies over the handlebars.

Without wanting to poke fate with a stick, this is the benefit of even modest rear suspension. It just stops that rear bouncing over while the front is compressing.

IMO Long travel HTs are worse for this than standard XC bikes, because the front squashes right down encouraging AoverT.

popstar

Njee there is no argument but a lil trolly chat, to entertain. You know that.
Looks as if some boyz prepare for a trip to Cwmcarn coming weekend, shame I can't join them.

Still can't remember Richard's loop around Leith hill, it's a mega entertaining ride. Flowy, smooth and techy downs which I happen to like more and more. Rich is a TopMan.

Richard2118

popstar wrote:

Njee there is no argument but a lil trolly chat, to entertain. You know that.
Looks as if some boyz prepare for a trip to Cwmcarn coming weekend, shame I can't join them.

Still can't remember Richard's loop around Leith hill, it's a mega entertaining ride. Flowy, smooth and techy downs which I happen to like more and more. Rich is a TopMan.

Cheers

When you out again, can show you the loop again.

njee I agree on the Lh ( and Redlands) to Holmbury comparision, far more up there to send you off, also ranmore has a few of the steeper things to ride.

diy

Ranmore was covered in leaves at the weekend - autumn is finally here.