Seat Position for road different to tt?

RowCycle

Hello,

I think I've heard that time trial bikes have the seat further forwards to provide a more powerful position for the rider - i.e. allow them to output more power. However, road bikes tend to be set up with more setback, and the seat further back, and so I presume less powerful

Is there a reason for this? (comfort or something)

Thanks

rafletcher

It's much much harder to climb mountains in a TT position. An extreme example perhaps, but makes the point the the normal road bike position is a compromise to allow all terrain to be tackled, whereas a pure TT bike is usually used on a notionally flat course.

danowat

TT postion is a extreme position, with a view to not only getting the maximum power, but also the best aerodynamics, as such, its not the position you want to be in for any longer than you have to.

RowCycle

I don't mean to include the tri-bars (i.e. low position), just the seat position. So normal handlebars but a forward seat position.

merak

Ever heard the expression "on the rivet"? It's what we old boys use to mean riding really hard. The expression comes from the days when people rode Brooks and other leather saddles which have a rivet on the nose of the saddle. When you're burying yourself on the flat you tend to slide forward on the saddle to get more power down, hence "riding on the rivet". TT bikes are set up to get this powerful position, but it's a complete package including the aero position and is not nearly as comfortable as a normal road bike position which also has to accomodate spinning along well within yourself and seated climbing where you tend to move to the back of the saddle as someone else has mentioned. Also for normal cycling, you need sufficient clearance between the saddle and the bars to be comfortable and the TT position is generally too forward for that.