Saddle positioning question

JACE100

I've been fiddling around with the saddle position for a while or so trying to get the position just right. I am happy with the height now but does anyone have some tips about how far forwards or backwards the saddle should be?

styxd

It depends on your height/body shape/flexibility.

I'm tall, I run mine really far back (about 10cm or more behind the bb). This takes alot of weight off my hands and allows me to get a nice flat back and a decent aero position.

Thats what you're aiming for I'd guess.

drlodge

styxd wrote:

It depends on your height/body shape/flexibility.

I'm tall, I run mine really far back (about 10cm or more behind the bb). This takes alot of weight off my hands and allows me to get a nice flat back and a decent aero position.

Thats what you're aiming for I'd guess.

Yeh me too...a good test (best tried on a turbo) is that you when pedaling quite hard, you should be able to lift your hands off the bars and put them behind your back without collapsing onto the bars. A common misconception is that, if you have too much load on your arms, then you should move the seat back, not forwards. You want your bum rearwards to act as a cantilever to your torso.

Have a read of this http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blo ... oad-bikes/

Calpol

JACE100 wrote:

I've been fiddling around with the saddle position for a while or so trying to get the position just right. I am happy with the height now but does anyone have some tips about how far forwards or backwards the saddle should be?

Do your knees hurt?
No? - then don't move it.

fore/aft adjustment should only be to correct any issues you have with knee position relative to pedal/Bottom bracket from what I have learned. It should be used to correct the reach to the bars. stem changes for this if your frame is roughly correct. No-one on here can advise you on correct position. Everyone is different and what is good for me might not be for you.

styxd

Calpol wrote:

JACE100 wrote:

I've been fiddling around with the saddle position for a while or so trying to get the position just right. I am happy with the height now but does anyone have some tips about how far forwards or backwards the saddle should be?

Do your knees hurt?
No? - then don't move it.

fore/aft adjustment should only be to correct any issues you have with knee position relative to pedal/Bottom bracket from what I have learned. It should be used to correct the reach to the bars. stem changes for this if your frame is roughly correct. No-one on here can advise you on correct position. Everyone is different and what is good for me might not be for you.

I'd be inclined to ignore this advice.

Your knees might not hurt, but you may have far to much weight on your arms/hands, which could likely cause them to hurt!

Have a play about, it takes time to get your position sorted. Judging by the amount of poorly setup bikes seen on this forum, not enoguh people bother to get it right.

JACE100

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't have knee or hand pains nor feel that i am overly cramped/stretching to reach the bars so i guess I am about right.

drlodge

I think most people have the saddle too far forward. You could try moving it back a smidge, see if it feels any different.

styxd

Here's a thread that might give you a bit more of an insight.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=127601