Seatpost, saddle thrown forwards.

PLuKE

I am debating if to buy a zero offset post.

My current post is a own brand carbon Merida with 20mm offset.

Now I have moved my Fizik R3 saddle all they way forwards, I have found this has help with comfort on my bum, and found myself more efficient in peddling. I know on TT bikes there further forwards to open the hip up, but on a road bike will this affect how aero I am at all?

Now the Fizik R3 is carbon railed, with having the saddle thrown forwards won't affect the rails strength?

Thanks
Luke

ai_1

PLuKE wrote:

I am debating if to buy a zero offset post.

My current post is a own brand carbon Merida with 20mm offset.

Now I have moved my Fizik R3 saddle all they way forwards, I have found this has help with comfort on my bum, and found myself more efficient in peddling. I know on TT bikes there further forwards to open the hip up, but on a road bike will this affect how aero I am at all?

Now the Fizik R3 is carbon railed, with having the saddle thrown forwards won't affect the rails strength?

Thanks
Luke

A more forward position will allow you to get a lower position for the same hip angles, however I doubt this will be very significant. The usual setback saddle position for road racing generally provides good balance, so you have good bike control, good power and not too much weight on your hands. I use a more forward position myself as I find it more comfortable but it does put a little more weight on my hands.

I can't see why you'd need to consider the strength of the rails when positioning the saddle so long as it's clamped as normal? Why would you think there's anything to worry about?

PLuKE

I find that keeping my saddle as far forwards as possible is mainly helping my bottom! As I do sit on the nose of the saddle more, with the way it's setup now I find I am sitting further back which helps comfort and my legs do feel like I am pedalling forwards and down.


The saddle is clamped correctly, but it's maybe 5mm before the bend of the rails, and I thought with so much overhang on the saddle would flex a lot where I sit?

Thanks
Luke

diy

I have a a zero off-set and have found it more comfy, but I do slide back (MTB style) on down hill sections just to get better control of the front.

ai_1

PLuKE wrote:

I find that keeping my saddle as far forwards as possible is mainly helping my bottom! As I do sit on the nose of the saddle more, with the way it's setup now I find I am sitting further back which helps comfort and my legs do feel like I am pedalling forwards and down.


The saddle is clamped correctly, but it's maybe 5mm before the bend of the rails, and I thought with so much overhang on the saddle would flex a lot where I sit?

Thanks
Luke

There's normally a clamping area marked on the rails of a saddle which includes most of the straight and parallel portion of the rails. As long as you're within this area you should be fine. If you switch to an inline seatpost and don't want the full 20mm this provides, you'll end up moving the clamp to a slightly more central position on the saddle rails anyway. If you do need the full 20mm, then perhaps a slightly forward offset post would be preferable?

dee4life2005

My bike originally came with a 20mm setback seatpost, but I got a good deal with a zero setback post so decided to switch. I adjusted the position of the saddle to around the limit on the rails to get the position relatively similar and it seemed like it was okay at the time. However, now that I've put the 20mm setback post back on I've found that I'm getting more power through the pedals (~20watts more according to my power meter) particular when seated on climbs. I'm guessing the position of my saddle on the setback post was such that with a zero setback I couldn't get the saddle in the same position whilst still being in the safe clamping zone on the rails ... this meant my knee was in front of the pedal axle, and I was therefore being robbed of some power on the downstroke.
I may be imagining it, but the bike also feels a bit comfier now I have the old seatpost back on.