Road Bike v Cross Bike Saddle Height.

JesseD
JesseD Posts: 1,961
edited December 2017 in Cyclocross
How does your saddle height compare to your road bike?

If you take the difference in stack height of shoes into consideration do you keep the saddle height the same (allowing for stack height) or do you drop it slightly?

My saddle height from centre of BB on the road bike is 77.5cm and on the cross bike its dropped to 77.0cm, it feels ok but I am wondering if its advisable for dropping it lower to maybe 76 or 76.5cm and if so what are the pro’s and con’s?
Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!

Comments

  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    JesseD wrote:
    How does your saddle height compare to your road bike?

    If you take the difference in stack height of shoes into consideration do you keep the saddle height the same (allowing for stack height) or do you drop it slightly?

    My saddle height from centre of BB on the road bike is 77.5cm and on the cross bike its dropped to 77.0cm, it feels ok but I am wondering if its advisable for dropping it lower to maybe 76 or 76.5cm and if so what are the pro’s and con’s?
    Exactly the same - can't see any reason to have it different...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    Mine are the same.

    I guess if you ride your saddle high (personally preference) on the road bike you may want to lower it a tad for ease of jumping on and to give you more space in the technical sections.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    joey54321 wrote:
    Mine are the same.

    I guess if you ride your saddle high (personally preference) on the road bike you may want to lower it a tad for ease of jumping on and to give you more space in the technical sections.
    Except that (say) 5-10mm is going to make an imperceptible difference in the ease of remounting, and a significant difference in riding ergonomics.
    In technical sections, you're either:
    - clipped in and riding normally (in which case no reason to have it lower)
    - one foot unclipped for corner / off-camber (again, no reason to have it lower)
    - running (saddle height irrelevant)

    You spend 95-99% of your time in a CX race riding the bike normally, so it makes sense to optimise for this.
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I lowered mine to start with as I was scared of coming off and felt I had more control with the saddle out the way a bit.

    The reality though is you cant lower it enough to make a difference and what lowering I did do just killed my knees. ... I am tempted by a dropper though :D
  • JesseD
    JesseD Posts: 1,961
    Awesome cheers chaps, makes perfect sense and seems as if I was just overthinking things.

    I have another question about cassette sizes but will start another thread.
    Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    Mine is a bit lower as I produce more power that way, and aero isn't nearly as important.
    Insert bike here:
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    mpatts wrote:
    Mine is a bit lower as I produce more power that way, and aero isn't nearly as important.

    Obviously, a lot more goes in to it but its likely a lower saddle will be more aero.
  • Bergwerk
    Bergwerk Posts: 50
    Mine's just a tad lower.

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