Lower saddle for better moves ?

Being mostly interested in XC / trail riding, I ride with my saddle at what I consider to be the "normal" height - that is to say, leg straight with the heel on the pedal etc etc - not somewhere round my knees.
However I am struggling a bit with certain moves such as reasonable bunnyhops and small dropoffs, and I was wondering whether my saddle position is part of the problem. Whenever I see pics or vids of guys doing clever stuff, it always seems to be with lowered saddles. I am nervous about landing heavily and wrecking the crown jewels, or getting caught up on the rear of the saddle.
Normally I ride for fitness, going for 1.1/2 - 2 hours without stopping, so it isn't really a big deal, but I would like to be better at this stuff.
Do I need to lower the saddle, or should I be able to perfect these moves just with more practice and with the saddle as it is ?
Help appreciated.
Marv
However I am struggling a bit with certain moves such as reasonable bunnyhops and small dropoffs, and I was wondering whether my saddle position is part of the problem. Whenever I see pics or vids of guys doing clever stuff, it always seems to be with lowered saddles. I am nervous about landing heavily and wrecking the crown jewels, or getting caught up on the rear of the saddle.
Normally I ride for fitness, going for 1.1/2 - 2 hours without stopping, so it isn't really a big deal, but I would like to be better at this stuff.
Do I need to lower the saddle, or should I be able to perfect these moves just with more practice and with the saddle as it is ?
Help appreciated.
Marv
What tree ? ...........
Trek 8000 ZR XC hardtail.
Trek 8000 ZR XC hardtail.
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I always drop it before I go down hill. Got caught out once and couldn't get far enough over the back of the bike .....and the pain still sticks in my mind :oops:
Buy a QR post clamp ....
Jas
You could try a narrower saddle?
Obviously if you're doing for free-ridey stuff then yeah, drop it.
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EppingHardCru
at the seat was higher than i normaly have it , i got a lot more drive on the flat but i dropped the front end twice around the fast gravel turns 8)
It also depends on your bikes geometry - I never lower the saddle on my HT, but on my FS I have to or I get caught behind the saddle and can't get back up - so I clean the difficult bit, but have to dismount when it flattens out!
Have a look at Gravity Dropper if it becomes too much of a pain to keep moving the saddle.
Alaric.
That's exactly what my girlfriend was saying last night.
Different subject though....
I've given up on bunny hops as not sure I'll ever be able to reliably pull off 1 foot hops and so they seem like they will never be of use on the trails.
Drops are definitely worth getting a bit of confidence on though as having to suddenly stop to avoid them can cause the people behind you some problems.
My bike still has an allen key adjuster for the seat height so it's a pain in the butt to adjust it every 2 minutes...
See if you can get used to riding down silly stuff with it at full height. it's quicker than stopping to faff about with the seat height.
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