hardtail saddle height feet

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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Neither, my saddle is never really at a "proper" height. If it is, I find it seriously limits my manouverability around the bike.
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Neither, my saddle is never really at a "proper" height. If it is, I find it seriously limits my manouverability around the bike.
    OK. I understand (not :? ).

    No problemo - there's time for one more martini before bed :lol:

    Oh, OK - I re-read your bit about riding without a saddle to support you (more or less)! How do the more conventional riders ensure that you remain upright when you have to stop?
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    What's hard to understand, most mountain bikers have their saddle set somewhere that is a compromise between optimum manouverability, and efficiency.
    So, chances are, a lot of us can just stay on the saddle, and put a foot down with no problems.
  • belugabob
    belugabob Posts: 158
    Happy Harry wrote:
    Oh, OK - I re-read your bit about riding without a saddle to support you (more or less)! How do the more conventional riders ensure that you remain upright when you have to stop?

    If you find that having your sadle at the 'correct' height prevents you from putting your feet down, then you have several options...
      With one foot on the pedal, stand up, allowing you to move forward and off the saddle. you can then bend the leg that's connected to the pedal, lowering the other foot to the ground.
      Lean slightly to one side, until you
    can reach the ground
      Stop next to a high point - kerb/log/rock/bank
      Fall over

    My take on the subject is that you spend 95% of the time no wanting/needing to put your foot down, so optimise for that 95%.

    Like most things, it's a matter of choice and the only advice that people can offer is very general and it's up to the recipient to adapt this to their own liking.


    BTW - why did the original question refer to hardtails specifically? Are things different for full sussers? (I've only ever ridden a hardtail)
    If you didn't learn anything today, you weren't paying attention!
  • abarth_1200
    abarth_1200 Posts: 370
    I think full suss bikes especially downhill riders need a lot more space because they are standing on the pedals most or the time, shifting weight around when jumping/landing etc
  • mancjon
    mancjon Posts: 53
    I usually mount the bike by putting my leg over the back of the saddle and sitting on the seat. How many of you do that? Now after reading this thread my saddle is higher and I'm adapting to putting my leg over the downtube (girly style) and 'standing over' the downtube. I'll bet you all tell me that you've been doing that all the time!

    And when you stop, do you remain seated on the saddle and put one foot down or do you drop forward off the saddle and stand on the floor?

    I start by having my right foot on the pedal, clipped in in my case, and straddling the top tube. Then push off with right foot and clip in left. I very rarely actually start off by sitting in the saddle, only time i can think of is if i'm on very steep slippy track and i need to get back wheel grip. Even then i need to find an upslope for my non pedalling foot so i can actually clip in on the right foot.

    As for stopping, i can't remember the last time i stopped, intentionally, while still seated in the saddle. I usually unclip left foot, stand up off the saddle, bend right leg and put left foot onto ground so i end up standing over the toptube.

    Starting off and stopping whilst out of the saddle just feels far more natural to me than trying to do it while in the saddle and i also feel it gives me far more control.

    With a hardtail your'e not actually in the saddle all that much off road. And if i am sat in the saddle climbing and i come to a tricky bit or the bike does suddenly stop after hiiting an obstacle my automatic reaction is to stand up, unclip etc.

    Like i said before learning to trackstand is really useful for this. If you get used to being stopped and still on both pedals your balance improves tremendously. Then if the bike does stop suddenly you don't feel so panicked. You only need a split second to unclip and get a foot down and feeling more balanced can give you that time.
  • mancjon
    mancjon Posts: 53
    BTW - why did the original question refer to hardtails specifically? Are things different for full sussers? (I've only ever ridden a hardtail)

    I have only ever ridden a hardtail as well but i seem to remember reading somewhere that with a full suss it is more common to not be able to touch the ground because of the rear suspension/higher bottom bracket but i could just be remembering wrong about that :?
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    i'd rather have maximum pedalling efficiency and jump off the saddle when i need to if that's any use. it's no big deal, you're on your toes on a hardtail most of the time anyway, apart from climbing where you're sat a lot of the time.
  • bike-a-swan
    bike-a-swan Posts: 1,235
    As often as not I use a postmans start/stop. If not, just slip off the saddle to feet, as others.
    Rock Lobster 853, Trek 1200 and a very old, tired and loved Apollo Javelin.
  • Happy Harry
    Happy Harry Posts: 345
    Thanks for the info about how you get your feet down. I never had a problem with my Kula but the Whyte with the longer forks is making me change my riding style. The main problem is probably short legs - unless the ground's getting lower :roll:

    I've been for a long off-road ride today and I set the bike up for optimum pedalling efficiency. I kept out of the saddle when stopping and starting and got used to it very quickly. So now I'm aching in all the right places as I didn't have to compromise. I'm starting and stopping with one foot on a pedal and stood over the downtube. It all works well now. I didn't even fall over. Thanks!
    Canyon XC 8.0 '11
    Whyte 19 steel '10

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