Seat post height

diamondbacker
diamondbacker Posts: 224
edited September 2010 in MTB general
After going for a long ride last month I developed anterior knee pain. I put it down to incorrect seat height and position.

It lasted about 4 weeks and since then I've adjusted my seat height (raised it) and moved it back slightly which feels much more comfortable.

I've got a medium frame Decathlon Rockrider 5.2 and the seat post is now raised to about 7 inches and is an inch or two higher than the handle bars. Is there any reason not to have the seat raised this much? It feels comfortable but looks slightly strange. Would I have been better off just buying a larger frame?

Oh, and I'm about 5'10 with inside leg of around 32".

Comments

  • Willrideforcake
    Willrideforcake Posts: 305
    The general rule of thumb (leg?), if I remember rightly, is to have your heel on the saddle, with your leg straight(ish), you can then fine tune from there...
    Old hockey players never die - they just smell that way...
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Willrideforcake wrote:
    The general rule of thumb (leg?), if I remember rightly, is to have your heel on the saddle, with your leg straight(ish), you can then fine tune from there...

    guess you mean pedal :wink:

    diamondbacker have a read.

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • Willrideforcake
    Willrideforcake Posts: 305
    Bum. I knew what I meant. Saddle, pedal, what's the difference?
    Old hockey players never die - they just smell that way...
  • rudedog
    rudedog Posts: 523
    As long as you're not getting close to the seat posts minimum insertion mark then there shouldn't be a problem. 7 inches doesn't seem an excessive ammount of post to have showing.
  • diamondbacker
    diamondbacker Posts: 224
    Hi, I've had a good read of that article and a few others which have helped me adjust the saddle to a height that is comfortable and efficient (I hope!).

    I'm more concerned with the amount of post that sticks out of the frame and the fact that it is an inch or two higher than the handlebars. Does this have a negative effect on handling/stability, or is it even 'normal' to have a saddle raised by this amount?

    * edit - cheers rudedog. I posted this just as you replied.
  • alexj2233
    alexj2233 Posts: 381
    I have mine sticking out a fair bit. The main thing is that it's comfortable for you!

    If it feels like your leaning down too much then you could try some bars with more rise or a different stem.
  • Twilheimer
    Twilheimer Posts: 189
    Inside leg measurement minus 4 inches = perfect.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    diamondbacker wrote:

    I'm more concerned with the amount of post that sticks out of the frame and the fact that it is an inch or two higher than the handlebars. D.

    why are you concerned? it means nothing.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • meesterbond
    meesterbond Posts: 1,240
    As long as there's enough post left in the seat tube, then there shouldn't be any problem - assuming you're flexible / tall enough to comfortably reach the bars
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    I normally have my knee at about a 25 degree angle when seated on the saddle and with feet flat on the pedals at the lowest point for one side. You want it bent only a little bit, and not completely straight out.

    Don't worry about post sticking out unless it is near the maximum extension point. I've got mine at about 9 inches or so if i've measured correctly. It's all about comfort, not looks, with seat height.
    My London Road
  • wordnumb
    wordnumb Posts: 847
    alexj2233 wrote:
    If it feels like your leaning down too much then you could try some bars with more rise or a different stem.

    This. Have you tried riser bars? Can add 2" to the front without affecting the handling much.
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    If your inside leg measurement is 32" then your saddle should be set 35" from the top of the saddle to the pedal at it's lowest.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    robertpb wrote:
    If your inside leg measurement is 32" then your saddle should be set 35" from the top of the saddle to the pedal at it's lowest.
    Surely it depends on the length of your feet, length of cranks, thickness of the soles of your shoes, and the fore/aft position of your saddle.
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    Why would crank length make a difference or the fore and aft position of the saddle come on yeehaamcgee put your thinking cap back on.

    As for the thickness of soles they do not seem to vary as much as people think and the length of feet hardly an iota.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • diamondbacker
    diamondbacker Posts: 224
    Just for the record, it's comfy now. I was just concerned as it looked 'odd' to my uneducated eye.

    Thanks all for the replies.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    robertpb wrote:
    Why would crank length make a difference or the fore and aft position of the saddle come on yeehaamcgee put your thinking cap back on.

    As for the thickness of soles they do not seem to vary as much as people think and the length of feet hardly an iota.
    I apologise for the crank length thing, I misread it as measuring the seat tube, (from the BB) not from the pedal.
    The reason I mention the seat fore/aft position depends on how exactly you're measuring.
    If you have a very slack seat tube angle, then measuring vertically from the pedal's lowest position to the seat won't work, since that length will be different to the distance parallel to the seat tube.

    Anyway, what I really wanted to get at is that simply adding a number to your inside leg isn't always going to work.
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    The measurement is always centre of saddle to the greatest distance away on the pedal, which is usually when the crank is inline with the seatpost.

    Also it was not adding a number it's a calculation, one that has been used for many a year, 109% of inside leg measurement.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    what about layback posts, shoe sole depth etc etc?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I always worry when people measure their knee angles, inside legs etc.
    Might work for roadies, but off road you spend so much time moving around out of the saddle, exact measurements are a bit of a joke.
    But my 2c worth, rough saddle height = leg fairly straight with heel on pedal. Will then give a bit of bend when feet are placed properly.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • big_southern_jesse
    big_southern_jesse Posts: 729
    robertpb wrote:
    If your inside leg measurement is 32" then your saddle should be set 35" from the top of the saddle to the pedal at it's lowest.

    Nice idea, even perhaps a good starting point, but you state it as though it's a hard and fast rule. And perhaps of this was just road riding it would be correct. If you ignore all the personal things of each riders body, then for mountain biking there is still the huge aspect of terrain. On long steady rides, I have my saddle high for best pedalling efficiency; on technical stuff, I'll put it right down to give me much more room to move and jump. My saddle height varies by about 6 or 7 inches!

    0woodstok.jpg

    Don't imagine that is 109% :D

    Make sure there is enough post in the frame to be safe, after that, go for what suits you. There's no hard and fast rules. My saddle is well above the bars when high.
    Proved by testing to be faster than a badger.
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  • jayson
    jayson Posts: 4,606
    I have loads of seatpost stickin out of both my bikes, doesnt really matter what it looks like aslong as its comfy and safe to ride.
    Remedy

    Merida

    Austria 2012

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