why saddle so high
Discussion
wjwren said:
just been out for a ride and 3 guys race past on boardman racers with their saddles really high. Why do they do this? Im unsure what height I should have mine.
As a rough rule of thumb, you want your leg to be straight down when you've got your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke. That way, when you move your foot to your normal pedaling position, you'll have pretty much the right degree of knee bend.I find this method gets most people to a reasonable position though its probably more suited to leisure riders and not racers.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/bike-fit/sa...
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/bike-fit/sa...
afrochicken said:
richardxjr said:
Out of interest, what height & inside leg are you?
That could be a good pick-up line. Might try that next time I see an attractive lady.
No, I ask because a lot of people bought the smaller framed Argos bike (which the OP has just bought)
who are too short for it.
The smaller size is only suitable for 5'11/32" minimum (I am this and have a shorter 90mm stem).
If the frame is too large, you'll likely have the seatpost slammed (compared to other riders on
bikes that fit them), it still won't fit and you'll likely damage yourself.
Edited by richardxjr on Wednesday 17th June 09:30
wjwren said:
just been out for a ride and 3 guys race past on boardman racers with their saddles really high. Why do they do this? Im unsure what height I should have mine.
I don't think the question has been fully answered. People have said how you work out your seat hight (which is the actual useful bit), but not why it is "high" on road bikes.Road bike saddles are no higher than any other bike (well, possibly lower. I will get on to that in a moment). The difference is in handlebar hight. Road bikes have low handlebars, so you are lent forward. This is important for a few reasons.
First, and most obviously, aerodynamics. At 18mph (I think) about 80% of your effort is going in to overcoming the wind resistance of your body. Lean forward and you will present less of a frontal area to the wind, therefor be faster. TT bikes take this to an extreme, but are hard work on the body. If you look at a TT bike you will see the saddle is very high to the bars. The bars are also further forward. This lets the rider lean far forward and be very flat. The downside of this is that they are slower to turn (a good thing on a TT as it aids stability) and can be painful to ride a long way.
It also affect the geometry of the rider on the bike, both in terms of fully extending your legs, but also which muscles you use riding.
The reason I say road bike saddles are lower is that they normally have less ground clerence than a mountain or CX bike, for obvious reasons, but have much lower handle bars.
Your bike may have higher handle bars than their bike. Or it may fit you differently. Getting the saddle at the right hight is vital, as it will mean your legs are extending correctly, is better for you and more efficient.
Edited by SteveSteveson on Wednesday 17th June 10:26
A couple of years ago I set my bike up following the 'heel on the pedal' method - when I finally had a shop bike fit it turned out to be about 6 cms too high, which resulted in lots of hip rotation and 'bobbing' while I was in the saddle. Also, doing it this way does not take into account the stack height of the cleats which will be a few cms.
Earlier this year I raided the piggy bank for a decent bike fit which included video analysis from front and side on (with crash test dummy stickers on the pivot points - knee's, hips, ankles), which showed some interesting results. I was surprised to find that my saddle was still too high and about 3 cms too far back (along with a multitude of other slight adjustments). Once the changes were applied to my bike(s) they felt so much better, no back pain, no knee pain on longer rides, no saddle sores (result of sitting on the wrong part of the saddle) etc which were all things I had simply got used to!
I suspect the reason a lot of people slam their stems and crank up their saddle height is to look 'pro', what they probably don't realise is the power they are losing out on and the damage they are inflicting on their bodies.
Earlier this year I raided the piggy bank for a decent bike fit which included video analysis from front and side on (with crash test dummy stickers on the pivot points - knee's, hips, ankles), which showed some interesting results. I was surprised to find that my saddle was still too high and about 3 cms too far back (along with a multitude of other slight adjustments). Once the changes were applied to my bike(s) they felt so much better, no back pain, no knee pain on longer rides, no saddle sores (result of sitting on the wrong part of the saddle) etc which were all things I had simply got used to!
I suspect the reason a lot of people slam their stems and crank up their saddle height is to look 'pro', what they probably don't realise is the power they are losing out on and the damage they are inflicting on their bodies.
wjwren said:
32.5cm inside leg and 180cm tall. Do you think this bike is too big for me? I have the larger frame (23 inch)
Personally I think it is. The smaller one would likely be spot on, probably with the stock stem. 23" = 58.5cm, the smaller is 55.5cm. (These are supposed to be seat tube lengths but I bet the ETT is a similar difference too)
Argos only sell the larger 2 of the manufacturers frame sizes, 49cm, 52cm, 55cm and 58cm, effectively yours is their XL.
Such are the pitfalls of buying a bike from a non-bike shop. I got away with it, armed with a little knowledge and experience.
Frame geometry make a massive difference to how a bike looks with regard to seat height. I.e. My Ribble old school flat top tube training bike measured to fit me, the seat looks really low only maybe 5" of seat tube out, however my Planet X which again I measure up to fit spot on, loads of seat post out, 10" maybe.
A 23" frame is big for a 32" inside leg at first glance but I suppose it depends on the full geo and top tube length.
I was always told it was better to have a smaller frame with a bit of seat pillar exposed as it gave a better position and reduced weight too.
Agree with the earlier leg extension post too and found that clip in pedals change it slightly too.
I was always told it was better to have a smaller frame with a bit of seat pillar exposed as it gave a better position and reduced weight too.
Agree with the earlier leg extension post too and found that clip in pedals change it slightly too.
I ride a 51cm Felt Z series frame, the seat post and seat are at their limits. It was however more comfortable than the 54cm as the reach is more comfortable. Does look quite small though
Whatever is comfortable is best.
GCN video about bike set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cofyIZt0dmE
If your hips are rocking as you go along it's too high, see this quite a bit on the road
Whatever is comfortable is best.
GCN video about bike set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cofyIZt0dmE
If your hips are rocking as you go along it's too high, see this quite a bit on the road
The quick fit checks I use for all my bikes is:
Get saddle in correct position - height as above, fore aft so just under kneecap is plumb with pedal spindle at 3 o'clock.
Elbow on tip of saddle, where does tip of longest finger reach? For me 1" back from the handlebar works best.
It's a sloping TT so you'd expect a bit of seatpost. My 55 (same frame and size down from the OP's) fits me perfectly, as said with smaller 90mm stem and a comfy set up with a bit of stack and 50mm saddle to bar top drop.
Get saddle in correct position - height as above, fore aft so just under kneecap is plumb with pedal spindle at 3 o'clock.
Elbow on tip of saddle, where does tip of longest finger reach? For me 1" back from the handlebar works best.
It's a sloping TT so you'd expect a bit of seatpost. My 55 (same frame and size down from the OP's) fits me perfectly, as said with smaller 90mm stem and a comfy set up with a bit of stack and 50mm saddle to bar top drop.
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