Saddle Height?

[andreas17777]

My current favourite DIY seat height hack is to pedal with your hips stable and your heels as far down as they can go. It's pretty awkward.

 

At the full extension of your stroke (crank in line with the seat tube not the 6'o'clok position) the bottom of your heel should be inline with the bottom of your toes.

 

You'll need a buddy of course and don't rock your pelvis.

 

Saddle too high is way more common than saddle too low in my experience.

 

Random note - when your saddle is too high your pelvis doesn't move side to side it rotates (with the symphysis pubis (kekekeke) as the axis so that the side you're applying power is lower/correct.

Is this with shoes on or off?

[DieselnDust]

Saddle height position should always be set with shoes on.

 

However, I find that the variation in shoe stack height isn't big enough to cause injury unless your saddle height is too long already

[Steady Spin]

Shoes on yes. What about cycling kit? Will padded shorts affect this enough to make a difference?

[Eldron]

Is this with shoes on or off?

 

Yup. Shoes on, in shorts on home trainer.

[Eldron]

Shoes on yes. What about cycling kit? Will padded shorts affect this enough to make a difference?

 

Yes - the more accurate the better.

[Eldron]

Another random comment... The recommended knee deflection for static checking with a goniometer is 30-35%. Generally that is more than most people think (and is definitely more than "almost straight).

 

Like I said earlier - I see many, many more saddles that are too high than too low.

[ChrisF]

I have seen a gent use a phone app to record a person while doing a bike fit.  The allows him to check the knee angles ....

 

maybe somebody has a link to this app.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I had a bike fit yesterday - I feel no one knows my body and comfort or my dodgy back like I do

 

My set up was so far off the Spez one - in a little very unscientific test, I took 7 mins off a 30km gravel loop I do - I tried to apply same effort as I did on Saturday - like I said unscientific but I felt fresher and if anything Saturday’s conditions were faster

As per Eldron I was also too high (in the saddle that is)

[Eldron]

I had a bike fit yesterday - I feel no one knows my body and comfort or my dodgy back like I do

 

My set up was so far off the Spez one - in a little very unscientific test, I took 7 mins off a 30km gravel loop I do - I tried to apply same effort as I did on Saturday - like I said unscientific but I felt fresher and if anything Saturday’s conditions were faster

As per Eldron I was also too high (in the saddle that is)

 

 

This. 

 

Just get a bike fit - it is way cheaper than that carbon saddle you want and it will give you infinitely more pleasure.

 

The body loves to adapt so yesterdays pain is today's discomfort is tomorrows "normal".

 

I've fitted people who said they had no pain/complaints but after a fitting they waxed lyrical about how comfortable everything was.

 

I've also had a guy who's saddle was 45mm too high and a stem that was 140cm long (he is 5 foot tall). He hadn't ever ridden 3 days in a row because of pain....

[ChrisF]

This.

 

Just get a bike fit - it is way cheaper than that carbon saddle you want and it will give you infinitely more pleasure.

 

The body loves to adapt so yesterdays pain is today's discomfort is tomorrows "normal".

 

I've fitted people who said they had no pain/complaints but after a fitting they waxed lyrical about how comfortable everything was.

 

I've also had a guy who's saddle was 45mm too high and a stem that was 140cm long (he is 5 foot tall). He hadn't ever ridden 3 days in a row because of pain....

Jip !!

 

 

Best money I ever spent was on a professional bike fit.

[thebob]

There is also an online service at www.myvelofit.com if you want to try it. R500, some video and a bit of patience is all that is needed

[love2fly]

Please double check your cleats aren't too far back. Pedal spindle must be under ball of your foot.

 

Ok here are the pics- damn hard to take but there-

 

I have flipped the stem. Bar is flat. No spacers. I should mention that I recently upgraded the fork from 100mm to 120mm.

 

I was thinking 27.5 or a Medium 29er but reading all the above I am not so sure. My saddle is comfy for me as it is now. I could source a shorter crank its now 175mm but I could source maybe 170mm but they seem hard to find?

 

Also as Myles said I am seriously thinking of a shorter stem which would slightly lower the stem height, paired with wider bars and as Myles said not a riser bar.

 

Never done a bike fit. Maybe I should.

 

 

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[Eldron]

Please double check your cleats aren't too far back. Pedal spindle must be under ball of your foot.

 

 

Noooo. That advice is out of date.

 

Mid way between 1st and 5th metatarsal is the latest recommendation. Under the ball creates ischemia which leads to hot foot/numb foot etc.

[love2fly]

OK. Interesting. Does that mean fwd of ball? In that case I reckon the Ops pics show too far back?

Noooo. That advice is out of date.

 

Mid way between 1st and 5th metatarsal is the latest recommendation. Under the ball creates ischemia which leads to hot foot/numb foot etc.

[Eldron]

OK. Interesting. Does that mean fwd of ball? In that case I reckon the Ops pics show too far back?

Behind the ball. The ball is your 1st metatarsal. The fifth is on the outside normally 2-4cm further back (you should be able to feel it quite easily).

 

Midway between these two "outcrops" is the normal position (before optimisation).

[love2fly]

That just seems helluva far back?

Behind the ball. The ball is your 1st metatarsal. The fifth is on the outside normally 2-4cm further back (you should be able to feel it quite easily).

 

Midway between these two "outcrops" is the normal position (before optimisation).