Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More - View Single Post

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM

"Frank Krygowski" <frkrygow@mousepotato.com> wrote in message
news:40d12609@news.ysu.edu...
> Roger Zoul wrote:
>
> > Anyway, since folks have been telling me to raise my saddle (including
the
> > cute lady who sold me my bike
>
> ;-) I think it's time you posted the cutie's picture.
>
>
> > -- I think she was afraid for me at first so
> > played it safe), I thought to ask for some assistance on getting it
close
> > (they're pushing me to pay the $100 for a professional fitting).
Anyway,
> > one of the guys (a mechanic and one of the two people there who does the
> > fittings) decides to help me out...puts the bike on the trainer and has
me
> > start riding. By then end of 30 minutes or so, he has raised the saddle
> > hight by 2.5 inches!!
> >
> > I'm wondering what practical difference this will make?
>
> 2.5 inches will make a huge practical difference!
>
> Riding a saddle that's too low is like doing a Groucho Marx duck walk
> all day long. It puts lots of unnecessary strain on your knees.
>
> You mention doing leg presses. You should be able to verify the idea
> with that machine, if it's got enough adjustment. See how much you can
> raise with your leg nearly extended, versus how little you can raise
> with your knees deeply bent.
>
> One way of setting saddle height is to lean against a wall to support
> yourself, unclip, put your _heels_ on the pedals, and backpedal. Your
> seat should be high enough so you can barely contact the pedals at their
> lowest point. (Hip rocking to "stretch" is not allowed.)
>
> If you set your seat height this way, then when you clip in properly,
> you'll have about the right bend (i.e. pretty slight) in your knees.
>
> Of course, nothing's perfect. This works pretty well if your body -
> especially shoe size - is all "normal." Feel free to make slight
> adjustements to fine tune things.
>
> With the seat high enough, you'll ride _much_ stronger.
>
> (With the seat too high, your hips might rock and cause saddle problems,
> or you may get pain in the back of the knee from over-extending.)
>
> --
> --------------------+
> Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
> replace with cc.ysu dot edu]
>

The website for Colorado Cyclist has a fitting section that's quite
comprehensive and that's based on most of the latest thinking on proper bike
fit. Go to www.coloradocyclist.com

Bob C.

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM	#30 (permalink)
psycholist Posts: n/a	Re: Effect of raising saddle? "Frank Krygowski" <frkrygow@mousepotato.com> wrote in message news:40d12609@news.ysu.edu... > Roger Zoul wrote: > > > Anyway, since folks have been telling me to raise my saddle (including the > > cute lady who sold me my bike > > ;-) I think it's time you posted the cutie's picture. > > > > -- I think she was afraid for me at first so > > played it safe), I thought to ask for some assistance on getting it close > > (they're pushing me to pay the $100 for a professional fitting). Anyway, > > one of the guys (a mechanic and one of the two people there who does the > > fittings) decides to help me out...puts the bike on the trainer and has me > > start riding. By then end of 30 minutes or so, he has raised the saddle > > hight by 2.5 inches!! > > > > I'm wondering what practical difference this will make? > > 2.5 inches will make a huge practical difference! > > Riding a saddle that's too low is like doing a Groucho Marx duck walk > all day long. It puts lots of unnecessary strain on your knees. > > You mention doing leg presses. You should be able to verify the idea > with that machine, if it's got enough adjustment. See how much you can > raise with your leg nearly extended, versus how little you can raise > with your knees deeply bent. > > One way of setting saddle height is to lean against a wall to support > yourself, unclip, put your _heels_ on the pedals, and backpedal. Your > seat should be high enough so you can barely contact the pedals at their > lowest point. (Hip rocking to "stretch" is not allowed.) > > If you set your seat height this way, then when you clip in properly, > you'll have about the right bend (i.e. pretty slight) in your knees. > > Of course, nothing's perfect. This works pretty well if your body - > especially shoe size - is all "normal." Feel free to make slight > adjustements to fine tune things. > > With the seat high enough, you'll ride _much_ stronger. > > (With the seat too high, your hips might rock and cause saddle problems, > or you may get pain in the back of the knee from over-extending.) > > -- > --------------------+ > Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com, > replace with cc.ysu dot edu] > The website for Colorado Cyclist has a fitting section that's quite comprehensive and that's based on most of the latest thinking on proper bike fit. Go to www.coloradocyclist.com Bob C.