Effect of raising saddle? - Page 3 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

06-17-2004, 05:09 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, luigi12081
@cox.net says...

....

> Try raising the saddle: you'll like it. I recently raised the saddle
> on my little brother's superheavy Huffy, and the grin on his face when
> he could actually *move* the bike down the road at a decent clip was
> proof enough of the efficiency and effectiveness of good position.

My daughter had the same response when I raised hers. Of course, that
was three months ago, and now it's too low again <Grin>.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

06-17-2004, 06:04 AM

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:46:25 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>The LBS claims I should get more power on the stroke and maybe less fatigue
>>while riding (that would be great!). Some older fellow said something
>>similar as he dropped me on the road trying to catch up to his wife on her
>>recumbent.

Is there a source on-line that gives guidelines for all the "fitting"
issues?

Handle bar height, distance from saddle front to goose neck, etc.?

TIA,

B

06-17-2004, 06:04 AM

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:46:25 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>The LBS claims I should get more power on the stroke and maybe less fatigue
>>while riding (that would be great!). Some older fellow said something
>>similar as he dropped me on the road trying to catch up to his wife on her
>>recumbent.

Is there a source on-line that gives guidelines for all the "fitting"
issues?

Handle bar height, distance from saddle front to goose neck, etc.?

TIA,

B

06-17-2004, 06:04 AM

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:46:25 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>The LBS claims I should get more power on the stroke and maybe less fatigue
>>while riding (that would be great!). Some older fellow said something
>>similar as he dropped me on the road trying to catch up to his wife on her
>>recumbent.

Is there a source on-line that gives guidelines for all the "fitting"
issues?

Handle bar height, distance from saddle front to goose neck, etc.?

TIA,

B

06-17-2004, 06:04 AM

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:46:25 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>The LBS claims I should get more power on the stroke and maybe less fatigue
>>while riding (that would be great!). Some older fellow said something
>>similar as he dropped me on the road trying to catch up to his wife on her
>>recumbent.

Is there a source on-line that gives guidelines for all the "fitting"
issues?

Handle bar height, distance from saddle front to goose neck, etc.?

TIA,

B

06-17-2004, 06:04 AM

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:46:25 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>>The LBS claims I should get more power on the stroke and maybe less fatigue
>>while riding (that would be great!). Some older fellow said something
>>similar as he dropped me on the road trying to catch up to his wife on her
>>recumbent.

Is there a source on-line that gives guidelines for all the "fitting"
issues?

Handle bar height, distance from saddle front to goose neck, etc.?

TIA,

B

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM

"Frank Krygowski" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].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 [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Bob C.

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM

"Frank Krygowski" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].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 [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Bob C.

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM

"Frank Krygowski" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].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 [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Bob C.

06-17-2004, 08:26 AM

"Frank Krygowski" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].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 [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Bob C.