Mountain Biking - Seat Angle

I am interested in knowing the relationshiop that seat angle has on efficiency in XC MTB riding. Right now my seat is basically parallel to the ground. (level) I suppose personal prefrence will come into play but it seems that there should be a general distinction made between tilting it one way or the other. Any tips???

Mostly just comfort. Most people start with the saddle level with the ground and make minor adjustments until the saddle is most comfortable. I keep my flat, but my wife likes her's tilted tip down a few degrees to relieve pressure on her "taint".


L8R

Unlike the freeride/dh group, the nose is usually pointed up in most cases in order to help get off the saddle in a descent.

I tend to leave mine level or tilted slightly downward if viewed with the bike resting on level ground. The tilt can affect the amount of weight on the bars/saddle and the pressure on certain parts of your body, therefore affecting the comfort level of the ride.

for xc i keep my seat flat parallel to the ground. it used to tilt upward a tad bit and i found that it was forcing me off my saddle on steep climbs and also it hurt my groin. never tried tilting it downwards, but that probably would benefit climbing. depends on what saddle you use also, mine are generally lightweight and skinny, so i keep it flat for maximum contact area.

Parallel to the ground is a good starting point.

It depends on the bike though. A bit foward will help you slide up the nose for climbs. This works only for some people.

It's allllllll personal preference for comfort and ease of riding.