Road Cycling - sliding forward in the saddle when in drops

So this season my goal is to be confident in my riding in the drops (I have the flexablity now) but I am finding that when I am in the drops my butt is sliding forward on the saddle so I am having to push my butt back up the saddle and thus more weight is on my arms. I do not have this problem when I ride on the hoods or top bar, and I have no soreness from riding. So my question is...
-is it a size issue with the bike? I have about 7-8 inches of seat post showing (on a compact frame, so it is only about 3-4 in. above the hoods. I have a longer legs then an upper body, so hence a smaller frame and a lot for seat post)
-is it that my shorts are just sliding and there is nothing that I can do about it (right now I have cheap shorts, but as soon as I sell my other bike I am getting some nice shorts. Is there a style that would prevent this?)
-my saddle is actually a mt bike saddle (serfas ARC) is that a possible reason?
-or is this normal for riding in the drops and I just need to get use to it?

I have the opposite problem. On the hoods I find myself pushing myself back often, in the drops I push myself back once and I stay there (Brooks Pro)

My initial thought would be to tilt the saddle up, raise the seat post a couple mm, move the seat back a little, or a combo of all three.

I am afraid to raise the seat post up anymore b/c I am near full extension of my legs and I am not going to mess up my knees
I will try tilting my saddle nose up a little first, how will moving the saddle back help if I am sliding forward?

If you are hammering while in the drops, it is natural to scoot forward a little bit and be on the nose of the saddle.

If you are not, I can only guess that your back is going more curved than when you are on the hoods which would indicate you may not be as flexible as you think you are or that you handlebars have a really deep drop. Try rotating you hips forward thus flattening your back.

However, without seeing a picture, I am only guessing.

Since I have just started riding in the drops from the hoods, it might be that I am not as flexable as I should be... maybe
sorry no photos of my ride or me riding

as you mentioned, try tilting the saddle nose up a bit. however, keep in mind, that you may feel extra pressure on your crotch if you do this. the sliding motion you described may be better to tolerate than this.

personally, i would try to flatten my back a little more - just doing that should push your waist back naturally.

You should be able to stay comfortably in the drops without sliding forward. That just wastes energy.

Is your saddle too high maybe? Are you at full extension on the hoods so the drops force you to "scoot" forward to compensate for the extra reach?

Maybe it's as you say and you are just not used to riding the drops yet...

I will try tilting my saddle nose up a little first, how will moving the saddle back help if I am sliding forward?

If you move the saddle nose up, you are lowering the back and reducing the distance between the saddle and the pedals. Sliding the saddle back increase that length. But so does lowering the seat post, you say? That is true, but it too brings you closer to the bars.

I'll tell ya, getting it just right is difficult. There are three axis that need to be perfect for a pain free, comfortable ride. I can never seem to find it, I hope you do.


Anyway, I'm not the best guy to talk to about fit. I was really just trying to piggyback on your thread.

I wish us luck,

ehenz

So it looks like experimentation here i come
When on the hoods I can ride with my forearm flat on the bars (like a profile bar) with no problems, I am just riding alot where there are NO trees to kill any wind and I am tring to get a more areo position for that
thanks for the imput

So it looks like experimentation here i come
When on the hoods I can ride with my forearm flat on the bars (like a profile bar) with no problems, I am just riding alot where there are NO trees to kill any wind and I am tring to get a more areo position for that
thanks for the imput

yeah, your set up may end up being slightly different then someone elses. it took me nearly 4 months to get my bike set up properly so that i could ride without pain. i would have to do a few rides, adjust something ever so slightly, do a few more rides, adjust again, and on and on...

When you go down to the drops, make sure you tilt your pelvis forward rather than increasing the arch in your back.

i would have to do a few rides, adjust something ever so slightly, do a few more rides, adjust again, and on and on...

That is good advice

I have about 7-8 inches of seat post showing (on a compact frame, so it is only about 3-4 in. above the hoods.

I'm not a fit expert but I am constantly immersed in discussion with team riders about fit and I recently went through a comprehensive fit with a guy who contracts out to a lot of higher end LBS and works mostly with racers and customers who are getting a high end custom. He's a Serrota certified guy ...blah, blah, blah... he knows what he's doing.

He says the difference in saddle height and bar height should be measured in a few cm ...not inches. So in short, your bars are too low and when in the drops you would naturally slide forward. TT or Tri bikes with aero bars are the exception because your forearms ride above the bars.

If you have long legs compared to torso length, then your head tube length is too short because you went with a smaller frame to get the top tube length right. Stacking the under the stem and over the head tube to raise the bar isn't ideal but a solution. Although, it may require a new fork with a longer steerer tube to make this happen.

Also, he said that the most common fit error he sees cyclists make ...including the very experienced and racers is saddle height and cleat position. Usually the saddle is too high and the cleats are too far back on the shoe. Maybe you could revisit the saddle height?

Here's a guide for saddle height that will get you to a reference point that you can tweak to within millimeters:

Stand with your back against a wall, your bare feet 6" apart on a hard floor, looking straight ahead. Place a book or carpenter’s square between your legs with one edge against the wall, and pull it up firmly into your crotch, simulating the pressure of your saddle while riding. Have a helper measure from the top edge of the book to the floor, in centimeters. (You can convert inches to centimeters by multiplying inches by 2.54.) Repeat two or three times, for consistency, and average the results to get your inseam length.

Then... you’ll be able to set your correct saddle height, which will be within a centimeter of .883 x inseam length, measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the low point of the top of your saddle. This allows full leg extension, with a slight bend in the leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

LeMond recommends that you then shorten this length by 3mm when using clipless pedals. Also, you might consider a slightly taller saddle height if you ride with your toes down and your heel raised. Most importantly, make any changes in saddle height gradually, and give your body time to adapt to the new position.

Good luck!