Seat Position??
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Seat Position??
I am absolutely sure that this question has been around since the birth of the wheel, but optimum seat position for comfort? I have tried various styles front down front up and level and really cannot find the best, although I have now settled for level, still find a problem adjusting everything so that I remain comfortable on the longer rides, any suggestions (I will not consider surgery).
#2
'Bent Brian
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Wellington Ohio
Posts: 560
Bikes: Trek 1000, Rans Tailwind
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Have you tried raising/lowering yor seat in small amounts? That could help. Also changing your bar position/height will change your weight distribution on the bike, thereby "unloading" yout butt. Have you tried different style and type seats? Maybe different padded shorts? If all else fails you have but one final choice, and that is to get 'bent (get a recumbent bike). No more pain from anything.
'bent Brian
'bent Brian
#3
All Things Go
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: dayton, oh
Posts: 1,053
Bikes: 01 bianchi pista, custom. 04 felt f-15, full record.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by bnet1
Have you tried raising/lowering yor seat in small amounts? That could help. Also changing your bar position/height will change your weight distribution on the bike, thereby "unloading" yout butt. Have you tried different style and type seats? Maybe different padded shorts? If all else fails you have but one final choice, and that is to get 'bent (get a recumbent bike). No more pain from anything.
'bent Brian
'bent Brian
but to echo brian's sentiment, I found that raising my seat just a shade helped a bunch.
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by s2sxiii
except the almost imperceptible feeling of your pride and dignity slipping away...
but to echo brian's sentiment, I found that raising my seat just a shade helped a bunch.
but to echo brian's sentiment, I found that raising my seat just a shade helped a bunch.
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by bnet1
Have you tried raising/lowering yor seat in small amounts? That could help. Also changing your bar position/height will change your weight distribution on the bike, thereby "unloading" yout butt. Have you tried different style and type seats? Maybe different padded shorts? If all else fails you have but one final choice, and that is to get 'bent (get a recumbent bike). No more pain from anything.
'bent Brian
'bent Brian
#6
All Things Go
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: dayton, oh
Posts: 1,053
Bikes: 01 bianchi pista, custom. 04 felt f-15, full record.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Newboy
Raising the nose of the seat or the seat post?
#7
I couldn't car less.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,397
Bikes: Ritchey P-series prototype, Diamondback, Nishiki Triathelon Pro.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hand knumb, tilt the seat up a little. I start level then tilt to get the weight off my hands. When you move the post up, the seat is to slide foreward on the rails to keep inline with the bb.
The seat nose should line vertical with the bb axle. Also really seats are designed for stuff you dont 'see'. Your bones. I have narrow hips and ride road seats on mtbs for comfort.
I have lightweight, painfull, small racing saddles for road. Big cushy Velo road seats for jumping.
My seat position changes also as to the type of biking I'll be doing that day. If I am to do downhill runs the post will be low, seat-nose up. Commuting, the seats high and level.
>jef.
The seat nose should line vertical with the bb axle. Also really seats are designed for stuff you dont 'see'. Your bones. I have narrow hips and ride road seats on mtbs for comfort.
I have lightweight, painfull, small racing saddles for road. Big cushy Velo road seats for jumping.
My seat position changes also as to the type of biking I'll be doing that day. If I am to do downhill runs the post will be low, seat-nose up. Commuting, the seats high and level.
>jef.
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by s2sxiii
the seatpost. Sorry, i knew i should have clarified when i wrote it.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MERTON
man. a bent could be cool, though, especially one with an really aero body. imgaine doing 50mph to wherever!!
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MichaelW
See the fitting guide at Peter White Cycles (.com )
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by The Fixer
Are you sure you've got the right size frame and stem height/extention to begin with?
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
I have found that more time off the seat is helpful. I try and stand and peddle in various increments, and that seems to help with the butt pain in the longer rides.
Sheldon has some good reading on the subject. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html
Sheldon has some good reading on the subject. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 132
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hey, I agree with every word of your note, indeed Sheldon is a wise man, for I have noted that as I become more tired the weight on the "tender zone" (wherever that may be) gets worse. I will read more of the thoughts of Sheldon and surely become a wiser person for it.
#16
DEADBEEF
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Catching his breath alongside a road near Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 12,234
Bikes: 1999 K2 OzM, 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
4 Posts
I'm curious as to what you did to get yourself lower. Generally most people will simply lower the bars. If you've set up your seat position so that your legs and torso are properly positioned previously then you shouldn't really fuss with that too much. If you lowered your bars then you might have to play with saddle tilt a little bit or it might be that you just need to give yourself some time. Try going back to the original bar height and lowering it incrementally to give your body time to develop comfort with the new lowered position. You can do this by playing with the spacer stacking. Hopefully you haven't already cut down your steerer. Move some spacers from the bottom of the stem to the top to gradually get it lower. Lower it only 5mm at a time. If you can't "tune" with enough granularity using the spacers you already have, you may need to purchase a new spacer kit with more smaller spacers. Keep in mind too that as you lower your bars, you not only increase your reach to them because the perpendicular distance increases but they are also moved slightly forwards due to the angle of the head tube. This combined effect will have you stretched out more as well as bent lower.
As far as saddle level goes, it's really hard for anyone to make a suggestion that will just work for someone else. I have my saddles so that they're pretty much horizontal. That is if you stuck a bubble-level right in the middle of the saddle it would read neutral. I have heard that most saddle companies design their saddles to be ridden this way but of course not everyone's body will subscribe to what some product manager in a cube thinks is the right saddle position. Unfortunately, this is something you'll have to play with. However, do it gradually and try to change only one thing at a time. Also, remember that when you move your seat post up or down, it also slightly changes fore-aft position of the saddle and so you may need to compensate for that.
As far as saddle level goes, it's really hard for anyone to make a suggestion that will just work for someone else. I have my saddles so that they're pretty much horizontal. That is if you stuck a bubble-level right in the middle of the saddle it would read neutral. I have heard that most saddle companies design their saddles to be ridden this way but of course not everyone's body will subscribe to what some product manager in a cube thinks is the right saddle position. Unfortunately, this is something you'll have to play with. However, do it gradually and try to change only one thing at a time. Also, remember that when you move your seat post up or down, it also slightly changes fore-aft position of the saddle and so you may need to compensate for that.
__________________
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
#17
DEADBEEF
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Catching his breath alongside a road near Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 12,234
Bikes: 1999 K2 OzM, 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
4 Posts
Originally Posted by Newboy
Hey, I agree with every word of your note, indeed Sheldon is a wise man, for I have noted that as I become more tired the weight on the "tender zone" (wherever that may be) gets worse. I will read more of the thoughts of Sheldon and surely become a wiser person for it.
__________________
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122