Originally Posted by
rustybyker
I would say that your bike is too small for you. Not long ago I was worrying about the same thing. My bike just didn't feel comfortable and I kept feeling like I needed more space between the handlebars and the seat. A longer seat post helped a little, but I finally saved enough to get a new bike and it feels so much better. It was an expensive option, but the best one for me.
I think these are two separate things. One, there is the position of your seat relative to the pedals. Moving this back and forth can make the pedal stroke more comfortable as well as enabling you to generate more power from your legs. There are general guidelines about its position, but my experience is that it is so personal that you just need to try it out.
Two, there is the position of the saddle relative to the handle bar. I think the best thing to do is position the saddle to achieve a pedal stroke you like, then if necessary, change or adjust the bar stem to create the appropriate distance between saddle and handlebar. It sounds like you would have been better off changing the bar stem than the seatpost.