Originally Posted by
BikeWNC
Saddle height, crank arm length and fore/aft position will dictate knee angles at the top and bottom of the pedal circle. The frame is only there to help connect the dots of your position. Some frames will make getting your desired position easier some harder and some will make it impossible when combined with where the bars need to be.
IF you are riding a standard road bike, then +1. The most important thing about fit is getting your saddle in the correct position relative to the bottom bracket. Do not move your saddle to adjust your reach to the handlebars, change your stem length. If you plan to ride a lot then a professional fit ($200) is well worth the money assuming there is a highly qualified fitter in your area.
Fit is the most critical thing for good pedaling mechanics and good joint health. If you are using cycling shoes with cleats, cleat position is almost as important. I say almost because most cleat have lateral float which lets you get away with a ballpark location. Learning to pedal correctly -- pedaling technique and appropriate gearing -- is that last big piece of the puzzle.
Originally Posted by
maddmaxx
If you observe a lot of bikers you will see that many who haven't been given good advice sit too low. Many do so because they believe that they want to be able to put both feet on the ground when stopped. The too low position puts the knees in a bad position at the top of the pedal stroke.
Proper position goes something like this........If, while sitting normally on the seat, you adjust the seat hight so that your leg is straight while you put your heel on the pedal, you will find that when you pedal with the ball of your foot that the knee will have a slight bend at the bottom of the stroke. You will have to lean over when stopped with only one foot on the ground, but you will save your knees ............... and................. you will probably find that you have a more powerful peddling stroke.
I agree that many people want to be able to stay on the saddle when stopped. For a standard road bike, you can't stay on the saddle while stopped if your seat height is correct. Maybe it's because I've been doing it for 40 years, but it's not hard for me or any of the new riders in my club to unclip one foot and slide off the saddle when stopping.