Originally Posted by helenforsdale
thanks, just saw that.
based on the term, i figured an open cockpit would be the opposite - where one could sit more upright. coming from a bmx background, i've always been more comfortable w/ the seat a bit lower. i've never felt quite as stable w/ a high seat.
My saddle is level with the bars.
"IMO, in XC frame fit is a lot more important, as a poster above said, even headtube angles.
If you undersize the frame and have too much post showing, you have to ram the seat soo far foreward on the rails and you might not be over the spindles enough.
As you raise the seat, you have to slide the seat on the saddle rails forward to bring the knee closer to the concentic action of the knee\ pedal revotution.
Other wise you strain your knees.
Then with the toptube -as you lean foreward, you want the headtube to be not so close as in a allmountain frame -as you are not leaning foreward -rather backwards and leveraging the front up.
This comes into play as steering, you want the apex not too far back if you are long limbed or an 'areo' position rider."...
If you have a short toptube and a long stem the steering is twitchy.
Too long a toptube, hard to leverage the front of the bike as the weigh\ balance is too far foreward.
If you have long legs, and a saddle lower than the bars -wouldn't you meet your knees alot?
XC is about travel, distance. The more correct a riding position, the faster you go, the longer you can go without pain.
An equal ballance of weight on the bars\saddle\pedals is important. In XC, the saddle is level or above the bars IMO.
Hopefully somebody can provide links to bike fitting.
All this writing is a 'take' on what i've read on cycling and my personal exp.
I XC and do light trials riding.