Originally Posted by
SlvrDragon50
- I still am unsure if I need more setback than my seatpost allows. I can take my hands off the bars, but I am definitely unable to maintain pedaling for more than 3 seconds without having to start putting more pressure on the pedals to prevent myself from falling over. My shoulders/neck do feel a little tense, but this may just be fatigue. I basically went from biking max 6-7 miles in a session to 15+. I am also spending a lot more time on the bars than just sitting upright with no hands on the bars.
- I really struggled to get get higher cadence (105+). Once my cadence got this high, I would start to bounce off the saddle. I am sure there is a technique issue at play here as well. I feel like this is more related to saddle height?
- I've also adjusted so the cleats are at the front of the shoes pushing my feet as far back as possible.
- Overall, I felt like I struggled with power on this new setup compared to previous rides, but I can definitely see how changing saddle positioning may cause different muscle activation.
I think I need to low the saddle height back down a bit since the heel-pedal measurement is leading to a bit of hip rocking. However, I am worried that if I lower the saddle, then I'm going to lose power. I can grab another video if it makes it easier.
1) You almost certainly do not need more setback unless the bike is undersized or you are riding very slowly (like under 10mph average) and want a beach cruiser fit.
2) If you are bouncing at only 105, that is almost certainly a saddle height issue. I’d lower it.
3) Why? Cleat position generally should always be just behind the ball of your foot. Remember that, if you adjust your cleats backward, your feet will move forward and you will need to lower/slide forward your saddle once more.
4) A more rearward setup will generally make it harder to put down a ton of seated power for those short bursts (think beach cruisers) but will take weight off your hands and thus reduce discomfort on long rides. If there existed a system that intelligent moved your saddle depending on your power output, that would be cool - but right now, you have to optimize your fit based on what you think is best overall.
You can start incrementing your saddle up and forwards VERY slightly as you start making big gains. Remember that there isn’t a huge difference in saddle position between a pro blasting 6W/kg for an hour and an amateur doing maybe 2-3.
Don’t worry about losing power by lowering your saddle. You’ll only start to lose power if your knee is at a really acute angle at the top of the stroke, which is probably not where you are right now... unless you are short and have long tibias (shins) and thus need shorter cranks.