Originally Posted by
PeteHski
I don't really understand your argument about femur length and KOPS. Neither does Keith Bontrager and it's probably fair to say he has researched it more than most. Quotes from his article linked earlier:-
"The KOPS method is arbitrary because it relies on the gravitational orientation of a plumb bob. The direction of gravitational force has no bearing on the rider's ability to pedal"
"What is important is that I have not noticed any specific correlation between seat angle and my customers' femur bone length. I am reasonably certain that none exists"
Now if KOPS happens to work for you, then great. But I don't see any genuine scientific basis for it.
Right, there is no scientific evidence for KOPS, nor is there scientific evidence for any other 'method'. So consideration of all is possible, equally.
If you don;t understand the relationship of femur length, KOPS and ultimately cycling, then it's worth the process of thinking about it.
K. Bontrager - great guy, added a lot to bike equipment ideas, especially mtb. very glad he's been doing that - but he's never been involved in any scientific study on bike position.
so, his comments are 'opinion', from possibly his observation and thoughts, but more than any other thoughts? debatable.
There have been attempts at scientifc studies for saddle position and fore-aft.
Here are just 2 examples:
https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/cpa/a...view/4430/4120 (this one actually downloads a PDF - best I can determine is it's not infectious or virus containing... But download at your risk)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...66337621000093
This 2nd one is mighty 'scientific' and bites a big mouthful, funny in many ways, and ultimately completely ignores fore-aft in it's summary ... meaning, they're didn;t want to wrassle that Bar... LOL!
If therez some Sigh-ENz evidence for 'balance', I'd like to see that. Same for 'Mid-rail'.
Tomato Coupe was nicely succinct - "
Yes, KOP gives you a somewhat arbitrary starting point, but so does the balance method. Strict adherence to either as the ultimate arbiter of saddle position is misguided."
I cede to that plume of terse wisdom.
Ride on
Yuri