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Thick soles and saddle height

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View Poll Results: Do you change your saddle height for thicker shoes?
I keep it the same, doing all that work is crazy
14
32.56%
I change it, riding without proper fit is crazy
13
30.23%
Got clipless, not an issue
13
30.23%
I never thought about this but now it will haunt me always
3
6.98%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

Thick soles and saddle height

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Old 12-15-16 | 03:59 PM
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Thick soles and saddle height

Here's a good one for a gray December afternoon. Do you adjust your saddle height for different shoe thickness? Would the difference in leg extension drive you nuts, or would the need to change it all the time drive you nuts?
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Old 12-15-16 | 04:07 PM
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Why would Clipless make it "not an issue"?
A winter shoe like Lake 303 adds something like 1/2" from the face of the pedal to the sole of my foot compared to the summer shoes. The bike is still rideable, but who wouldn't react to a 1/2" saddle drop?

Last edited by dabac; 12-15-16 at 04:11 PM.
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Old 12-15-16 | 04:11 PM
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Good point. I'll leave that as a special case since I can't figure out how to edit the poll options.
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Old 12-15-16 | 07:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
Good point. I'll leave that as a special case since I can't figure out how to edit the poll options.
You can't edit polls after publishing. Bummer, I know.

Another choice is what I do, switch to non-clipless pedals in the Winter that adjust for the thicker soled shoes.
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Old 12-15-16 | 08:05 PM
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I change it routinely. Both bikes have those silly QRs on the seat posts, might as well use 'em. I even mark the posts for quickly finding the right height. I ride platform pedals with whatever shoes I feel like wearing that day. Even a 1/4" adjustment helps. Reminds me, I need to adjust it for my new Merrell cycling shoes. Just got 'em this week, got a little soreness in the left hip. The Merrell soles are less flexible and just slightly than the Montrail hiking shoes I usually wear.
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Old 12-15-16 | 08:29 PM
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The difference in leg extension drives me absolutely nuts.

Switching from summer shoes to winter shoes is bad enough. Riding in platform boots is when it gets really fun!
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Old 12-16-16 | 03:36 AM
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Have platform pedals, adjust saddle for different footwear. Currently riding with snow sneakers and thick socks.
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Old 12-16-16 | 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
Here's a good one for a gray December afternoon. Do you adjust your saddle height for different shoe thickness? Would the difference in leg extension drive you nuts, or would the need to change it all the time drive you nuts?
Absolutely, I change my saddle height!!!!!!!!!!

I actually didn't think of it until the middle of last winter. Last July I finally tired of cold feet, broke down, and bought cycling boots which had thicker soles.

I did not adjust my saddle height and within a couple weeks, I had knee problems.

Made the adjustment, and the knee problems went away.


Always, always, always make the adjustment.

Also ... as your Brooks starts to break in, you'll have to make a very slight saddle height adjustment too. The whole fit thing is fluid.
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Old 12-16-16 | 10:31 AM
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Any time you change the effective pedal stack height, it affects the saddle height. Different pedals or shoes or even foot beds of differing thicknesses.
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Old 12-16-16 | 10:38 AM
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I have shoes that I wear for riding and I wear my clogs otherwise. I don't think I would ever ride in my clogs - although I do sometimes see commuters doing it. My shoes for riding all have about the same thickness in sole and I ride grip king platforms; the slight difference in thickness is easily offset by the ability to move my foot around on the large platform. Once a year (spring) when I buy new riding shoes I make a seat post adjustment and that's it - I have a brooks saddle and locking seatpost and saddle bolts instead of quick release.
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Old 12-16-16 | 10:38 AM
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I always wear the same shoes and type of socks.
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Old 12-16-16 | 03:43 PM
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Any time I change shoes/pedals I wind up needing to adjust the saddle like ~5mm. It's not as much of an issue on the mountain bike.

Plus it takes all of 2 min to adjust the saddle, and that's without a QR saddle clamp. You know which way it needs to go, and by roughly how much. It takes me longer to put air in the tires.
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Old 12-16-16 | 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by dabac
Why would Clipless make it "not an issue"?
A winter shoe like Lake 303 adds something like 1/2" from the face of the pedal to the sole of my foot compared to the summer shoes.
It's not an issue because changing your seat height once a year from summer to winter shoes is "not an issue" OP is clearly talking about day to day riding where you might regularly wear different thickness shoes.
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Old 12-16-16 | 04:29 PM
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Meh, I dont ride that far these days , I ride in street shoes Mostly .. My Brompton has A QR for it's seatpost .

Lefties are all Sinister , by definition..



...
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Old 12-16-16 | 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by bikepro
Any time you change the effective pedal stack height, it affects the saddle height. Different pedals or shoes or even foot beds of differing thicknesses.
Yep, one reason why I hate having to buy new cycling shoes.
Getting the cleat adjustment & saddle height back to correct is a PIA even w/ all of the data in my build/fit logs.
I like my knees, it's worth the effort.

-Bandera
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Old 12-16-16 | 04:39 PM
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I don't want to lower my saddle and mark the seatpost, then raise it again to reveal the marks from the lowered position.
Looks pretty ****ty

Last edited by cb400bill; 12-16-16 at 09:09 PM. Reason: Bypassing forum censor
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Old 12-16-16 | 05:21 PM
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I changed from my trail running shoes to a pair of crocs one day last summer when it was drizzling rain, because I wanted dry shoes to wear at the end of the day's ride. Apparently, the soles of the crocs were significantly thinner. I strained my right Achilles that day.
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Old 12-16-16 | 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by ckindt
I don't want to lower my saddle and mark the seatpost, then raise it again to reveal the marks from the lowered position.
Looks pretty ****ty
Use a piece of black electrical tape. I use when while working on the bike and need to remove seatpost. With a seatpack on the bike, it is hardly noticeable.


As far as adjustments. I once replaced an old saddle with the new exact model. Didn't figure I would need to adjust the saddle height. But a 72 miler right after the swap told me I did!

Last edited by cb400bill; 12-16-16 at 09:09 PM. Reason: clean up
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Old 12-16-16 | 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by ckindt
I don't want to lower my saddle and mark the seatpost, then raise it again to reveal the marks from the lowered position.
Looks pretty ****ty

Proper size matched Honed and polished seat Tubes dont do that + you dont have to tighten the bolt much to hold the post Up .

Last edited by cb400bill; 12-16-16 at 09:09 PM. Reason: clean up
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Old 12-16-16 | 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
Proper size matched Honed and polished seat Tubes dont do that + you dont have to tighten the bolt much to hold the post Up .
My CF post would.
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Old 12-17-16 | 11:34 AM
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I cannot guess the fit precision of any parts of your bike remotely..

Carbon assembly paste includes an abrasive to have it function, of course ..

good luck with your needs for consumer Product satisfaction ..
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