Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

how do you sit on your seat?

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

how do you sit on your seat?

Old 05-22-03, 01:19 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: louisville
Posts: 21
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
how do you sit on your seat?

i have been riding for 6 years now. and the question of how i am suppose to have my seat adjusted always comes as a pain in the ass. i've read stuff that said you get most power out of your stride when your legs are the most extented, and then i read that your suppose to sit on the back most part of your bottom as you can. and i cant seem to get the most out ot my stride and sit on my butt bone at the same time.. being 6 3 probably doesn't help. but i have honestly probably tried every seat adjustment i can do on my bike. could it be the seat itself that makes me uncomfortable. i either have no power (from a low seat), and correct placement, or ful power (raised seat) and uncomfortable after say an hour of riding. i thought about getting a vented seat, but haven't yet. thats my next step. could some please tell me how to setup my seat, and not get fatigue from either a sore butt, or sore legs...
Nabil01 is offline  
Old 05-22-03, 01:35 PM
  #2  
newbie newbie
 
georgesnatcher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Happy to be in FLORIDA
Posts: 633

Bikes: Titanium Indy Fab 29" mtb

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have found that for speed that I have to sit forward on my seat. For cruising I sit at the back part of the seat. As to the height of the seat I keep my seat adjusted so that my knee is just short of locked straight.
georgesnatcher is offline  
Old 05-22-03, 01:40 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: louisville
Posts: 21
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
thats how i have my seat adjusted, but it still gives me problems. it is also a 6 year old seat... do seats cushions get worn out? sense im gonna try the vented seat idea anyone got any favorites that should have me look into. remember im on a kaitai mountain bike. so i dont need a road racing vented seat.
Nabil01 is offline  
Old 05-22-03, 01:40 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
hgalindo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston/Kingwood
Posts: 60
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My understanding (and it works best for me) is that you should be sitting on your sit bones, not your butt bone. If the saddle height is right, that will put you with the longest leg position, in which your knee should be slightly bent (just shy of straight).

I find my pedaling is most powerful when my sit bones are firmly positioned square in the biggest part of the saddle and my butt is hanging over the back a bit (I suppose this depends on butt size... I'm about 30 lbs over weight, so your mileage will vary). It feels odd and because my saddle doesn't fit me well (a new one is winging to me in the mail as we speak) I don't stay in that position very easily. But it is where I'm most powerful and have the least soft tissue pain.
hgalindo is offline  
Old 05-22-03, 01:50 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
cyclezealot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Fallbrook,Calif./Palau del Vidre, France
Posts: 13,230

Bikes: Klein QP, Fuji touring, Surly Cross Check, BCH City bike

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1485 Post(s)
Liked 73 Times in 64 Posts
Most important you sit on your sit bones and not on soft tissue. I like a tucked position and am comfortable in the drops.
cyclezealot is offline  
Old 05-22-03, 03:10 PM
  #6  
hors category
 
TandemGeek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,231
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Perhaps you've read this... https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

If not, it's a worthwhile article if only to give you a baseline for making adjustments.

This is also a good reference article, although somewhat more heavy on the technical side of things:
https://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/...mar/kronpa.htm

In general, seat height, seat tilt and the reach to your handlebars should be established based on a "best fit" relative to your body size.

As you ride on different terrain you do as GeorgeSnatcher suggests with regard to power...

Climbing: You slide your butt further back on the saddle -- behind the neutral postion and further back of the bottom bracket -- to bring your quadriceps more into play.

Fast, flats: You slide your butt forward on the saddle -- in front of the neutral position and above the bottom bracket -- to leverage your hamstrings.

Regarding seats, the foundation materials used in most modern saddles will tend to break down if they were somewhat thick to begin with. In a word, thick padding on saddles is a "bad" thing. The older they get the worse they are as they let and more weight move onto the soft tissues where nerves and blood vessels can end up being restricted leading to all kinds of discomfort. A firm saddle is a good thing.

Anotomic cut-outs are also not necessarily bad things if they are part of a firm saddle for a variety of reasons but they're not for everyone. I've found that I like them relative to pressure relief on the "tweeners" and for the free air conditioning. It's amazing how much cooler a cut-out saddle is on a hot day vs a solid model.

Can't say much about the gel saddles. I've got some on my single bikes w/out the anotomic cut-out and my biggest issue is they're too soft and the coverings seem to wear out fairly fast.
TandemGeek is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.