Adjusting Seat
 

I'm adjusting my seat post height and I'm wondering how long are your legs supposed to extend? My friend told me that you have to have full leg extension (meaning after 1 revolution, one of the legs must be completely straight) for maximum speed since you are putting more force on the pedals. Or is he wrong and there's supposed to be a slight bend after a full revolution?

Your friend is setting you up with some serious Achilles tendon injury issues.

Try this for a start. Sit on the saddle, extend one leg and rest your heel on the pedal. You should have just the slightest bend in your leg with your heel on the pedal.

If you cannot rest your heel on the pedal, or if you can, but your leg is locked straight, the saddle is too high.

Thanks for the reply, thought a full leg extension sounded weird.

Great advice, Its amazing the misinformation thats out there.

Hip rocking when your riding will also tell you the seat is too high.

He way wrong- full extension with your HEEL on the pedal

Just curious but would a full leg extension make you go any faster?

That's a valid quick-adjust way to do it, too. Heel right on the pedal center, full leg extension, but not so high you would be forced to rock your hips just to reach the pedal. Then, when you pedal correctly near the ball of your foot, the extra length added by the foot puts just enough bend in your knee.

I've been using the ol' "front of the knee pain = too low, back of the knee pain = too high" trial-and-error method and haven't killed my legs yet. I'd like to see how close I've gotten to "ideal" by getting a good, professional fitting someday.

Watch some race videos to get an idea.

Heel on the pedal with or without shoes on?

Honestly, I'd try it with shoes, understanding that it's merely a starting point.

No stiletto heels, though.

With shoes on, adj. for heel thickness ss. Your heel should drop apx. 20-30 degrees when in riding position when the leg is fully extended. Lemond and Hinault suggest saddle height to be .86 and .87 of your inseam measured form crotch to floor barefoot , assuming std. pedal and shoe sole thickness, at ball, of 14 mm. The newer “norms” sugge saddle should be as much as 1cm lower

Damn...

I suggest that when pedaling normally, the straightest your knees should get at the bottom of the stroke is between 20 and 30 degrees. Like others have mentioned, watch some race videos. Heel on the pedal when pedaling backward with no hip rocking is a decent place to start, but final saddle height will depend on stack height of you shoes/cleats/pedals, and the angle at which you hold your ankle while pedaling. If you tend to pedal toe down, the saddle should be higher than if you tend to pedal heel down. The difference could amount to several cm.

Sans a pro bike fit, here's my two cents ...

Put on your bibs and shoes. Start with your saddle at the height you can sit on your bike, put both feet to the ground, and balance yourself by your toes.

Ride and see how it feels. Bump it up about a 1/4 inch. Repeat until it feels "too high".

Drop it that last 1/4 inch bump.

adjusting saddles can and will cause injuries for those that have devloped "muscle memory", that is riders that have ridden much or those with tight muscles or those that are tight. 2mm at a time please

only until you strain your hamstrings or knees

A full extension would create hip rocking.
Not what you want.

Or Achilles Tendons. And believe me, you do not want to damage to your Achilles Tendons.

try this for a start- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrZBj...eature=related

omg i needed this thread thanks saephan