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-   -   Saddle height (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/939499-saddle-height.html)

veganpower 03-22-14 10:55 AM

Saddle height
 
1 Attachment(s)
Can you guys tell if my saddle is too high or too low from the look of this picture: http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=370297

Cookiemonsta 03-22-14 11:56 AM

To be honest you can never really tell from a picture. But at first glance it seems kind of an ok length in the sense that how far you leg extends at the lowest point looks pretty natural. But no one here can tell from a picture better than you can yourself.

surgeonstone 03-22-14 12:14 PM


Originally Posted by veganpower (Post 16601193)
Can you guys tell if my saddle is too high or too low from the look of this picture: http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=370297

Looks about right to me.

rpenmanparker 03-22-14 01:11 PM

Does your ass rock when you peddle. That is a primary sign of too high. You are definitely not too low.

Reynolds 03-22-14 01:59 PM

As said above, you need to watch the actual pedaling and not a picture. However, it looks a little bit low to me - but that depends on your pedaling style.

Fiery 03-22-14 03:11 PM

You're in the right ballpark, not excessively high or low. Get some longer rides in and adjust if you feel any problems. In general, front knee pain - go higher, back knee and Achilles tendon pain - go lower. Do not adjust by more than 2-3mm at a time.

veganpower 03-22-14 03:47 PM


Originally Posted by Fiery (Post 16601662)
You're in the right ballpark, not excessively high or low. Get some longer rides in and adjust if you feel any problems. In general, front knee pain - go higher, back knee and Achilles tendon pain - go lower. Do not adjust by more than 2-3mm at a time.

I did a 130km ride today with the saddle 2 mm higher than this but didn't feel right so I lowered it, now I've lowered it even more. Now it should be fine. When the picture was taken the saddle height was at 75.5 now it's at 75.2. According to the lemond method it should be above 76 cm since I have a inseam of around 86 cm.

veganpower 03-22-14 04:05 PM

1 Attachment(s)
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=370400 This is how it looks now after I lowered it from 75.4 to 75.1. Is that better?

datlas 03-22-14 04:17 PM

Both look like they are in the ballpark. Can you post a video of you pedaling (on a trainer)? Hard to say more than ballpark from a static pic.

datlas 03-22-14 04:19 PM

BTW maybe it's an optical illusion, but the drivetrain looks strange. Looks like the chainrings are facing us but the RD/cassette is facing away from us.

Or is it just me??

veganpower 03-22-14 04:25 PM


Originally Posted by datlas (Post 16601814)
BTW maybe it's an optical illusion, but the drivetrain looks strange. Looks like the chainrings are facing us but the RD/cassette is facing away from us.

Or is it just me??

On the picture both the drive train and cassette and RD is on the left side due to the way I took the photo.

veganpower 03-22-14 04:28 PM


Originally Posted by datlas (Post 16601810)
Both look like they are in the ballpark. Can you post a video of you pedaling (on a trainer)? Hard to say more than ballpark from a static pic.

Maybe I'll do that tomorrow, it's getting late. Have to be up early tomorrow for a pre-Milan-San remo ride ;)

3rdcoast 03-22-14 06:23 PM

The pic is taken thru a mirror

Jiggle 03-22-14 08:22 PM

You guy's are totally missing the point.

Nice legs, bro. Very muscular.

That's all he wanted us to say.

veganpower 03-23-14 12:56 AM


Originally Posted by Jiggle (Post 16602346)
You guy's are totally missing the point.

Nice legs, bro. Very muscular.

That's all he wanted us to say.

Haha, not really. I have been messing around with my saddle for the past week, it's getting real frustrating.

link0 03-23-14 02:19 AM

Saddle looks about 1cm too high to me. Your foot is pointed a bit too angled down.

veganpower 03-23-14 05:12 AM


Originally Posted by datlas (Post 16601810)
Both look like they are in the ballpark. Can you post a video of you pedaling (on a trainer)? Hard to say more than ballpark from a static pic.

Here is the video of me pedaling on the trainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLXd...ature=youtu.be

SirHustlerEsq 03-23-14 07:50 AM

Did you give a "fitter" several hundred dollars to tell you "you are comfortable"? You may want to consider that after making a thread like this.

Looigi 03-23-14 09:39 AM

The angle at which you hold your ankle while pedaling is a largely matter of preference. All else equal, if you tend to pedal toe down the saddle will be lower than if you pedal toe level or toe up. The difference can be as much as several cm. Ride for a while, on the road or a trainer so that your ankle assumes it's normal angle and then assess the degree of knee bend at the bottom of the stroke. ~20 degrees is the usual.

coasting 03-23-14 10:39 AM

looks too low.

Fiery 03-23-14 10:43 AM


Originally Posted by veganpower (Post 16602847)
Here is the video of me pedaling on the trainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLXd...ature=youtu.be

Judging on this, I would not go lower. You have made a change recently, now ride for a while like that before changing anything again. Otherwise you risk going into "adjustment hell", always adjusting, never feeling quite right and completely losing any idea of what you were trying to achieve in the first place.

veganpower 03-23-14 11:09 AM


Originally Posted by Fiery (Post 16603428)
Judging on this, I would not go lower. You have made a change recently, now ride for a while like that before changing anything again. Otherwise you risk going into "adjustment hell", always adjusting, never feeling quite right and completely losing any idea of what you were trying to achieve in the first place.

I think I'm going to stick to this position, definitely not lower. According to my calculations my knee angle when the foot is at 6 o'clock is at around 33 degrees, give or take. From my understanding the ideal angle is between 25-35 so if I would to draw any conclusions from that I would say that my saddle is towards the low end of my range. My inseam is 87 cm and according to the lemond method (.883 * inseam=saddle height B-B) my saddle should be at 76.8 cm, which is 1.5-1.6 cm higher than my actual set up. Doesn't make any sense.

Bandera 03-23-14 11:21 AM


Originally Posted by veganpower (Post 16603489)
My inseam is 87 cm and according to the lemond method (.883 * inseam=saddle height B-B) my saddle should be at 76.8 cm, which is 1.5-1.6 cm higher than my actual set up. Doesn't make any sense.

Started too low, went the wrong way.
The Guimard/Le Mond system (if calculated correctly) will take time/miles to adjust to but it is well proven for a classic competitive fit.

"Guimard raised my position an inch and a half...he told me to raise it slowly...once I got used to it I realized how much difference the right position makes." -Greg Lemond's Complete Book of Bicycling

There is a "Fitting Your Bike" sub-forum, but that is not a substitute for a good coach and/or experience local fitter.

-Bandera

nkfrench 03-23-14 11:35 AM

I heard that sitting on the saddle placing HEEL on pedal the leg should be almost straight without rocking on saddle.
OP's feet look long so I'm not sure that applies.

Is changing saddle height supposed to fix some problem or just provide more power?

emveezee 03-23-14 11:50 AM

Style points for shoe covers indoors.


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