Regular Changes of Position?

[Flyeater]

Hello, I change my seat height and cleat positions probably every month or so, sometimes I just lower the seat by a centimeter sometimes I have it quite high (for me) or forward or back a bit other times I nudge my shoes forward for a week then further back for a week.
I find this makes rides more interesting, changing the feel and moving the position enough to make my legs work in a slightly different manner. I understand that there is an accepted practice for fitting a bike but I have always found slight change to be a good thing in whatever I do.
Do any of you guys do the same, just wondered.

 

[kdelong]

Hello, I change my seat height and cleat positions probably every month or so, sometimes I just lower the seat by a centimeter sometimes I have it quite high (for me) or forward or back a bit other times I nudge my shoes forward for a week then further back for a week.
I find this makes rides more interesting, changing the feel and moving the position enough to make my legs work in a slightly different manner. I understand that there is an accepted practice for fitting a bike but I have always found slight change to be a good thing in whatever I do.
Do any of you guys do the same, just wondered.

No.

 

[pat5319]

I change position only in winter to account for extra layers of clothing or for injuries. I don't want to risk getting injured for changing when not needed, and I never change more than 2 to 3 MM at a time due to muscle memory. Read Eddy B, Hinault, De la Rosa, Lemond etc. to confirm.

 

[alienator]

Hello, I change my seat height and cleat positions probably every month or so, sometimes I just lower the seat by a centimeter sometimes I have it quite high (for me) or forward or back a bit other times I nudge my shoes forward for a week then further back for a week.
I find this makes rides more interesting, changing the feel and moving the position enough to make my legs work in a slightly different manner. I understand that there is an accepted practice for fitting a bike but I have always found slight change to be a good thing in whatever I do.
Do any of you guys do the same, just wondered.

No thank you.

 

[oldbobcat]

Last time I changed my position (moved the saddle forward about a centimeter) my lower back started to hurt. So once I get the bike dialed in, nothing gets changed unless pain or a new pair of shoes is involved.

 

[Flyeater]

Surely there must be someone else out there that does this? I can't be the only one can I?
What about an especially hilly ride, would you not nudge your seat forward a bit? I find it helps loads with climbing.
The only sport I keep positions in is golf and shooting (pretty much the same thing) for obvious reasons but even then I adjust stance dependant upon the lie of the ball or the position I am in when taking a shot.
Not to worry.

 

[NoRacer]

Surely there must be someone else out there that does this? I can't be the only one can I?
What about an especially hilly ride, would you not nudge your seat forward a bit? I find it helps loads with climbing.
The only sport I keep positions in is golf and shooting (pretty much the same thing) for obvious reasons but even then I adjust stance dependant upon the lie of the ball or the position I am in when taking a shot.
Not to worry.

IMHO, it may not be better, just different.

How is your body suppose to adapt to your position if you keep changing it? From what I understand about training, it is the adaptation to a specific position that makes you efficient in that position.

 

[frenchyge]

What about an especially hilly ride, would you not nudge your seat forward a bit? I find it helps loads with climbing.

At times I will slide a little bit forward on the seat for a steep climb. While descending I will slide further back on the seat to get lower and help prepare for braking. Since my hilly rides typically include equal parts climbing and descending, I find it's best to just leave the seat in the middle where it's best for riding on the flats.

 

[Flyeater]

Perhaps I should get my bike fitted for me at my bike store and see what difference that makes. I agree with the previous poster about shifting on the seat for climbs and downhills/flats but what I do is move the seat so I can really get my weight over the cranks then on the flats use the far back of the seat (still comfy) just not in the middle. If doing a flat ride I move it back so that my legs can work best at maintaining high speeds and my upper body is lower.
I think the physiology of the leg means that the most powerfull (over distance) muscles are utillised when the bum is behind the object your pushing. As in leg presses if you have you feet relatively high up on the sled you use your butt more and can shift more weight (in unsion with your quads) but if you bring your feet down so they are almost directly below your bum then you remove the Glutes from the movement mostly leaving the Quads to do all the work resulting in a lower maximum press.

 

[alienator]

Most people slide back on their saddles for climbing.

 

[Flyeater]

Why?

 

[alienator]

Why?

Because sliding forward reduces leverage on the crank.

 

[gman0482]

I believe (at least for me) sliding forward on a climb increases the amount of force you can put on the cranks.

 

[frenchyge]

Sliding backwards increases the distance between the hips and the BB, which straightens the knee and hips slightly and increases the leverage at those joints assuming the intial seat height leaves a little room to spare.

When the bike is *steeply* inclined, the amount of horizontal setback between the BB and seat increases due to the angle. Sliding forward puts the body weight back closer to vertical over the BB (similar to standing on the pedals) so that weight is pushing down on the pedals more rather than forward over the top of the circle from an offset angle. In that position you're "on the rivet."

I doubt there's a big difference either way from a mathematical perspective -- the advantage is in engaging muscles that are prepared to do the work, which ultimately means shifting positions in both directions at different portions of a ride as the body fatigues.

 

[Flyeater]

I shall give moving back on the seat a try the next time I go out.

 

[dangerousbiker]

I don't.. is it really necessary?

 

[rparedes]

Hello, I change my seat height and cleat positions probably every month or so, sometimes I just lower the seat by a centimeter sometimes I have it quite high (for me) or forward or back a bit other times I nudge my shoes forward for a week then further back for a week.
I find this makes rides more interesting, changing the feel and moving the position enough to make my legs work in a slightly different manner. I understand that there is an accepted practice for fitting a bike but I have always found slight change to be a good thing in whatever I do.
Do any of you guys do the same, just wondered.

I do adjust mine a little in the winter: lower the saddle just a tad...

 

[CyclingMaven]

Hello, I change my seat height and cleat positions probably every month or so, sometimes I just lower the seat by a centimeter sometimes I have it quite high (for me) or forward or back a bit other times I nudge my shoes forward for a week then further back for a week.
I find this makes rides more interesting, changing the feel and moving the position enough to make my legs work in a slightly different manner. I understand that there is an accepted practice for fitting a bike but I have always found slight change to be a good thing in whatever I do.
Do any of you guys do the same, just wondered.

Maybe my seat height - rarely.

Only if I'm doing a time trial and I've been doing criteriums. For TT's you generally move the seat up and forward so you can get on the time trial bars but that about the only reason I can think of.

I think you're playing with fire and potential knee injuries moving your cleats around.

Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

...I think you're playing with fire and potential knee injuries moving your cleats around....

Agreed.

Like some of the other folks above I lower my saddle about half a centimeter for winter riding with more layers and before really long rides/races where I'll be in the saddle for more than seven or eight hours. I find my legs tend to tighten up on really long rides and I've had some back of the knee soreness in the final hour or two of really long days so I drop the saddle a bit before days like that which are pretty rare anyway.

But other than that my cross bike, road bike and track bike saddles are all set as closely in terms of height and setback as possible. Like Maven's response above my TT bike is a bit different with the saddle set forward and a bit higher at least higher when measured to saddle center but I typically ride tipped out in the aero bars and the true saddle height measured to where I'm actually sitting when riding hard is very similar to my road bike saddle height. As Maven mentioned that has everything to do with opening up the hips and riding a low position in the aero bars.

But like the folks above I wouldn't reccomnend changing your position by much or frequently or without a good reason. Bike fitting is a good idea in part because there's a narrow range of positions that are efficient and low risk in terms of over use injuries. Moving things around just for the sake of change is like running in different size shoes from day to day just for variety regardless of the blisters or other problems that might lead to...

-Dave

 

[Flyeater]

Just had my bike properly fitted for the first time. Very interesting, I have a 58cm frame and even if I had bought the 61cm size it would still not be long enough across the top. The chap at my local bike store was really helpfull and explained things quite clearly to me. I can get close to optimal on seat height and crank length and drop but length is never going to be close (short by 50mm).
I will at some point shop for a frameset that can accomadate me better but will just have to make the best of what I've got for some time. Nothing major but not perfect.
Being 196.6cm tall you get used to things not fitting throughout your whole life, I guess it's a case of doing what you can.
Thankfully I now have a complete printout of dimensions and setup info for a sporting ride characteristic (not race as I don't) and can start to make improvements to my riding fun (speed and comfort).
Thanks for the replies. Shall see if I can keep to a set position for a while and note any inprovements.