Saddle position for climbs

[IzzyG]

Heya guys. I just purchased Carmichael's Climbing DVD. He has you elevating the front of the bike to imitate the gradient during climbs. My question is, do you nose the saddle down to level it when the bike is set up this way? I get numb 25 minutes into the DVD if I use the same set up I use for everyday(level to horizontal). If I have to nose the saddle down, how do pro riders climb those mountains? Do they nose their saddles down too? Thanks in advance.

Izzy G.

 

[Eastway82]

<snip> how do pro riders climb those mountains? Do they nose their saddles down too? Thanks in advance.

Izzy G.

They rarely sit in the saddle for that long - there'll almost always be the occasional short burst out of the saddle. Hard to do on a turbo trainer (assuming that's what you're using). You probably slump on the saddle a bit more on the turbo than on the road too, which won't help.

 

[artmichalek]

There's a natural tendency to lean forward on a steep climb. The whole point of setting up the trainer with the front wheel elevated is to work yourself out of this habit. Try to keep your body in the same position relative to the bars as you do normally.

 

[ed073]

Saddle always level, regardless of terrain.

On a long climb, you slide back.

During a sprint or TT effort, you move forward.



Hard to accomplish if it's on some weird angle.