Seat height?

[[email protected]]

Hi All,

I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.

This bike is very comfortable, and now that I have discovered this low
seat height, I have decided to adopt this new mutation onto my other
bikes.

The thing is, this seat height is 2-3cm lower than some of the online
calculations I've seen, and as many as 8cm(!) lower than for example
the competitivecyclist calculator.

I'm sticking with my "ride lots" and "if the shoe fits" non-scientific
game plan here, but I'm interested to hear what effects folks think
having a lower than normal seat height might have.

Joseph

 

[Art Harris]

joseph.santanie wrote:
> I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
> lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
> seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.
>
> This bike is very comfortable, and now that I have discovered this low
> seat height, I have decided to adopt this new mutation onto my other
> bikes.
>
> The thing is, this seat height is 2-3cm lower than some of the online
> calculations I've seen, and as many as 8cm(!) lower than for example
> the competitivecyclist calculator.
>
> I'm sticking with my "ride lots" and "if the shoe fits" non-scientific
> game plan here, but I'm interested to hear what effects folks think
> having a lower than normal seat height might have.

If it feels better, go with it. Formulas just get you in the ball
park. And there are lots of variables such as shoe/cleat stack height,
etc.

The classic symptom of a too low saddle is pain at the front of the
knee.

Art Harris



Art Harris

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 18, 12:55 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
> lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
> seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.
>
> This bike is very comfortable,


You did not state the answer to a very important question. Is the 3cm
lower saddle MORE comfortable than the saddles 3cm higher? If they
are all equally comfortable, then I don't see any advantageous running
the saddle lower. Unless its something like cyclo cross where
dismounting would be easier. I've heard with a lower saddle you put
fewer muscles into use during the pedal stroke. Kind of like a piston
in an engine. If it cannot travel as far, straighten out, then it
produces less force/power per stroke.



and now that I have discovered this low
> seat height, I have decided to adopt this new mutation onto my other
> bikes.
>
> The thing is, this seat height is 2-3cm lower than some of the online
> calculations I've seen, and as many as 8cm(!) lower than for example
> the competitivecyclist calculator.
>
> I'm sticking with my "ride lots" and "if the shoe fits" non-scientific
> game plan here, but I'm interested to hear what effects folks think
> having a lower than normal seat height might have.
>
> Joseph

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 19, 3:47 pm, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 18, 12:55 pm, "[email protected]"
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Hi All,
>
> > I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
> > lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
> > seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.
>
> > This bike is very comfortable,
>
> You did not state the answer to a very important question. Is the 3cm
> lower saddle MORE comfortable than the saddles 3cm higher? If they
> are all equally comfortable, then I don't see any advantageous running
> the saddle lower. Unless its something like cyclo cross where
> dismounting would be easier. I've heard with a lower saddle you put
> fewer muscles into use during the pedal stroke. Kind of like a piston
> in an engine. If it cannot travel as far, straighten out, then it
> produces less force/power per stroke.

The bike that had the unintentional low seat has a general at-ease-
ness about it that is lacking to some extent in the other bikes. It is
sort of an apples and oranges sort of thing, but this bike is a fixed-
gear track bike 46x16, 165mm cranks with no brakes, and the other bike
in particular is a regular road bike.

The track bike is used for LSD rides. Since it has no brake, I take it
super easy (walking pace) downhill. All the rides are done using a
perceived effort of "easy". When I take my road bike on the same ride
also with a PE of "easy" I go slower! And considering I use my 53x12
down some of the hills that I take at a walking pace on the other
bike, this has me puzzled. I have taken the same 120km circuit ride 3
times on each bike recenlty, and the weather has been pretty
consistent, and I was the same or faster with the track bike each
time. In terms of comfort, both bikes are comfortable in terms of
butt, lower back, shoulders, etc. The road bike has some hand issues
in the drops or on the hoods. This is due to the bars and brifters not
fitting my hands well. But on the tops, both bikes are otherwise the
same, just not as good a feel on the road bike.

When I said the lower saddle bike was more comfortable, I meant also
in the sense of at ease riding no hands, turning, etc.

As far as the leg extension thing goes, with the track bike seated up
steep hills, I slide way off the back of the saddle, which I didn't do
on the road bike. On the road bike I just geared down, as never had
the same force generation needs.

Joseph

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On 19 Apr 2007 09:17:41 -0700, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Apr 19, 3:47 pm, "[email protected]"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Apr 18, 12:55 pm, "[email protected]"
>>
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> > Hi All,
>>
>> > I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
>> > lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
>> > seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.
>>
>> > This bike is very comfortable,
>>
>> You did not state the answer to a very important question. Is the 3cm
>> lower saddle MORE comfortable than the saddles 3cm higher? If they
>> are all equally comfortable, then I don't see any advantageous running
>> the saddle lower. Unless its something like cyclo cross where
>> dismounting would be easier. I've heard with a lower saddle you put
>> fewer muscles into use during the pedal stroke. Kind of like a piston
>> in an engine. If it cannot travel as far, straighten out, then it
>> produces less force/power per stroke.
>
>The bike that had the unintentional low seat has a general at-ease-
>ness about it that is lacking to some extent in the other bikes. It is
>sort of an apples and oranges sort of thing, but this bike is a fixed-
>gear track bike 46x16, 165mm cranks with no brakes, and the other bike
>in particular is a regular road bike.

This suggests you can lower the position on your other bikes, but
unles they have equally short cranks, I doubt you can lower them that
much. How low you can tolerate the seat depends on angles at the top
of the pedal stroke.
>
>The track bike is used for LSD rides. Since it has no brake, I take it
>super easy (walking pace) downhill. All the rides are done using a
>perceived effort of "easy". When I take my road bike on the same ride
>also with a PE of "easy" I go slower! And considering I use my 53x12
>down some of the hills that I take at a walking pace on the other
>bike, this has me puzzled. I have taken the same 120km circuit ride 3
>times on each bike recenlty, and the weather has been pretty
>consistent, and I was the same or faster with the track bike each
>time. In terms of comfort, both bikes are comfortable in terms of
>butt, lower back, shoulders, etc. The road bike has some hand issues
>in the drops or on the hoods. This is due to the bars and brifters not
>fitting my hands well. But on the tops, both bikes are otherwise the
>same, just not as good a feel on the road bike.
>
>When I said the lower saddle bike was more comfortable, I meant also
>in the sense of at ease riding no hands, turning, etc.
>
>As far as the leg extension thing goes, with the track bike seated up
>steep hills, I slide way off the back of the saddle, which I didn't do
>on the road bike. On the road bike I just geared down, as never had
>the same force generation needs.
>
>Joseph

--
JT
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[[email protected]]

On Apr 19, 6:25 pm, John Forrest Tomlinson <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On 19 Apr 2007 09:17:41 -0700, "[email protected]"
>
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Apr 19, 3:47 pm, "[email protected]"
> ><[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Apr 18, 12:55 pm, "[email protected]"
>
> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> > Hi All,
>
> >> > I recently built up a new bike that I have been using quite a bit
> >> > lately. In transfering some of the parts, it seems I goofed on the
> >> > seat height, and put the saddle about 3cm lower than I thought I did.
>
> >> > This bike is very comfortable,
>
> >> You did not state the answer to a very important question. Is the 3cm
> >> lower saddle MORE comfortable than the saddles 3cm higher? If they
> >> are all equally comfortable, then I don't see any advantageous running
> >> the saddle lower. Unless its something like cyclo cross where
> >> dismounting would be easier. I've heard with a lower saddle you put
> >> fewer muscles into use during the pedal stroke. Kind of like a piston
> >> in an engine. If it cannot travel as far, straighten out, then it
> >> produces less force/power per stroke.
>
> >The bike that had the unintentional low seat has a general at-ease-
> >ness about it that is lacking to some extent in the other bikes. It is
> >sort of an apples and oranges sort of thing, but this bike is a fixed-
> >gear track bike 46x16, 165mm cranks with no brakes, and the other bike
> >in particular is a regular road bike.
>
> This suggests you can lower the position on your other bikes, but
> unles they have equally short cranks, I doubt you can lower them that
> much. How low you can tolerate the seat depends on angles at the top
> of the pedal stroke.
>
Interesting. I had only thought about the leg extension issues. And
since my bar height (in the drops) is limited by my thighs hitting my
rib cage, this is something I should think about. I was actually
thinking about having the seat on the road bike be even lower to
accomodate the extra 1cm of crank length, but I suppose I should
rethink that.

Joseph

 

[Bill Sornson]

[email protected] wrote:

> The track bike is used for LSD rides.

Trippy.

 

[Pat]

>> The track bike is used for LSD rides.
>
> Trippy.

That must be why he "thinks" he is going slow on the downhills....
>
>