# how do you set your saddle



## chris folder (22 Nov 2015)

Hi guys how do you like the position of your seat post do you like post centre of seat or more front or back alot of brompton riders I see have post set at back of saddle I like a slight tilt back on saddle to


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## Spokesmann (22 Nov 2015)

bear in mind this is my preference. I always have mine nose up. Its a position I have evolved over a long period of riding. This position is applied to all my machines, saddle is more or less centred on the post, although a few I have a bit further forward, depends on the length of stem Im using.


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## 12boy (22 Nov 2015)

For my DF bikes i usually use two rules suggested by Eugene P Sloan who wrote a bunch of books on bikes in the the 70s and 80s. He said the saddle should be high enough to just hit your heel on the pedal while seated. When I use this method as opposed to lower my knees give me less trouble. Any higher and i find myself rolling from side to side trying to push all the way down when the pedal bottoms out. the other rule is for fore and aft placement. Get a plumb bob and determine 2 things. Find the spot on the top tube directly above the center of the bottom bracket, and then find the spot on the top tube directly below the front of the saddle. He suggests 2-3 " as ideal for this measurement. I find it is a good place to start. As far as tilt goes, I like mine just slightly lilted up in front. This prevents sliding forward and allows me to ride on the two pelvic bones as opposed to the taint. I usually have my bars a little below my saddle height, since living in a windy place, I am frequently leaning forward to minimize the drag. A question that I have is that I have seen pictures of Bromptons with the saddle as far forward as it will go, even with an extension to increase the forwardness. Why is that so? It seems a Brompton is already fairly short in the distance between the saddle and the bars nd unless an extension is used.


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## steveindenmark (22 Nov 2015)

Its totally personal choice. The only advice I can give is make very small alterations. When you get it right, write all the measurements down.

Mine are on my shed wall as is Jannies.


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## Drago (22 Nov 2015)

Depends so much on the bike.


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## Fab Foodie (22 Nov 2015)

Most Bromptons I see have the seat set quite forward which I find quite weird. I've had to get a rearset extension to sit further back on mine and I'm only 5' 9" .... I must just ride weirdly!


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## jefmcg (22 Nov 2015)

On my folder I used to put the seat quite a long way back, to give me a bigger cockpit. That's probably caused the seat rails to snap, as I am well under the 110kg maximum limit recommended for the bike. For tilt, I drop the nose down 1 "click" from horizontal. That works perfectly for me.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/did-my-new-bag-destroy-my-saddle.82019


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## Kell (25 Nov 2015)

Advice I was given recently was to set it perfectly level - to the point of setting it with a spirit level.

I also wonder what it is about Bromptons that they come with the saddle so far forward. THe one I hired even had a security torx bolt to prevent it being pushed back.

I guess they're meant to be ridden very upright, but the first thing I did with mine was to set the seat back as far as it would go. I also noticed when I was setting the height restrictor, that by fitting the seat clamp on back to front (compared to how the bike was supplied) gave an extra cm or so of backward reach.

As one of the few things I have issue with on the Brommie is the shortness of the bike, I figured this was worth doing.


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## shouldbeinbed (25 Nov 2015)

Mine is right back and nose minutely down


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## chris folder (27 Dec 2015)

Hi I have just noticed this when setting saddle on seat post if push pentium clip on post do you have yours set to the rubber rings or to top of seat post ? I have just put my saddle right to top of post the tapered top on post is longer than pentium clip so can move up and down a bit quiet bit of room a little bit like that can make different if want little hight. I have always had mine sat on the rubbers I dont no if ok to rise to top?


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## TheDoctor (28 Dec 2015)

I adjusted the pentaclip so the if the seat post is at full height, it's the right height. This means a bit of trial and error faffage when you first get the bike, then it's right for ever.
The clip can be right at the top if needed. There's a lot of adjustment, including turning it upside down.
If you move the saddle back, it makes the position better IMHO but increases the folded size. I can live with that. The SPDs increase the folded size too.


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## Mr Foldy (31 Dec 2015)

Folders generally have too much weight over the rear wheel. Doesn't moving the seat back make that slightly worse?


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## tinywheels (17 Jul 2022)

Spokesmann said:


> bear in mind this is my preference. I always have mine nose up. Its a position I have evolved over a long period of riding. This position is applied to all my machines, saddle is more or less centred on the post, although a few I have a bit further forward, depends on the length of stem Im using.
> 
> View attachment 304761



christ my nuts would be toast at that angle, I'm a nose down kinda guy.


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## Kell (18 Jul 2022)

I've just had my seatpost sleeve replaced this week and one of the things they said to me was that the post is bent. Ever so slightly, but it is bent.

I can only assume that the combination of a very long post with pushing the seat all the way back (and me being a fat knacker) has contributed to this.

Maybe, that's why Brompton set them up the way they do...


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## ukoldschool (18 Jul 2022)

I think they set them forward because it gives the smallest fold?


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## CEBEP (25 Jul 2022)

I understand it’s a 7 year old thread, but I can’t stop wondering what these things are for.


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## T4tomo (25 Jul 2022)

CEBEP said:


> I understand it’s a 7 year old thread, but I can’t stop wondering what these things are for.
> 
> View attachment 654300



They are brakes, they slow the bike down, most of us find them useful


In other news shorty or sports mudguards were quite popular back in the day. They do prevent crap getting into the afore mentioned brake calipers. They also look super cool


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## Kell (25 Jul 2022)

I do seem to remember having a "racer" with those tiny mudguards.

Might have been a 5-speed Raleigh Arena (second hand of course). Those top-pull brake levers were also terrible.


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## CEBEP (25 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> I do seem to remember having a "racer" with those tiny mudguards.
> 
> Might have been a 5-speed Raleigh Arena (second hand of course). Those top-pull brake levers were also terrible.
> 
> View attachment 654348



Rear reflectors were no joke back then.


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## ExBrit (26 Jul 2022)

Kell said:


> I do seem to remember having a "racer" with those tiny mudguards.
> 
> Might have been a 5-speed Raleigh Arena (second hand of course). Those top-pull brake levers were also terrible.
> 
> View attachment 654348



I haven't seen a front-lamp mount like that since I was about 14. Brings back memories of riding dark Hampshire lanes by the wan light of an expiring 3 volt battery and incandescent bulb. I don't miss those lights at all 
Damn fine rear reflector, though.


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## Kell (26 Jul 2022)

Those top-bar frame-mounted pumps plus no bottle cages. Seem to remember pros in those days had the bottles mounted on the bars.






Or in some cases behind the saddle.


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## rogerzilla (3 Aug 2022)

The seat angle of a Brompton seems quite slack, so I don't slam the saddle right back like I do on a bike with a 73 degree seat. Basically, if you find yourself shuffling forwards on the saddle and sitting on the narrow bit, it's too far back.


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