Correct fore and aft saddle position?

[bainy16]

I have recently had a bike fit and the most significant change was to move my saddle back a good distance.
I now feel the bike fits me better and I can ride on the drops for longer but I'm not convinced that my saddle is now in the right position.
with the saddle where it is now I can climb better but don't think I feel as powerful on the flatter section and my legs are aching a little more after rides.
I was thinking of moving my saddle back to where it was before and buying a longer stem to make up the difference.
Can anyone explain the correct way in layman's terms to position the saddle (fore and aft) in relation to crank position?
I have looked into it a bit and noticed that the term "nose back" is used which I would think would be highly inaccurate as saddles are far from standard.
Is there a definitive position or is it a personal thing?
I would think you saddle position would be your standard/datum starting point and then everything else would then be taken from there.

Hi simmi where did you have the bike fit?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Simmi, read this:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

 

[simmi]

First thing I'd do is talk to whoever did the fitting. I know when I paid for one I got several follow up bits of advice. I certainly wouldn't adjust one setting without understanding the impact on the others.

Yeah now I have had a fit I can take the bike or any other bike back and they will alter it free of charge.
I think I will mention it to then next time I'm in.
They said if I enter a sportif or other events they can change the settings for me to more suit the event

Hi simmi where did you have the bike fit?

Hi mate, Steve from SC gave me the fit, don't get me wrong I am very happy with the fit just not sure about the saddle fore and aft position.
I will ask Steve about it next time I'm in.
Will you be making the club ride this week?

Simmi, read this:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

Great article Fab Foodie, well written and very informative, will have to read it a couple of times to fully take it all in.

 

[slowmotion]

People have other favourite clips, but I like this one, not least for Christopher's fantastic delivery...
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAl_5e7bIHk[/media]

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

FWIW, my saddle is set further back than standard advice (e.g. KOPS) would recommend... because I like it like that!

Mine too, I just push them back as far as they'll go.

My Dyna-Tech still seems to have the ideal 'set-back' distance, & seemed to when I first bought it in '94 (tried to replicate it on every bike since)

 

[simmi]

I have made up my mind, I am going to get a longer stem and alter the saddle forward accordingly, then I am going to return to my LBS just to check it is still all OK.

 

[biggs682]

i did my first commute this week on a new to me bike and spent a lot of time stopping to adjust saddle height along with bars before getting to a nearly comfy stage by end of ride yesterday , this morning ride in was a lot better just need to tweak bars up a bit more , so i think its a sit on it and try it and adjust where needed till comfort level reached .
i treated myself to an selle smp lite 209 saddle recentley and that has helped comfort wise

 

[Mo1959]

I have made up my mind, I am going to get a longer stem and alter the saddle forward accordingly, then I am going to return to my LBS just to check it is still all OK.

Funny how we are all different. I have just bought a shorter stem and prefer my seat slightly back. At the end of the day as long as we are comfortable and not causing injury to ourselves I suppose if it is not textbook set up, who cares.

 

[yello]

At the end of the day as long as we are comfortable and not causing injury to ourselves I suppose if it is not textbook set up, who cares.

That's about it imho. Certainly at the level that most of us on this forum are at, and I include myself in that statement. Obviously, there will be people that want to look for a more energy efficient set-up (or whatever you want to call it) to get better results in racing, time-trialling etc, but that's a different matter.

 

[Rob3rt]

You would be surprised by how much difference having a great bike set up makes even for an ambler! But then again, you won't know what you are missing, until you hit the sweet spot.

 

[Ningishzidda]

If you have a ‘sweet spot’, your bike fit is wrong. Getting the bike fit correct widens any perceived ‘sweet spot’ until the whole range of your effort envelope is sweet.

 

[Rob3rt]

The sweet spot with regards to the bike set up, i.e. when the setup is just right! Or are you just being awkward for the sake of it?

 

[yello]

"effort envelope" - I like that!

 

[simmi]

"effort envelope" - I like that!

Do you think you need a stamp for that?

 

[bainy16]

Yeah now I have had a fit I can take the bike or any other bike back and they will alter it free of charge.
I think I will mention it to then next time I'm in.
They said if I enter a sportif or other events they can change the settings for me to more suit the event



Hi mate, Steve from SC gave me the fit, don't get me wrong I am very happy with the fit just not sure about the saddle fore and aft position.
I will ask Steve about it next time I'm in.
Will you be making the club ride this week?hopefully make the ride this weekend if the weather picks up so fingers crossed


Great article Fab Foodie, well written and very informative, will have to read it a couple of times to fully take it all in.