Is this a saddle fore / aft issue ?

[Colin Grigson]

I move about on the saddle quite a lot so I don't stay in one position all the time- someone on a YT video suggested moving the cleats as far back as they'll go on my shoes which seemed to make my position on the bike more comfortable. I sometimes get left knee pain which another YT video suggested my seat is possibly slightly too high and I'm not central on the seat and using my right leg more. There's a lot of conflicting information from 'bike experts' on YT, so you have to take their ideas and experiment with little tweaks here and there find what suits you best I think.

Thank you Archie_tech, the cleats are as far back as they’ll go on my shoes - so that’s another thing to tick off the list. It’s beginning to become clear that the basics of my set-up are right ... just weak quads by the sound of it.

 

[Mo1959]

Thank you Archie_tech, the cleats are as far back as they’ll go on my shoes - so that’s another thing to tick off the list. It’s beginning to become clear that the basics of my set-up are right ... just weak quads by the sound of it.

You're not bothered with your back are you? My legs, and quads in particular, have lost strength since having herniated discs/sciatica.

 

[Colin Grigson]

You're not bothered with your back are you? My legs, and quads in particular, have lost strength since having herniated discs/sciatica.

Not so far Mo, I’m starting to believe that I’m expecting too much, too soon from my poor quads that don’t know what’s hit them these past months.

 

[vickster]

What other exercises and stretches do you do?

 

[Colin Grigson]

What other exercises and stretches do you do?

Prior to cycling I was weight training 5 x week for 14 years. I’m pretty poor at stretching to be honest. I usually stretch quads and hamstrings but not as often and not for as long as I should ideally. I do very frequent core exercise too.

 

[vickster]

Doesn’t make sense that your quads are weak unless you don’t train legs?
Get a Swiss ball and start doing some wall squats bridging etc, plus exercises for calves, hamstrings and hip flexors
And get stretching everything daily not just select muscles. Yoga a good way to go

 

[Colin Grigson]

Doesn’t make sense that your quads are weak unless you don’t train legs?
Get a Swiss ball and start doing some wall squats bridging etc, plus exercises for calves, hamstrings and hip flexors
And get stretching everything daily not just select muscles. Yoga a good way to go

Thank you vickster - I wasn’t keen on leg day to be fair, if a day had to be dropped it would have been legs. I have a Swiss ball so I’ll look into exercising the muscle groups you highlighted - it makes sense. The Yoga interests me - I’ll try to rope my wife in for mutual support.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Aft positions recruit more hamstring as stabilisers and more glute for power.

But too far aft is as bad as too far forward - you'll put more weight through your hands rather than being balanced evenly when leaning forward, and quite possibly end up using the quads posturally which means less to pedal with

 

[Colin Grigson]

Aft positions recruit more hamstring as stabilisers and more glute for power.

But too far aft is as bad as too far forward - you'll put more weight through your hands rather than being balanced evenly when leaning forward, and quite possibly end up using the quads posturally which means less to pedal with

Thank you T.M.H.N.E.T - would you advise trying the saddle in a more aft position by a few mm to test the result .... I assume I should feel it straightaway if the workload switches from front to back of my legs ?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Thank you T.M.H.N.E.T - would you advise trying the saddle in a more aft position by a few mm to test the result .... I assume I should feel it straightaway if the workload switches from front to back of my legs ?

Yeah small increments 5mm or so. You should start to feel the hamstrings coming to the party more (but not completely) and pressure off the quads.

Experiment a bit, but keeping an eye on your pedal stroke at the bottom, if you feel choppy rather than smooth and controlled/you're having to slide back in the saddle - the height needs to come down.

 

[Gunk]

Experiment a bit, but keeping an eye on your pedal stroke at the bottom, if you feel choppy rather than smooth and controlled/you're having to slide back in the saddle - the height needs to come down.

In my experience the best method is to take an Allen key out with you on a longer ride, and just keep tweaking it until you find the sweet spot.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

In my experience the best method is to take an Allen key out with you on a longer ride, and just keep tweaking it until you find the sweet spot.

Turbo trainers optional

 

[Randomnerd]

Just take an Allen key out and keep tweaking. You’ll need time to adjust all the variables. Is your saddle taking all your weight? Does it fit you? Eight months is a short time to expect big leaps.
im in the no-stretch camp. You’ll build the muscles required by cycling A lot

 

[Colin Grigson]

Yeah small increments 5mm or so. You should start to feel the hamstrings coming to the party more (but not completely) and pressure off the quads.

Experiment a bit, but keeping an eye on your pedal stroke at the bottom, if you feel choppy rather than smooth and controlled/you're having to slide back in the saddle - the height needs to come down.

Thank you - sounds reasonable

 

[Colin Grigson]

In my experience the best method is to take an Allen key out with you on a longer ride, and just keep tweaking it until you find the sweet spot.

Thanks Gunk .. I can do it on my indoor trainer