Leg straight on saddle? Noob question

[musa]

The 68 u use (minus ten of inside lef) is the method i use to fit

 

[Widge]

When I first began road biking I thought that most of the 'accepted' saddle height theories left the saddle alarmingly high.

I ride my MTB with the saddle quite high already............but have steadily increased the height of my road bike in stages as I have started to ride more and get a feel for what works and feels best.

I would agree now and from experience that (generally speaking) one shouldn't expect to be able to reach the ground whilst stationary and in the saddle without leaning the bike over quite substantially. It seems more usual to hop off the front when at a stand still. Leg straight with the heel on the pedal.......almost straight riding with the instep...and a slight bend when clipped or with the ball of the foot.

I watched a road-race on TV yesterday and looked carefully at how the riders were positioned on their bikes.

Of course...you CAN put your saddle anywhere you like............but I weep when I see so many n00b and/or casual cyclists with their knees up round their ears, fondly imagining that 'low' is best.

No wonder so many people get put off cycling. Low saddles are cripplingly hard work!!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

When I first began road biking I thought that most of the 'accepted' saddle height theories left the saddle alarmingly high.

I ride my MTB with the saddle quite high already............but have steadily increased the height of my road bike in stages as I have started to ride more and get a feel for what works and feels best.

I would agree now and from experience that (generally speaking) one shouldn't expect to be able to reach the ground whilst stationary and in the saddle without leaning the bike over quite substantially. It seems more usual to hop off the front when at a stand still. Leg straight with the heel on the pedal.......almost straight riding with the instep...and a slight bend when clipped or with the ball of the foot.

I watched a road-race on TV yesterday and looked carefully at how the riders were positioned on their bikes.

Of course...you CAN put your saddle anywhere you like............but I weep when I see so many n00b and/or casual cyclists with their knees up round their ears, fondly imagining that 'low' is best.

No wonder so many people get put off cycling. Low saddles are cripplingly hard work!!

Saw a lady a while back on her lovely carbon trek with her saddle down almost as low as it could go. She was really struggling on a very slight gradient. Might have been her first ride ever for all I know though. Just seemed strange to see someone riding a pretty pricey piece of kit with such a bad fit.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Of course...you CAN put your saddle anywhere you like............but I weep when I see so many n00b and/or casual cyclists with their knees up round their ears, fondly imagining that 'low' is best.

Not the case IME as a husband and father of noob cyclists. I'm similarly bemused and a little irritated at their insistence on a low saddle and princess & the pea like spotting when I've surreptitiously raised it a tad too far.

they have no fond feelings of low is best for riding along, simply a still growing confidence in balancing at low speed, controlling a wobble in motion and feeling far more in their comfort zone knowing that their feet will solidly and readily touch the floor if they feel about to fall off (less so all the time but toppling off sideways from a higher centre of gravity will deter them far more from riding than looking like coco the clown on a bike).
The logic of the argument that the low saddle is responsible for much more of the wobbling than it saves them from still falls on ears lacking confidence in their own abilities.

 

[Gravity Aided]

All too true, shouldbeinbed. Folk used to make a point of the saddle height in my family, due to my Father insisting the bikes were fitted properly. But, in my family, we also stuck with cycling more and continue to this day. Many others got knee and ankle problems from riding too low, and quit. I think saddle height is a matter of immediate assurance versus long-term comfort on the bike.

 

[harrow1977]

I'm another leaner I cant touch the floor with the bike straight up but get to a tippy toe stance quite easily on either side.

@harrow1977: noting you're a newbie & not having seen anything else of yours, do you use cleated cycling shoes & clipless pedals (the SPD or Look type ones) that you lock the cleats on the soles of your shoes into? & get the notion of unclipping your foot being to disengage the shoe cleat from the body of the pedal?


If you use normal flat pedals, unclipping is not something you'll be doing, simply taking your foot off the appropriate pedal is the same thing. apologies if I've missed other posts and am teaching granny to suck eggs.

Actually I use flat pedals

I moved my saddle a little higher the other day - and wow! What a difference it makes!!! The only question I still have is that some internet sites say that the leg should be completely straight when the pedal is at the lowest point, whereas others recommend a slight bend - any recommendations?

 

[jessand]

I use the 'heel on pedal' method for my road bike but have the mtb saddle a bit lower as this facilitates better control when getting around obstacles on tracks and trails. In such circumstances I like to be able to get a toe to the ground without necessarily getting off the saddle. I thought it was normal to have the saddle a bit lower on an mtb, or is it just me?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Actually I use flat pedals

I moved my saddle a little higher the other day - and wow! What a difference it makes!!! The only question I still have is that some internet sites say that the leg should be completely straight when the pedal is at the lowest point, whereas others recommend a slight bend - any recommendations?

As a rough guide the leg should be completely straight with the heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke. At this height the leg will have about the right amount of bend with the ball of the foot on the pedal.

It may still need fine tuning to suit you from there. For example, a leisure rider will probably find that just about right while a racer might want it a bit higher still.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I use the 'heel on pedal' method for my road bike but have the mtb saddle a bit lower as this facilitates better control when getting around obstacles on tracks and trails. In such circumstances I like to be able to get a toe to the ground without necessarily getting off the saddle. I thought it was normal to have the saddle a bit lower on an mtb, or is it just me?

Always my understanding as well. Especially before suspension, when you were the suspension, through your arms and legs

 

[Nigelnaturist]

One thing that hasn't been touched on much is crank length, as this will effect the height with some methods and not others.
The 109% would put the saddle higher with a shorter crank and lower with a longer crank. The 0.883% keeps the saddle height the same whatever the length of crank, so a longer crank your leg would be straighter than a short one.

 

[aerobrain]

One thing that hasn't been touched on much is crank length, as this will effect the height with some methods and not others.
The 109% would put the saddle higher with a shorter crank and lower with a longer crank. The 0.883% keeps the saddle height the same whatever the length of crank, so a longer crank your leg would be straighter than a short one.

But surely its right to take crank length into consideration?? Otherwise if you change to say a longer crank you'll be over straightening and vice versa for a shorter crank. Plus all of the methods are an approximation for a start point and none give an exact height due to physical differences, foot size being an example

 

[Nigelnaturist]

But surely its right to take crank length into consideration?? Otherwise if you change to say a longer crank you'll be over straightening and vice versa for a shorter crank. Plus all of the methods are an approximation for a start point and none give an exact height due to physical differences, foot size being an example

Not necessarily as it is easier to spin with shorter cranks, which is difficult the straighter the leg. Everything is just a starting point, I was just pointing it can make a difference. My understanding of engineering is that engines that run at high rpm's have shorter cranks, these also tend to accelerate quickly.

 

[Cyclist33]

Spot on

Er not necessarily. Whatever works for you. Ive spent no wasted many hours of miserable riding listening to this or that piece of anatomical or techniqual advice.

You do whatever works for you.

 

[aerobrain]

Not necessarily as it is easier to spin with shorter cranks, which is difficult the straighter the leg. Everything is just a starting point, I was just pointing it can make a difference. My understanding of engineering is that engines that run at high rpm's have shorter cranks, these also tend to accelerate quickly.

Fair point!

Just tried my saddle another inch up. Pretty sure it's now spot on or a touch too high. Will leave it alone for a couple of rides to see how I get on!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Fair point!

Just tried my saddle another inch up. Pretty sure it's now spot on or a touch too high. Will leave it alone for a couple of rides to see how I get on!

If you rock your too high.