Saddle setback. How much?

[Deleted member 41544]

i've always struggled with a numb right hand when cycling, so much it's stopped me riding for long periods. So i've done a lot of reading on bike fit and other than as most suggest it seems to be connected to balance rather than bar drop or reach. I'm 5'5" with an inseam of 770.
Using the fit section on competitive cyclist comes up with 4-5 cm of setback and saddle height of 67 cm from bob. Just curious to what other pleasure or novice riders have as setback?

 

[vickster]

Whatever feels comfortable. I've also had bikes fits. And having another next week

 

[HarryTheDog]

By a strange co-incidence I am 5ft 5 as well and have had a Retul bike fit, My saddle hieght is nearly exactly the same as yours at 66.9cm. ( speedplay pedals though ) My saddle set back is larger though at 5.7cm.( most saddles end up rammed back to the limit markers) I was told saddle setback is more to do with the length of your thigh ( knee vertically over pedal measurement with pedals at 3 and 9 oclock) which for me is apparently quite long for my hieght.
As my saddle setback is quite large I am better off with as small as top tube as possible. On my bike fit I was on a 52cm TT and had to stack the bars upwards a fair amount with spacers for comfort, with my 50cm TT CX bike I can get the bars lower.

 

[Cycleops]

Not too clued up on this as I've never had any problems but I don't know how balance has much to with it. I'm assuming you're using drop bars. Do you have the same problem with straight? Do you tend to ride on the tops or the hoods? Do you alter your hand position often? Anything you can do to take weight off your hands may help.

A bike fit may also help but will cost. Good luck.

 

[S-Express]

Just curious to what other pleasure or novice riders have as setback?

That's a bit like asking what size trousers everyone else wears. The answer is usually 'whatever size is best for them'...

 

[Ajax Bay]

knee vertically over pedal measurement with pedals at 3 and 9 oclock

Which bit of your knee - the front, the middle (estimated)?
KnOBS?

i've done a lot of reading on bike fit

I recommend this article on 'Seat Set Back' by Steve Hogg if you have not already found it; and many of the other articles he has published online.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm no novice but am long of back and short of leg and nearly all my bikes have the max layback available. My cutom built Rourke was soecially designed to have a shallower angled seat-tube and I still use a layback post for Brooks saddles.

Peter White Cycles has a good article regarding 'balance' in bike set-up. Most people make this way more complicated than it need-be with all kinds of bollocks about thigh length, KOPS, etc.

The two important companies ntact points are the saddle and the bottom bracket. Now, stand in a doorway side-on to the frame. Now start to bend forward as if you are riding s bike. What happens?
Your arse moves back behind your feet as you reach forward. The further you strech or flatten your back, the further behind your feet your arse has to go to stop you falling forwards.
It's the same on the bike.
To take weight if your arms you either need to move back on the saddle OR move the bars closer to you and sit more upright so that less counterbalance is required.
No magic.
Get the saddle where you need it to be able to reach to the top of the bars or hoods and be able to take your hands off without falling foreward. Then experiment whether a shorter reach will help find that balance point.
Simples!

The Velo Orange/Planet-x Holdsworth seat-post for Brooks saddles probably give the most layback of any standard post.

 

[User6179]

KnOBS?

I think you are setting the bike up wrong if you are using that as a reference point

 

[Fab Foodie]

Which bit of your knee - the front, the middle (estimated)?
KnOBS?

I recommend this article on 'Seat Set Back' by Steve Hogg if you have not already found it; and many of the other articles he has published online.

Agreed,

 

[velovoice]

I think by "balance", the OP may mean weight distribution?

 

[cyberknight]

5 foot 6 ish and my inseam is 77.5 , my saddle height from BB with 170 mm cranks is 69 cm with 4 cm setback.mtb has 175 mm cranks so i drop the post 5 mm to give same height from pedal .
The formula methods all come withing 1- 2 mm of my heel on pedal method that gave that figure .
I used to get humb hands a lot untill i dropped the sadle height a smidge , pushed it back and put a shorter stem on to push my centre of gravity back to unweight the arms a bit .

 

[Deleted member 41544]

Thanks everyone for your input. I don't think I'm far off with the setup. So I'll keep making tiny changes until it's right, at least I know to make them in the right direction

 

[Deleted member 41544]

What about bar width? I'm a bit of a stocky lad (from yorkshire tha knors) my bars are 40 cm, but if i put a marker pen in each hand and walk up to a wall the dots measure 45. Does that make much difference?

 

[vickster]

http://www.artscyclery.com/learningcenter/findrighthandlebarwidth.html