Saddle Height ... HELP!

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
How much lower should the seat of a mountain bike be, if at all, in relation to a road saddle height.

Thanks for the help,

RC
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The word "should" is tough here. If you can make the height the same, do it. Some people don't like the mtb saddle quite as high though.
 

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
Thanks Guys

Thanks for the posting Norm and Mixx, I had my road bike saddle height set at a shop yesterday and it was found to be 1 1/2 inches to low! After checking my MTB bikes they are 2 inches low from the road height. I'm hoping that this could be a key reason for my legs getting tired during MTB races and road rides.

RC
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Another vote for the same height on both.

I just found that i am actually higher on the mt bikes..
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
It's really up to you. The Road saddle height should be set based on leg length, bend in the knee, etc. Some MTB riders prefer to keep their MTB saddle slightly lower. The reason is so that they can maneuver the bike around easier without the saddle getting in the way. It is easier to get behind the saddle and then back onto it if it is lower. The difference may be only a centimeter.

The difference that you mention is too much. If I were to do this, I would have less power in the pedal stroke and the area above my knees would ache.

Every bike I own has a saddle height of 76.5cm. I won't get on a bike unless that is set right. I'm a little anal about fit. :eek:
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Every bike I own has a saddle height of 76.5cm. I won't get on a bike unless that is set right. I'm a little anal about fit. :eek:

Hey man, being anal about bike fit is a good thing...especially if you're very sensitive to it. Some folks can feel a big difference in just a couple of mm of change in fit somewhere...others don't.

My seat slipped about 5-6mm on my ride on LBI the other day and the ride became torturous. Adjusted it back to where it should be and my second ride was fabulous. I have a history of snapping the pinch bolts on my Torelli, so sometimes I find I "under-tighten" it :eek:
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Hey man, being anal about bike fit is a good thing...especially if you're very sensitive to it. Some folks can feel a big difference in just a couple of mm of change in fit somewhere...others don't.

My seat slipped about 5-6mm on my ride on LBI the other day and the ride became torturous. Adjusted it back to where it should be and my second ride was fabulous. I have a history of snapping the pinch bolts on my Torelli, so sometimes I find I "under-tighten" it :eek:

Add some of this to your seat tube and your post will have less of a tendency to slip.

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/fiber_grip.htm

It is for carbon but it works on alloy and steel frames.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
J, would this work for a creaking seatpost also? I have a Thompson post that I can't use because of the noise it makes.

It is worth a shot.

Try taking the thing 100% apart and greasing the hell out of it.

j-
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
It should be the same. Your body does not change from one bike to the other.

Agreed, your saddle should be the same on all your bikes. You could take it a step farther and X-Y your front end on each bike also. I have my cross and road bike in exactly the same position...

-Jim.
 

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
Thanks ...

Thanks guys for the information. My right knee is hurting a little now and such a gorgeous day to ride too. The knee pain might be from chasing Jim V around at his cross practice yesterday ... ok, thats not true, it's from getting out of the way as he and Tommy were wizzing past me. When my saddle height was set correctly on my bikes I remember having to lower the heigth so it would fit inside my 4runner vertically, duh. Itsa a blonde thing, most of you wouldn't understand :p The saddle's on my bikes is now set correctly thanks in part to all that responded,

Thanks, RC
 
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