katipzrider
Free Rider
SIGE SMITE PA! BIBISITAHIN KITA!
Posts: 231
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Post by katipzrider on Jun 10, 2008 0:10:27 GMT 8
i need advices:
what should be the ideal saddle height for XC. Specifically for single-tracks and steep downhills. I mean height is...should that saddle be perpendicular with the groin area?
Thanks in advance ;D
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Post by konablack on Oct 13, 2016 9:09:13 GMT 8
5 or 6 years after, this fixed by a new technology called the dropper post
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Post by spyghost on Oct 13, 2016 10:20:37 GMT 8
ideal saddle height... quite subjective tbh...
here is the gist of it, which 'worked for me' (ie may not be true for others)
1 wear your lower gear (baggies, shorts, down to shoes) 2 sit high on the saddle and place your sole on the spindle of the pedal at 6:00. your legs should be straight
at this estimate, there will be a slight bend on your knees at the correct pedaling position. personally i pedal midfoot regardless if platform or clipless.
traditional xc purists who are at the same time weight weenies despise droppers. caveat is you should have a very mobile hip hinge. and by xc there isn't really a massive dh ride like enduro hence may not need a lowered seat (caveat above)
saddle tilt is also subjective so i suggest play with it.
most of the local elite riders don't use droppers... again it's subjective and depends on the rider.
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Post by konablack on Oct 13, 2016 10:51:46 GMT 8
Yes I know someone who ditches his dropper post when he's racing. I guess the dropper post targets riders who are into casual riding and are not afraid to gain some weight. It's so useful too, from like being able to do a DH stance and XC stance in one bike.
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Post by spyghost on Oct 17, 2016 12:42:58 GMT 8
for short'sh weekend trail rides i sometimes find myself with my dropper dropped for the entire ride, which sometimes leads me to think of ditching the dropper and just using a standard seatpost that is dropped instead. personally i prefer standing pedaling compared to seated. thing is droppers do offer convenience in those not so good days and during long'sh rides where i sometimes sit down.
personally, i find hardtails more aesthetically appealing with a dropped standard seatpost.
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Post by anthrax76 on Oct 17, 2016 13:55:02 GMT 8
In my case, I got used to having an XC'ish saddle height which is about stem height high. I'd rather tradeoff jump height for pedalling efficiency. Although it kinda sucks when going over steep downhill and opening my thighs for that over-the-saddle-butt-above-the-rear-wheel.
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Post by konablack on Oct 18, 2016 9:26:36 GMT 8
for short'sh weekend trail rides i sometimes find myself with my dropper dropped for the entire ride, which sometimes leads me to think of ditching the dropper and just using a standard seatpost that is dropped instead. personally i prefer standing pedaling compared to seated. thing is droppers do offer convenience in those not so good days and during long'sh rides where i sometimes sit down. personally, i find hardtails more aesthetically appealing with a dropped standard seatpost. I've been like this before. Saddle all the way down, but got bored after a while and went with the xc'ish saddle height (very useful when in trails with steep climbs).
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Post by konablack on Oct 18, 2016 9:29:03 GMT 8
In my case, I got used to having an XC'ish saddle height which is about stem height high. I'd rather tradeoff jump height for pedalling efficiency. Although it kinda sucks when going over steep downhill and opening my thighs for that over-the-saddle-butt-above-the-rear-wheel. Yep, this is my fear too. Unexpected endo
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Post by anthrax76 on Oct 18, 2016 9:48:08 GMT 8
Yep, this is my fear too. Unexpected endo Yeah same here, hassle lang ilipat yung weight sa likod. The err...wings of the saddle would hit my thighs because of the saddle height. Unlike with a lowered saddle, it's easier to go behind the saddle because the "wings" would be level or below the knees.
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Post by spyghost on Oct 18, 2016 12:42:45 GMT 8
the pros tend to have a very mobile hip and flexible hamstrings, hence saddle height is not really an issue for them.
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Post by konablack on Oct 18, 2016 14:12:52 GMT 8
I bet they use a small saddle hehe like one of those the use in bmx bikes.
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Post by spyghost on Oct 18, 2016 15:50:20 GMT 8
tbh i advocate standing pedaling and i do it as much as i can. downside is it saps energy like crazy if one is not used to the movement.
reason is that i feel more natural standing than sitting. when standing i have freedom of movement regardless of where i am or where i ride.
however, to conserve energy for long'sh rides or races i sit down for moderate efforts or when recovering and stand up for intense efforts.
could be just me but i felt stronger in seated pedaling when i began standing pedaling. yes it's counterintuitive but it just felt that way. i think what happened was standing pedaling zoomed in on the deficiencies i had, which allowed me to work on them off saddle. whatever improvement i gained off saddle, which is targeted for standing sort of trickled down while in seated position.
it took me years before i felt core engagement when going uphill compared to 'leg dominant' pain. it just felt weird that although my quads felt sore (not painful), my abdominals suffered the painful DOMS so to speak.
like i always say, im no pro and i dont race 'for the race' just love going with the flow.
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Post by konablack on Oct 18, 2016 16:11:30 GMT 8
I like to stand while pedaling too but that's just for short rides
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