how high the seat?

How high the seat?

When I started to ride a lot, in college, I learned that the proper
seat height was so that one's leg is almost straight when the pedal
is at the bottom of its travel.

And I found that this was true. Until college I never rode more than
a mile at a time, so it didn't matter if I got tired, but when I
raised my seat, I was no more tired when I rode 4 miles, barely more
when I rode 18 miles.

Over the last decade I notice that unless the rider has on fancy bike
clothes, if he's some suburban relaxer, he probably has the seat much
lower than mine is. I figured they were ignorant, and the one or two
I tried to discuss this with seemed to confirm that.

But now I see the riders at the Tour de France, and they all have the
seat lower than I keep mine. Theire knees come almost up to a 90
degree angle with their bodies. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?
Have they all moved to the suburbs?

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:12:45 -0400, mm wrote:

How high the seat?

When I started to ride a lot, in college, I learned that the proper seat
height was so that one's leg is almost straight when the pedal is at
the bottom of its travel.

That is about right so you can put your feet on the ground at a stop.

And I found that this was true. Until college I never rode more than a
mile at a time, so it didn't matter if I got tired, but when I raised my
seat, I was no more tired when I rode 4 miles, barely more when I rode
18 miles.

Leg extension is everything for a distance ride. The local kids try to
look cool by having the seat all the way down and I wince for their knees.

Over the last decade I notice that unless the rider has on fancy bike
clothes, if he's some suburban relaxer, he probably has the seat much
lower than mine is. I figured they were ignorant, and the one or two I
tried to discuss this with seemed to confirm that.

That describes my local 'too many DUI's' crowd.

But now I see the riders at the Tour de France, and they all have the
seat lower than I keep mine. Theire knees come almost up to a 90 degree
angle with their bodies. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? Have they all
moved to the suburbs?

No comment. I am watching it as soon as it is on here today.
Bill Baka

On Jul 11, 10:12*pm, mm wrote:
How high the seat?

When I started to ride a lot, in college, I learned that the proper
seat height was *so that one's leg is almost straight when the pedal
is at the bottom of its travel.

That'll do. It should be as tall as you like w/o causing your hips to
rock.



And I found that this was true. *Until college I never rode more than
a mile at a time, so it didn't matter if I got tired, but when I
raised my seat, I was no more tired when I rode 4 miles, barely more
when I rode 18 miles.

Over the last decade I notice that unless the rider has on fancy bike
clothes, if he's some suburban relaxer, he probably has the seat much
lower than mine is. *I figured they were ignorant, and the one or two
I tried to discuss this with seemed to confirm that.

But now I see the riders at the Tour de France, and they all have the
seat lower than I keep mine. Theire knees come almost up to a 90
degree angle with their bodies. * WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?
Have they all moved to the suburbs?

The "look" at the top of the stroke can be affected by many factors,
including geometry, crank length, and pedaling style. I have a hunch
that their saddle positions are pretty much dialed in.

"landotter" wrote:

The "look" at the top of the stroke can be affected by many factors,
including geometry, crank length, and pedaling style. I have a hunch
that their saddle positions are pretty much dialed in.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What you say is correct, but not on the point raised by the OP. The
question wasn't whether the Tour competitors have their seat heights right.
It was why does it look wrong. But my question to the OP is: why don't you
look at the riders' knee position at the bottom of the stroke, since that is
how you have always adjusted saddle height? With the knee almost straight
at bottom dead center. the angle of the thight to the body can vary, just as
landotter points out.

mm wrote:
Over the last decade I notice that unless the rider has on fancy bike
clothes, if he's some suburban relaxer, he probably has the seat much
lower than mine is. I figured they were ignorant, and the one or two
I tried to discuss this with seemed to confirm that.

If you have time to converse with one of them, ask him to walk up a
flight of stairs with his knees bent. Then have him do it normally.
That should help them understand them how inefficient a too-low bike
seat is.

--
K.

Lang may your lum reek.

On Jul 12, 11:30*am, landotter wrote:
On Jul 11, 10:12*pm, mm wrote:

How high the seat?

When I started to ride a lot, in college, I learned that the proper
seat height was *so that one's leg is almost straight when the pedal
is at the bottom of its travel.

That'll do. It should be as tall as you like w/o causing your hips to
rock.



And I found that this was true. *Until college I never rode more than
a mile at a time, so it didn't matter if I got tired, but when I
raised my seat, I was no more tired when I rode 4 miles, barely more
when I rode 18 miles.

Over the last decade I notice that unless the rider has on fancy bike
clothes, if he's some suburban relaxer, he probably has the seat much
lower than mine is. *I figured they were ignorant, and the one or two
I tried to discuss this with seemed to confirm that.

But now I see the riders at the Tour de France, and they all have the
seat lower than I keep mine. Theire knees come almost up to a 90
degree angle with their bodies. * WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?
Have they all moved to the suburbs?

The "look" at the top of the stroke can be affected by many factors,
including geometry, crank length, and pedaling style. I have a hunch
that their saddle positions are pretty much dialed in.

Too low hurts my knees. But I noticed that riding for a couple of
weeks
on a too low seat made my old normal height painful. I've begun to
suspect that there is a range (of perhaps as much as 2") that you can
adapt the muscles to without much problem.

On Jul 12, 9:23*am, "Leo Lichtman" wrote:
"landotter" wrote:

The "look" at the top of the stroke can be affected by many factors,
including geometry, crank length, and pedaling style. I have a hunch
that their saddle positions are pretty much dialed in.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What you say is correct, but not on the point raised by the OP. *The
question wasn't whether the Tour competitors have their seat heights right.