How do you determine fore/aft saddle position?

How do you determine fore/aft saddle position?

Your saddle fore/aft position is set by placing your knee directly above the pedal spindle with the crank at the 3 o’clock position. This will position your hip and knee joint over the drivetrain of the bicycle and allows you to push straight down on the pedal during the power phase of the pedal stroke.

What is the correct saddle position?

Ideally you want about a 3 degree bend in your knee while your foot is at the bottom of your pedal stroke (6 o’clock). If your saddle is too tall you will get a rocking sensation as you pedal that you’ll want to avoid.

What should my saddle setback be?

The more traditional method, know as ‘Knee Over Pedal Spindle’ (KOPS), proposes that optimal saddle setback occurs when the tibial tuberosity is directly over the pedal spindle when the crank arm is at 90 degrees in the downward stroke.

What happens if your saddle is too far forward?

If your saddle is set too far forward then you may be using your upper body too much causing tension in the shoulders and arms as well as having sore hands. You will be able to have a quicker cadence but you will tend to sit back on the saddle up climbs.

What happens if your saddle is too high?

A saddle that is too high will cause the hips to rock back and forth. Not only does this detract from pedalling efficiency, but it can also be extremely uncomfortable. Discomfort can show up in your lower back or as knee pain (especially in the back of the knee).

Do I need a spacer under my stem?

There is no reason to have any problem due to no spacers under the stem. I rode two different bikes that way over four seasons. You see pictures of pro bikes setup that way all the time. It is wise, but not absolutely necessary to have a 2.5-5mm spacer on top of the stem.

How do you tell if saddle is too far forward?

Signs That Your Fore Aft Saddle Position is Set Too Far Forward. If your saddle is set too far forward then you may be using your upper body too much causing tension in the shoulders and arms as well as having sore hands. You will be able to have a quicker cadence but you will tend to sit back on the saddle up climbs.