saddle adjuster or lay back seatpost?

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'd like to get slightly further rearwards too, even with the seat-pins & saddle set-back that I have on my 3 main bikes

Ridley (that, 20+ year old, 'Flite' is now on the Gran-Fondo)





'Blue' Ribble (work-bike/'all-rounder')





Gran Fondo (50th birthday present, from my darling wife, back in October)




Even my old MTB (Pace Research RC100) had quite a lot of set-back (Ritchey seat-pin, & circa 1995)

[AlastairS]

I now think I am wrong about my saddle needing to be further back from the bars.
When I sit further back, the ball of my foot on forward horizontal pedal is significantly forward of my knee - does that proof it ?
Sorry, if I have been wrong.

[JohnW]

I now think I am wrong about my saddle needing to be further back from the bars.
When I sit further back, the ball of my foot on forward horizontal pedal is significantly forward of my knee - does that proof it ?
Sorry, if I have been wrong.

Yes - I'd think so if it was me. You can check on this with other people, but as far as I know the ball of the foot should be vertically below the knee - whereabouts on the knee is another question. I'm in my best position when the vertical line passes just behind the front of my knee-cap. What does everyone else think/find................?.

[531colin]

For me, it works like this....


The plumb line held on the tibial tubercle, the bony lump on the top of the shin bone.

The other way to look at it that you need little enough weight on your hands so that you can do this......

[bikepacker]

Colin. My normal riding position happens to be close to those in your picture. However both Keith Bontrager and Mike Burrows disagree with this assertion. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

[531colin]

I'm not really interested in the KOPS supporters vs. KOPS naysayers arguement, any more than I'm interested in the pro vs. anti-helmet arguement in another thread.
Most people agree that for relaxed cycling you want very little weight on your hands, and I am demonstrating that KOPS sets me up so that is the case.
For those who must have complicated, there is some complicated stuff here, from somebody who has made a proper study of riding position https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/seat-set-back-for-road-bikes/....scroll to "point of balance" for the shorter answer.
Or theres this...https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/articles/.......read the two articles on "sensitive issues", or just the bit where he says your bum is for sitting on, and your arms are for steering, not for holding your torso up.
This one is not an easy read.....https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/08/ironman-triathlon-position-how-marketing-overcame-some-peoples-reality/.

[AJ101]

Chipping in with more layback post than seat all the way back. In my past where I've been on and off the bike multiple times in a day (or CX racing) I've had seat bolts suddenly snap and send me flying backwards completely unexpected. This has always been on saddles that have been pushed right back, adding to the leverage on the bolt.

[AlastairS]

Thanks everyone. Some of the pages are quite technical as was pointed out.
I am happy to go with TTOPS for now and see how I get on.