Chat Noir wrote:Roughly speaking, over the years, if my knee hurt, the saddle was too high and if discomfort in the ankle, then too low.
For me the opposite is true (saddle too low = knee pain / saddle too high = ankle issues).
Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
Re: Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
For me the opposite is true (saddle too low = knee pain / saddle too high = ankle issues).
Re: Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
Don't forget that the OP is riding an MTB. I wonder what sort of MTB it is?
If he has made no substantial changes then it could be a fairly radical set up for touring. However, if it is an old style MTB, it could be a pretty good touring set up.
If getting a bike fit on an MTB to be used for touring then you must make sure you clearly specify your proposed use.
I'd suggest trying to find some pictures on the web of straight bar tourers, particularly 26" ones eg Surly and Thorn.
If he has made no substantial changes then it could be a fairly radical set up for touring. However, if it is an old style MTB, it could be a pretty good touring set up.
If getting a bike fit on an MTB to be used for touring then you must make sure you clearly specify your proposed use.
I'd suggest trying to find some pictures on the web of straight bar tourers, particularly 26" ones eg Surly and Thorn.
Re: Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
Some interesting contributions here.
Personally, I have never managed to get a sore ankle by riding a bike.
Some say a high saddle will give you sore knees, some say a low saddle will.......the old story was that pain at the back of your knee meant your saddle was too high (over-reaching for the pedal pulling at hamstrings tendons) whereas pain at the front meant your saddle was too low. (possibly true....poor patellar tracking can be due to imbalance in the quadriceps group, which in turn can be caused by lack of development of Vastus Medialis, which is only stimulated and working when your knee is almost straight)
However, I would urge anybody to be very circumspect when considering any of these "rules of thumb" .....I just don't think they are universally true, or even close to universally true.
I'm particularly interested in landsurfer's.....
My saddle is already pretty low, compared to current fashion......
Foot flat on the pedal at the bottom, still a considerable bend in the knee, suits this old man with tight hamstrings.
70 now, but the photo is a year or two old......tight hamstrings, I can't get anywhere near touching my toes unless I stretch every day for a month, and I'm afraid I don't. If you can touch your toes, your hamstrings aren't too bad, but to be reasonably loose, it needs to be hands flat on the floor. So, Landsurfer, I'd be interested in a similar photo of you, but also what it feels like when you ride. I'm happy at that saddle height, with tight hamstrings (and all the other benefits age brings
) I can still be smooth through the bottom, and if I want to "force the gear" (say a gear or two higher than comfortable up a rising road) I can slide back in the saddle for a bit more knee extension and a bit more push, just for a while. Do you do that?
I have been criticised for talking about fashion in saddle height but heres an example....
To me, that's pretty extreme, theres a lot of ankle extension just to reach the pedal at the bottom, and there was a lot of hip dipping as well.
This is as low as I could persuade her to set the saddle...
The knee bend is pretty similar, but the extreme ankle extension is reduced. She still dips her hip a bit, and pushes a high gear all the time......you can hear the freewheel re-engaging as she passes through the bottom of the stroke.
Personally, I have never managed to get a sore ankle by riding a bike.
Some say a high saddle will give you sore knees, some say a low saddle will.......the old story was that pain at the back of your knee meant your saddle was too high (over-reaching for the pedal pulling at hamstrings tendons) whereas pain at the front meant your saddle was too low. (possibly true....poor patellar tracking can be due to imbalance in the quadriceps group, which in turn can be caused by lack of development of Vastus Medialis, which is only stimulated and working when your knee is almost straight)
However, I would urge anybody to be very circumspect when considering any of these "rules of thumb" .....I just don't think they are universally true, or even close to universally true.
I'm particularly interested in landsurfer's.....
landsurfer wrote:...........Set your position up with reference to colin531's excellent document ... .......Then drop your saddle 10mm !........
My saddle is already pretty low, compared to current fashion......
Foot flat on the pedal at the bottom, still a considerable bend in the knee, suits this old man with tight hamstrings.
70 now, but the photo is a year or two old......tight hamstrings, I can't get anywhere near touching my toes unless I stretch every day for a month, and I'm afraid I don't. If you can touch your toes, your hamstrings aren't too bad, but to be reasonably loose, it needs to be hands flat on the floor. So, Landsurfer, I'd be interested in a similar photo of you, but also what it feels like when you ride. I'm happy at that saddle height, with tight hamstrings (and all the other benefits age brings
) I can still be smooth through the bottom, and if I want to "force the gear" (say a gear or two higher than comfortable up a rising road) I can slide back in the saddle for a bit more knee extension and a bit more push, just for a while. Do you do that?I have been criticised for talking about fashion in saddle height but heres an example....
To me, that's pretty extreme, theres a lot of ankle extension just to reach the pedal at the bottom, and there was a lot of hip dipping as well.
This is as low as I could persuade her to set the saddle...
The knee bend is pretty similar, but the extreme ankle extension is reduced. She still dips her hip a bit, and pushes a high gear all the time......you can hear the freewheel re-engaging as she passes through the bottom of the stroke.
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/bike-set-up-2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
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landsurfer
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- Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm
Re: Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
531colin wrote:I'm particularly interested in landsurfer's.....landsurfer wrote:...........Set your position up with reference to colin531's excellent document ... .......Then drop your saddle 10mm !........
It works for me .... thats the point ... Colin's guide gave me a starting point that i had confidence in.
Other posts and guides led to my saddle dropping trial ....
Pain free cycling with my 60 year old knees (40 yrs of cycling, 12 yrs of rugby, and 23 years of an active military enviroment later) is a joy ....
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Re: Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?
531colin wrote:… whereas pain at the front meant your saddle was too low. (possibly true....poor patellar tracking can be due to imbalance in the quadriceps group, which in turn can be caused by lack of development of Vastus Medialis, which is only stimulated and working when your knee is almost straight)
Perhaps this is why my knees (and legs and back and saddle area…) like the sensation of standing from time to time, usually on a hill.
My hamstrings are tight (difficulty touching toes) and that may explain why I also seem to need the saddle lower than many people.
I highly recommend 531colin’s fitting guide. The bit about positioning saddle setback for weight balance transformed my comfort on long rides. Since most fitters who charge for their services don’t seem to know about this, I doubt they’re any good for the likes of me.