Bicycle Saddle Tilt : What do the pros do? What should you do?
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- čas přidán 7. 02. 2018
- Lots of confusing information out there about saddle tilt. especially since some pros have been opting for some very drastic nose-down saddle positions in order to get the front of their bike even lower. So what should you do?
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I adjusted mine down very slightly and it cured low back pain I'd been getting on my road bike almost instantly.
Hope so, just tilted down on my MTB & Gravel saddles
yeah well it makes sense, the way he explained it tells you that if your saddle is tilted too far back you have less of a straight back and more of a weirdly, wiggely position. I have the same "problem". I just got a new bike and the saddle is pretty much straight on the seattube but not parallel to the ground, meaning its tilted back quite a bit. I gotta adjust that and I am pretty sure its more comfortable.
I had mine tilted 12 degrees and bikefitter leveld it to 0... Now I have huge ass pain and crouch. Also lower back discomfort.
@@blackjohnny0 Did you end up adjusting it to how you had it before? Or did you give it some time?
@@NYGiants4Life I lowered it a little bit, but not that much as before. Still riding bike isnt comfortable for me.
Wow! Lotta haters out there. I thought this was really well explained. Clear and balanced. Great work.
Small minds get irritated with a lot of information. Then they have to vent. I'm grateful for all the details and I'm working on the scissors mount.
I'm a beginner track cyclist in an older age group.
I was having terrible hand pain and numbness at first.
I read about the science of bike fitting and leveled my saddle along with some other tweaks.
pain and numbness magically gone - I'm a bike fit believer.
That has to be the most complicated way to hang scissors I have ever seen.
screw the shit out of it
Hahaha!
I prefer the even more high tech approach of driving a nail into a wall surface and hanging the scissors on it by using one of the handles.
i love it, its so annoying hanging scissors hooked on only one side and having them slip and open up.
An attempt to re-invent the wheel, just like this video.
Before the new angle limit being set, I put my saddle at 5º. I found it to be the optimum position for me because the right saddle height was causing numbness at the crouch area. So the down angle relieved me and the numbness was gone. At the same time I didn't changed the stem angle nor the handlebar height. Nor have I experienced "new" pain in the hands, shoulders, etc, for longer distances. Not any pain different from what I felt before. So, olders ciclysts can use the new rule to improve some eventual crouch numbness without puting more pressure on the hands.
Well Put! Thank you very much for posting this video explanation. I have had my current ADAMO saddle forward and tilted as to make me more comfortable and efficient in the aero position with my clip on bars (and other adjustments too). Not the best for group rides while upright but I understand the trade off. Recently went into a LBS and had a discussion with the sales manager about a specific saddle. After a few minutes, He immediately jump to his opinion that "you are not fitted properly" etc. Told me things like what I'm doing is not scientific or related to Math like their Retule bike and proper bike fit methods are. Conversation did not go well and I gave him some push back. I've been a avid road cyclist for over 10 years now. I have had bike fits in the past. Always seem "okay" at first and dealt with "try it for a while"... but I have always made small adjustments from that point. Anyway, you explained this very well, with reason and in a educated manor. This is what we look for in a bike shop but unfortunately I found that this LBS guy has views that come from being on the sales side for too many hours a day. I see that some comments here were joking about this video and that is disappointing. Thank you!
After 40+ years of road cycling I found that if you play with tilt until you don't feel pressure on your soft tissue in a position you want to ride in then you have figured it out. Keep it simple and listen to what your body feels and doesn't. I agree that saddle shape means everthing as well as knowing your sit bone measurement. Spin those wheels!
Yes!! Well said. 99.9999% of riders will never be at the level of the pros. Carry an allen wrench with you when you ride and find what works for you. It may take a little fidling around, but that's alright. It's all about making the ride enjoyable and comfortable. Yes, I want the results that come from the exercise of the miles I put in, but when riding loses the joy and fun and becomes an exercise in science and grams of weight saved, I'll start eating donuts on my off days.
I found this and the saddle setback videos extremely helpful, thanks !
He gives you free advice to make riding a bicycle on long rides more comfortable..and people on here complain..seriously..thank you for taking the time to explain this and help us.
Excellent explanation as usual, thank you!
I’ve been riding for thirty years at this time I ride a Brooks Cambium carved saddle, I have always ridden with it level, at least to the eye.
In the past I’ve tried more aggressive tilts or forward positioning, both of which hampered my riding almost immediately.
Compared to most cyclists I’m huge at 300lbs so any discomfort is quickly evident.
My belief is that you’ve got to adjust the position to your comfort,abilities, and performance goals.
I've always been more comfortable in an aggressive stance which gives more power to the legs and i like a pretty tilted saddle.
You don’t need tilt the nose full 9 degrees, just a little has huge benefits in relation to more comfort. I’ve dipped the nose from flat to a little more nose down and found I can ride longer and less pressure on my privates... no additional pressure in hands etc..
Same
Thanks, for that explanation, I have used my saddle in the level position and it works for me... And I'm not competitive with anybody but myself and my cyclocomputer.. But yes that was good.
Best explanation ever.as a teacher, i have to say that if you are not one by profession, you should be one. I am totally impressed. thank you sir.
Im not a roadie but like to watch this guy, so much knowledge
I am a roadie, and I agree. This guy walks the talk.
Started racing in 1971. When fit road with a flat saddle. In older age and even fit started tipping saddle tip down. Numb nuts is part of the issue. Bodies change, comfort is number one! And a interesting point when climbing a tip pointed down saddle starts to become flat relative to pull of gravity. You spend more time climbing than descending and also when climbing you work HARD descending is not nearly a effort as a climb. So it is not hard to hold yourself on a tip down saddle descending if bike fit is correct. I frankly like the tip down position.You can roll your hips and get more aero with low bars and very short cranks..
Great explanation. Saddle position/tilt is clearly a trade off, and can be dynamic over time (months/years of riding). Time on the bike comments were spot on. Let's face it, VERY few amateur riders put in anywhere near the annual miles of top pros. And even the same rider may change saddle tilt/position when riding 5-7,000mi one year and only 1,000mi the next year.....or when recovering from an injury.
Great video I appreciate that you took the time to produce
I am an older cyclist, but find 10 -> 13 deg. on a selle SMP works well for me as I can not get on with a flat sadel which I find painful.
Excellent article, thank you !
Honestly, I set my saddle for max. support. If its comfortable to ride with hands off, its probably in the right position
Well explained. In other words set your saddle the way you are comfortable with. I tilted mine but I have spent the last year working on getting stronger with my upper body and I have gradually seen gains. I think the gains of the tilt are really worth it particularly if you ride in windy or hilly conditions. Less power needed to the pedal, increased speed , increased soreness in upper body .
I use an aggressive saddle tilt when doing extremely long tours and ultra endurance races. It helps when you spend entire days going up a mountain (compensating for the up angle of the bike into your crotch), or just for extremely long days in the saddle (100+ miles a day for weeks on end). It also helps me for long distances on poor roads, gravel, or offroad. But I understand why people would think my bike appears odd with a tilted saddle. Definitely not for everyone.
So, inspired by this I tilted by saddle down a few degrees. Wow, how different it feels! More weight on hands/handlebar. Better reach (I always thought my 19” frame on Kona Blast was a little big for me). But now I have more power. More weight to deliver on the pedals. Clipped into my Crank Bros Candy 2's and shaved time off my normal short morning ride. At approaching 70yrs of age, I'm not that fussed about performance, but the engineer in me liked the efficiency of the ride.
Good idea!! I love that!!
Thank you man , this really help
Fantastic video, well explained! Now i have to think about it as an 50 years old man :)
Greetings from Germany
Dieter
Hey John, very enlighting video, I keep my saddle pushed full back and tilted full nose down, my friends say that is weird, but that's the only way i've found to sit on the larger part and not having the saddle push the nose upwards (which causes pain). It is true pros are different, AND, i put a bit too much weight on my hands/wrists, BUT as you show so well at the start of the video, as my back (and bones) leans forward, being "level" (perpendicular, = 90° right angle) will mean that it has to be tilted down. My impression is that an horizontal saddle, really level with the ground, can only be ok with a city bike, and sit-up-and-beg old bike, where your back can actually stand upright. But even then, and still with all the drawbacks (weight on the hands,etc.), i think the pelvis will be ok only if the saddle dives down its tip a little bit. Thoughts? :)
top notch info man !
Exelent easy to understand explanation. Thank you.
Your videos are excellent, concise, solid and useful information well presented.
He is talking about a road racing bike saddle tilt for lightweight racers that are supple and have correct posture. I do it the way he describes, but my other bikes with a different geometry have only a small tilt. He is spot on.
I injured my back (herniated disc, L4-L5) 2 months ago. I tilted my saddle nose down and my back feels much better than in the flat position I've had for years. Takes some getting used to, I ride MTN bikes exclusively and it does put more pressure on my hand's arms shoulders, but the back benefit is currently worth it
Hey John, great and informative video, as always! I have a question I wanted to hear your advice on, since we're on the topic of saddles. I ride a road bike and recently got a cross bike (n+1!). When riding the latter, I tend to experience upper back and neck pain after about an hour of riding. I thought this could be because of a more aggressive position but it turns out, my position on the cross bike is slacker than it is on the cross bike: Shorter reach, less saddle-bar drop. It's just that the cross position is about 1-2cms higher due to the raised BB height. The only other major difference in the two bikes I could find was saddle: On my road bike I have a curved "traditional" saddle, whereas I use a flat fizik saddle on the cross bike. Could the shape and curve of the saddle have something to do with upper back and neck discomfort by maybe altering my pelvis rotation or something along those lines? Thank you very much in advance!
I just bought a new saddle and am still figuring out how to get the right position. The old saddle was good, never had any problems. What I noticed though, is that I feel the saddle less when I ride alone than with my buddies, who are older and therefore I go a lot slower. But I'm tilting my saddle a bit, because it makes me more comfortable. I saw one video this week how to adjust the saddle, but after one hour I felt numb. Today I'm gonna find out how the tilting works... I take my toolset with me, so I can adjust it during the trip until satisfied.
Great info and very informative. Subscribed for more. Cheers.
Short answer. if you ride a road bike - YES
I love riding with a little tilt not because of the aero gains (just a bonus). I like having a little tilt because I don't suffer from numby private parts after riding for a while. So yeah. Pretty easy YES for me.
A challenge is multiple fitting parameters are coupled and riders often misadjust one thing to compensate for an error in another. For example a flatter saddle may need to be compensated with a slightly lower post and moving the saddle slightly forward. Support weight with your pelvis, not your arms, and make sure you can ride no hands without challenge. If you can, fine!
I tilt my saddle 4 to 6 degrees on my full suspension bike due to sag movement that actually makes the saddle point up when shock rocks in/out. This relieves point of pressure and following that statement, also it makes sure to set proper pressure under ischium bones and less from the pubic bone.
I ride in a pursuit position and frequently ride centuries. I keep my saddle tipped forward quite a lot and the push back phenomenon he mentions is exactly why. When I want more juice, I slide back up the seat and get a deeper stroke.
I am NOT extremely light, either. I'm 40 years old, 5'11", weigh 230 right now, and typically am between 200 and 230. My hands, arms, and shoulders bear a lot of weight, but I also train for it by doing weight training for those muscle groups.
I feel like we make a lot of noise about what is correct and I'm sure if I were professional and had access to athletic ergonomic trainers, my ride would be different. Right now, though, laid out forward and saddle tipped down is just fine.
Steve Mattos Nothing wrong with leaving things alone. If it's working for you, then I say, go for it.
Often in a bike fit I'll come across a strange foible in the rider's position -- something that while it may be technically outside the norm, doesn't seem to be creating any major problems for them. In these situations I see my job as one where I just talk to them about it and educate them about potential downsides (could it be affecting their power output? gross efficiency? etc) and what problems it could create in the future so that they will be more aware moving forward. Then together we decide if we're going to correct it (fully or partially) or just "wait and see".
Well, I appreciate the validation. I will say that having watched the video, I'm considering flattening it out some and seeing what results I get, but i also kind of think that after thousands of miles, I've got a read on it. If I could jump on a fitting machine and get a full professional workout, I'm sure I could learn some good stuff, but ultimately, I'm just pretty well happy with how it all feels
Steve Mattos I
You said deeper stroke huh huh
Im pretty new to biking and just bought my bike and had to tilt the saddle little bit down. Not drastically but enough to take some pressure of my testicles XD and make it more comfortable in terms of reaching the handlebars etc.
Maybe i should get some pro to look at my technique and adjust my bike and seating position
Very nice as always.
Excellent description. Would be good to further discuss the actual shape of the saddle. Saddle shape was briefly touched on, however angle of tilt is a crude measurement when the saddle has a dip, overall angle may be 8 or 9 degrees but the dip itself results in a pelvic angle not reflected by the overall 9 degrees. Just look at a saddle used with a horse. Something for another video?
If mine is the least bit forward my hands fall asleep. Mine is actually a little tilted back if one were to measure.
great information- thank you.
I find that horizontal is best for me. I do heat up the nose a bit with a heat gun and bend the nose downward just a bit for comfort. It works for me.
for the upcoming women's saddle issues, there are 2 good articles about how British cycling worked to get the rules adjusted for pro cycling specifically to address issues they were seeing:
1. British Cycling explanation: www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20160510-Set-up-Women%E2%80%99s-saddle-issues-0
2. Guardian 2016 article: www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/15/team-gb-cycling-saddle-sore-medals
Keep on! Bit of general advice: Comfort is key, Comfort will save plenty of energy, Generally speaking go LEVEL on your saddle, leveled at the very spot straight on top of the seat tube. a perfect combination of saddle forward, backwards, seat tube height, reach in handlebar (if it takes your vision away from road as you go down to the droobars = way too low,) if as you stand you have to lean too forward with your hands on handle bar = bar is too forward, etc... All this will mean at least 5km/hr medium speed difference overall when compared to everything being offset. Carry on boys n girls!
thanks some useful things to think on
Hi John.
Great work here ar you’re channel.
My saddle (Selle SMP) is levelled and slide more to the front. I’m a bit on the heavier side, so if I want to reduce pressure at my hands I have to slide them back again? Because my logical mind says: body more to the front, then the pressure from my legs push the upper body up and reduce the pressure at the hands.
Am I wrong?
Thanks!
Regards from Germany
Niko
Very interesting video. I actually use my road bike saddle a litlle bit pointing down, i think better and confortable when i ride on drop bars. Regards.
I tilt my saddle forwards to get some relieve on my lower back. When the saddle is level I get a nagging pain in my lower back when pushing hard on the bike and trails. When I tilt my saddle forwards the lowerback pains seem te disappear and I can push longer on the trails. I am a cross-country-mountainbiker by the way.
I have found that a little extra saddle tilt reduces my back pain. Although I don’t do long rides anymore so I don’t know how it would affect me otherwise.
as teen i was riding a 4x /dirt / fun bike as comuter because i couldnt aford more than one bike the saddle was tiltet way backwards since you sit very low on these bikes if you even sit, long story short 3 times with 3 different seatposts the screw that holds the front of the saddleclamp snapped and i landed between rear tire and frame with my nuts
Interesting stuff...Is it just my body.. But does a fairly large tilted saddle help to engage the glutes,Hammy's and quads over the top and through the pedal stroke better with more force?
I definitely feel the strain on my wrists and hands at the end of my rides. I am probably in the minority here, but I've actually tilted the nose of my saddle slightly upwards (about 2 or 3 degrees) to help relieve some of the pressure on my hands and arms, and also to reduce the annoying gradual forward slide. It seems to be working for me. Nevertheless, I found this video very informative. Thanks.
diamonddave247 I also ride with my saddle like this
I am with you on this one!!!!
Same here, nose up, low bars so I don't slide forward
It may be counter-intuitive, but moving your saddle back can fix your sliding forward problem, and unweight your hands at the same time. And make sure you saddle isn't too high - that can make you unconsciously slide forward to reduce leg over extension. Also, what feels level is different between saddles, so 2 or 3 degrees up may actually be level where you sit on yours. I ride a San Marco SKN about 5 degrees up measured tip to tail, but it's dead flat where I sit. A saddle that's actually tilted up will reduce your seated climbing power because you have less saddle tail to push against - that's the real reason some pros ride nose down. For long ride comfort you want to sit on a level seat further back.
I definitely feel the strain on my wrists and hands at the end of time on the web coincidentally
Tilted forward might be good for racing, I don't know. I do know that a reverse tilt is handy to ride no-handed on a trip, and can reduce back pain in some cases.
nah. no one tilts backwards if you are riding more that 5 mins a week
if you tilt the sadlle downward do you need to also raise the height to compensate ?
Great video!
This was great, I made adjustments last night just road for 30 min average 25 mph 13.11 miles and bike felt great.
Great to hear, thanks for watching!
I am 5,7 140 pounds. I and experienting with my daddle because i am experiencing the unwaighting you talk about, specially when i lean forward and im weight is off the saddle to tacle a hill. Thats when i experience de most force on my strokes. However, going against the wind on flat roads makes me take an aerodinamic position, yet fully on my Flat saddle. Whaching your video makes me think I need to tilt to avoid disconfort between my legs, or change the saddle and maybe a drop post that would alow better displacement? Great insights, thanks for sharing.
I was used to tilted saddle because I liked sprinting a lot. Tilting saddle is definitely helping force to paddles. Actually... I’m not much times on saddle but usually on paddles, sprints all the time ;)
Now, a decade after, I am not 20’s anymore and drive car all the time and rarely ride bicycle... so to me, ride bicycle is is not exciting anymore, I wants relaxing and feel free while riding. And then... tilted saddle is bother me. So I adjust my saddle horizontally.
Been cycling 3 months now and my pedal style has changed so much i was pushing my self to the back of the saddle, so titled the saddle down and can put those wasted watts to the pedals 🤣
I always felt that if the saddle had to be tilted severely forward to avoid numbness, then that was a clue that the saddle was too high or the bars were too low. Is this incorrect thinking?
'
Adam J. Story, DC thoughts anyone?
No, but the less severe this angle is, the slower you go. IMO
Adam J. Story, DC om
Naah, youre probably riding a too narrow saddle
Actually, I can't believe I said no. It's definitely a yes. raising handlebars and/or lower the saddle put less pressure on the hands and make less numbness. i just replaces my MTB with riser handlebars and ALL the numbness in my hands and arms went away. And I was having a LOT of numbness.
One of the biggest problems is having short arms as you need a shorter stem handles extension and also push the seat rails all the way forward. If you have shorter arms you will have no choice but to tilt the saddle up due to your arms taking up your upper body. So short arms tilt the saddle backward, long arms you can tilt it forward a bit.
Good job
Thank you so much!!
When people complain about sliding forward on a steeply tilted seat, try this, sit your butte bones on the very back end of seat , for me it is very comfortable.
EXACTLY! Tried this about 20 yrs ago and always ride that way. It feels better on my lower back, less fatigue on longer 20+ mile rides. It even helps me when riding on rocky and dirt trails--which I often stand above the saddle for anyway. I tried it originally for my back, and then felt less 'attached' to the seat when riding in the dirt. Never went back. Ride every bike that way.
Was riding with a less experienced friend on trails, and he wanted to try it. I adjusted a slight forward angle (much less than mine), and now he rides this way too. Even a stiffer frame saddle will flex a bit. They soften up just a little as you sort-of break them in for this and feel much better after a couple of months.
~JSV
ggg
Exactly
It's also very comfortable for the soft regions.
Nose down INSTANTLY relieves pressure in the saddle. I could not go to the drops w/o tilting saddle forward, also slid the seat forward. Haven't noticed pressure in hands etc. at least not more than usual. Tilting the bars back slightly helps one "meet" the bars now that the saddle is tilted forward.
Been slanting for decades. When I was setting up for road riding, it made sense to tilt to keep a comfortable posture leaning into the bars. When I sprint the bike, my glutes only references the saddle and the meat of contracted muscle sorta rebounds of the meat of the cushion of the saddle. It feels like a spring and there’s little pressure working agains those contractions and the sensation of the glute flex is more interesting that sitting. I treat my saddle more like a seat in a canoe, they are meant to be leaned on but not sat on, and that is the power position for paddling, and in my case the power position for peddling. Oh, and. to top it off, my boys don’t squish. My little baby boomers have more freedom. That freedom on the saddle acts like a shock absorbing post, but instead the room of the setup and my own legs are the spring.
I HAVE FOUND THAT TURNING IT BACKWARDS WORKS BEST FOR ME.
Do you ride the bicycle backwards, or forwards? Do you go back in time? My goodness this has possibilities! Is your body on backwards, and the seat facing forward, or vice versa?
like the pointy end to the rear? thats interesting!
I also lowered my saddle and got pains in my hands!
now i know because more pressure was focused on these spots now and i also slided down because of this.
i changed the tilt because by sitting bones should be the only points to carry the weight, that was my intention and not to hurt the area inbetween my legs were i had pain.
i ordered selle italia st5 and will readjust it now.
what about the saddle height?
Think about this in a general aspect, if the saddle a slip forward and the knee is in front of the pedal now it's no longer a plum line, it is a line that conforms to the body contour, the power of the stroke is down and back now not just top to bottom so you're propelling yourself forward more, I hope you understand what I'm saying I'm not a road cyclist I'm a mountain biker but I can see this plane as day
My saddle is always tilted forward. Riding a street bike, the pressure on my upper body and hands was nothing new. On the bike, it takes some of the weight off from the sit bones plus it gives some valuable space between the genital , the pelvic area and the saddle.
They should have like spring loaded. Where it tilt according to rider posture. And goes back to zero angle when rider lean up.
Springs will add some weights to the bike, also springs are not aero dynamic.
@@marcusmartin5758
True but other material that perform same flexibility can work.
Please reply or advise me on another video to watch. I have knee problems. Every little change in fit seems to guarantee my left knee will lock up over 30 miles.
I have switched to a compact crankset and I went from 172.5 to 170mm cranks.
I also have to slide back on my saddle constantly.
What changes should I make to my saddle height and position/ angle should I make to match the crank arm changes?
Thanks
Maybe go down to 165mm cranks. Maybe check your cleat position backwards/forwards or the angle of the toes in/out a bit more. IMO a higher saddle position is generally easier on the knees (though maybe less powerful). Also you could move the saddle forward or back. Sorry it's only suggestions, not real answers.
Its comfortable. To me at least. I have it all the way forward and at 6 degrees down, (not 9, thats too much). And for me its super comfortable. I really like it.
Me too. I find the position extremely comfortable.
I always found the old position reversed the curve of the lumbar spine, which put a lot of stress L3-L5, and pushed the organs up against the diaphram, so I've always had a lot of tilt. Notice around 1:10 that his back position is pretty close to proper deadlift position with the new tilt. Mind you, I've only competed in recreational triathlons, so the distances aren't terribly long, and nobody really enforces this kind of stuff.
I wonder if that led to some of my back problems in the day. My saddles are all spirit leveled. With the 15 seconds justification starting at 1:00 maybe I can start a mod.
@@cowboybob7093 Hard to say. I have a shorter torso and rode fairly short distance, so the extra weight on my shoulders wasn't a problem. I also have long hamstrings and pedal slow in relation to ground speed, so range of motion wasn't an issue.
great explanation. If I take my bike to be serviced I have to stop the mechanics "fixing" my tilted saddle. One size doesn't fit all and tilting the saddle should be considered for some riders. If the body is "modified", the approach to bike fit should be too.
Car vs bike injuries to the lower back and pelvis determined that a tilted saddle was the best option to returning to riding, . I've just had a new bike set up and despite the reluctance of the fitter, convinced them to tilt the saddle, reassuring them that I had a hex key and could do running adjustments if needed but haven't needed to. Did 80km in the gravel on Sunday and got off the bike with no discomfort.
Yup! I have squashed discs in my lower back. I run the nose up and use a Bodyfloat seatpost. That allows me to do sun up to sun down rides on and offroad on rough terrain. Without the post I probably wouldn’t be walking the next day!
Everyone wonders how I ride my saddle that way. It works for me.
Get comfortable on your bike so you can spend more time on it. Bring tools on rides and experiment. Use a tape measure and make notes. Fit ‘rules’ are merely a starting point. Aero is silly unless you race.
Glennys Jones You should bring your bike to my shop. We wont change anything on your bike without measuring the fit of your bike 1st! Tell your shop to leave it alone or measure it! Thats not very professional at all!
I had to tilt it forward my balls was hurting so bad hahahah
I like mine tilted nose up. The idea is it helps to put more weight on your sit bones and not on soft tissue and sensitive bits. Ive been riding this way for many years for many many miles. I spend a lot of time on my bike. A short ride for me is 4 or 5 hrs and my rides are primarily in the dirt on technical trail. Roads to me are only good for getting to the trails.
Me too. Back in "my day", most pros had a flat seat or very slight upward tilt.
Doesn't hurt ur eggs bro 😂
ouch, when my saddle is level i was getting groin and lower back issues
@@andrewreed1329 Yup, I have a herniated disc. I just make my saddle comfortable so I can ride long days in the saddle.
I used to road race with a much flatter back. When I was pedaling hard I'd slide forward onto the nose. Now my position is much more upright for all day in the saddle.
Racing is all about pain and recovery. Touring is more about comfort all day, day after day. Fast forward 30 years and I simply want to spend more time rolling around on 2 wheels and enjoying the outdoors. If I go faster it would cut the ride short!
@@rollinrat4850 fair enough i run and do weights such as dead lifts and. squats, bench press etc. so having it tilted i have no issues with back and feel nothing in arms, so far less back issues, neck with it tilted plus more aero
Personally, my fwd tilted saddle give me more power to pedal quite a bit compared to leveled... but it is also less comfortable if pedal lightly or cruising speed.
So it forces me to always ride fast haha.
As a starting point, should saddle tilt should be measured off the rails rather than the top surface? Could it be assumed that a manufacturer will have the rails horizontal when the seat tilt is at the designed angle. When I level my seat to 0 degrees measured on the rails, the seat angle measured with a straight sitting on the tail and front is 5 degrees. Haven't ridden it yet.
Can you share a video regarding crank arm length?
As a female, I prefer a slightly more aggressive tilt. It's more comfortable on the lady bits on longer rides, especially when I wear a chamois. Too level is painful.
Hey John! What saddle tilt would you recommend for the specialized power saddle? When I level it back to front, my nuts start hurting when I get into an aggressive position. This is due to the curved shape. Definitely ideal when riding upright to have the saddle leveled that for sure. Greetings from Argentina 🇦🇷!!
i believe Specialized recommend you to level just the nose part of the saddle and let their tail tilt up. It does not built to be level front to back.
I like a strongly tilted saddle due to my limited range of posterior pelvis tilt ("straightened or rounded lower back"). I'm also not sure if a strong posterior pelvis tilt for double digit hours each week is healthy ...
I rode my bike since 2015. I injured myself at 2018. My problem was it band syndrome. I went to pt and they fixed me. Now i had a lower back pain problem and this time I took my bike to taking some advices for pt. He saw my position on the bike and he said your pelvic tilt position on bike is not natural and it causes discomfort on the saddle, numbness on sitting bones and pain at the lower back. Because my saddle tilt was 0 degrees. So he told me to tilt my saddle down a bit, ride on a indoor trainer and take a video for my pelvic tilt position. My harmstrings are tight, my glutes are not working and my body used my back muscles to empower my legs to the pedal. So, I guess we have to feel it before any injury come to us. Unfortunately I did not feel or understand the reason of my lower back pain and I got seriously injured my back. Every angle of a bike means a lot. All I can say listen your body.
i naturally tilt my saddle forward to take the pressure off my man marbles , i cant get down comfy without a tilt , sucks when i go on spin bikes or stationary bikes in the gym i cant get comfy !!!
Wouldn't know that feeling. My nuts basically pull up inside me when i ride lol.
You should position your saddle for comfort. Period. IMHO. If a saddle is tilted too far down, you'll tend to slide forward and your weight will be on the nose. You'll constantly have to push yourself back. Not fun. If it's tilted too far up, you'll slide backward, and the nose will be up in your crotch and pressing against your perineum. Not fun. I find it hard to believe that a professional cyclist would sit on an uncomfortable saddle day in and day out. Just my opinion.
Exactly you are placing a lot of pressure on your hands, shoulders, Hips that is a lot of body pressure to be cognizant off and could cause severe discomfort.
Mine is tilt downwards , more balls comfort and I don’t sacrifice using a little more on my hand
lol
There are two absolute refutations to Intelligent Design: 1. Human parturition, 2. The human Prostate. I can't comment on the first; I'm not an OB (endocrine only), but as an over-70 rider, I can say that a "nose up" position on the seat is definitely NOT prostate-friendly. You young'uns will find that out eventually. I tried a "noseless" seat but you just don't feel you're in control when you take curves at speed. Any recommendations? I'm thinking of ordering a padded seat with a central "cutout" and short nose. Better ideas?
Tilt is also good on a commuter bike. :)
I solved the saddle tilt issue (and all discomfort issues) by switching from an upright bicycle to a recumbent trike. Every solution is a compromise.
Beast Mode xD
As an old rider, I prefer a hollowed touring saddle tilted slightly downward to avoid prostate pressure. Keeping weight on the butt rather than on the prostate has worked for 50+ years of riding. An old wrist injury is extremely sensitive to both weight and vibration. Switching to steel road bikes fitted with flat-bars fixed both vibration issue and relieved the excessive weight on my wrists. Young riders tolerate pain. Old riders make adjustments. 🤔
I ride the exact same way saddle slammed, tilted i tried doing it the normal way felt so wrong and uncomfortable couldn't put power down at all.
Excellent points!
I came for the content but stayed for these comments haha.