Saddle position and lower back question..

[jj]

Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect the
amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
Thx

[Matt O'Toole]

jj wrote:

> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
> the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???

I'm not sure about used/abused, but sliding the saddle back seems to utilize the
hamstrings and buttocks more, as well as stretch the lower back. However, your
ability to slide the saddle back may be limited by your flexibility. If you're
stiff, you can start forward, and move back as you gain flexibility.

Matt O.

[David Kerber]

In article >,
says...
> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect the
> amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
> Thx

If you mean how much work do they do, I don't know. I DO know that
moving the seat back gives you a sharper bend at the hip (smaller
angle between your thighs and your torso), which can be uncomfortable
if you aren't very flexible.



--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

[Per Elmsäter]

jj wrote:
> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
> the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
> Thx

I feel more balanced when I slide the saddle back. Ie I don't have the
feeling I'm going to tilt forward onto my handlebars. This takes a load off
my wrists and also lower back.
However when I'm stomping hard on my roadbike I can have the seat further
forward without getting the feeling of toppling over forward.
Hence I'd say you'd want to figure out if you are going to ride soft or hard
before you decide on how your saddle position is going to affect you.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

[David Kerber]

In article >,
says...
> jj wrote:
> > Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
> > the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
> > Thx
>
> I feel more balanced when I slide the saddle back. Ie I don't have the
> feeling I'm going to tilt forward onto my handlebars. This takes a load off
> my wrists and also lower back.
> However when I'm stomping hard on my roadbike I can have the seat further
> forward without getting the feeling of toppling over forward.

Me, too; in fact I find myself sliding a bit forward onto the horn
when I'm pushing hard.


--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

[PK]

Per Elmsäter wrote:
> jj wrote:
>> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
>> the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
>> Thx
>
> I feel more balanced when I slide the saddle back. Ie I don't have the
> feeling I'm going to tilt forward onto my handlebars. This takes a
> load off my wrists and also lower back.
> However when I'm stomping hard on my roadbike I can have the seat
> further forward without getting the feeling of toppling over forward.
> Hence I'd say you'd want to figure out if you are going to ride soft
> or hard before you decide on how your saddle position is going to
> affect you.

I thought saddel position was more about adjusting the position of the knee
over the pedal for maximum efficiency and comfort.


pk

[Per Elmsäter]

PK wrote:
> Per Elmsäter wrote:
>> jj wrote:
>>> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
>>> the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
>>> Thx
>>
>> I feel more balanced when I slide the saddle back. Ie I don't have
>> the feeling I'm going to tilt forward onto my handlebars. This takes
>> a load off my wrists and also lower back.
>> However when I'm stomping hard on my roadbike I can have the seat
>> further forward without getting the feeling of toppling over forward.
>> Hence I'd say you'd want to figure out if you are going to ride soft
>> or hard before you decide on how your saddle position is going to
>> affect you.
>
> I thought saddel position was more about adjusting the position of
> the knee over the pedal for maximum efficiency and comfort.
>
>
> pk

You're probaly talking about KOPS ( Knee Over Pedal Spindle), I don't think
anybody acknowledges this to be anything other than a gross estimate of
where to start out.
You also have to consider the triangle that your pedals, saddle and
handlebars form. Too far back and you fall backwards or at least have too
much weight on your butt and vice versa.
I have this triangle set further back on my MTB for balancing purposes at
low speed and further forward on my roadbike for high power output over long
periods. My commuter bike is somewhere inbetween. Mind you I'm talking
differences of +-10 mm. The distance between saddle and bars is fairly
similar with another extra couple of inches to reach the hoods on my
roadbike.
Then of course you have triathletes that slide their saddle even further
forward. This has to do with trying to utilize the same muscle groups as
they use for running.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

[David Kerber]

In article >,=20
says...
> Per Elms=E4ter wrote:
> > jj wrote:
> >> Just wondering, how does the fore/aft position of the saddle affect
> >> the amount that the lower back muscles are used/abused???
> >> Thx
> >
> > I feel more balanced when I slide the saddle back. Ie I don't have the
> > feeling I'm going to tilt forward onto my handlebars. This takes a
> > load off my wrists and also lower back.
> > However when I'm stomping hard on my roadbike I can have the seat
> > further forward without getting the feeling of toppling over forward.
> > Hence I'd say you'd want to figure out if you are going to ride soft
> > or hard before you decide on how your saddle position is going to
> > affect you.
>=20
> I thought saddel position was more about adjusting the position of the kn=
ee
> over the pedal for maximum efficiency and comfort.

You're correct, "comfort" is the key. For some people, that means=20
moving the saddle away from the "KOPS" starting point.


--=20
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

[Mike Kruger]

"Per Elmsäter" > wrote in message
...

> Then of course you have triathletes that slide their saddle even further
> forward. This has to do with trying to utilize the same muscle groups as
> they use for running.

This is probably a dumb question, but why wouldn't they want to favor OTHER
muscle groups in the bicycling parts of a triathalon as much as possible, so
the running muscles would be fresher?

[Per Elmsäter]

Mike Kruger wrote:
> "Per Elmsäter" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Then of course you have triathletes that slide their saddle even
>> further forward. This has to do with trying to utilize the same
>> muscle groups as they use for running.
>
> This is probably a dumb question, but why wouldn't they want to favor
> OTHER muscle groups in the bicycling parts of a triathalon as much as
> possible, so the running muscles would be fresher?

I'm not absolutely certain here but I think it has to do with how they
train. *Real* cyclists don't like to run because it builds the wrong kind of
muscles and vice versa. So I suppose that triathletes just don't have the
right kinda muscles for cycling and have to use the ones they have. If they
build muscles they don't need they are just ballast and still need oxygen
that could be used better elsewhere.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

[David Kerber]

In article >,
says...
> "Per Elmsäter" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Then of course you have triathletes that slide their saddle even further
> > forward. This has to do with trying to utilize the same muscle groups as
> > they use for running.
>
> This is probably a dumb question, but why wouldn't they want to favor OTHER
> muscle groups in the bicycling parts of a triathalon as much as possible, so
> the running muscles would be fresher?

Because those "other" muscles aren't developed enough to give them
enough speed.

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.