[rpm_junky]

What's the "standard" with Saddle height?

In order to go fast on downhill Single track I have to drop my saddle almost to the Top Tube to feel comfortable. The bike is the right size, there's no problem there. I'm 6 feet 3 inches tall and the bike is a 21inch XTC1.

A mate of mine has the same bike and he never touches the saddle height and he is so much faster though the downhill single track. His saddle is jacked up so high it looks ridiculous.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[gumbymark]

You are focusing on one of the more obvious differences and missing the real reason:

May I suggest the real reason your friend is faster has nothing to do where his seat is and more to do with him being a better bike handler.

Unless the downhill is really steep or rocky (or both) I don't see any benefit to dropping the seat.

Seat height has no real effect on how fast a rider is (although having the seat where you are comfortable will).

My advice is to ride a lot, stop worrying about the seat height.

 

[perttime]

Seat height, to some degree, depends on what you want to do.

If you want to cover some distance and keep pedaling, it is best to have the seat up where you can get your legs almost straight when seated.

If you are jumping, doing tricks, racing DH, a seat that is down gives you more freedom to move around on the bike..

I cannot be bothered to change seat position every time I change from uphill to downhill, so I just keep the seat high.

Ride more.

 

[N.M rocks foo]

What's the "standard" with Saddle height?

In order to go fast on downhill Single track I have to drop my saddle almost to the Top Tube to feel comfortable. The bike is the right size, there's no problem there. I'm 6 feet 3 inches tall and the bike is a 21inch XTC1.

A mate of mine has the same bike and he never touches the saddle height and he is so much faster though the downhill single track. His saddle is jacked up so high it looks ridiculous.

Am I doing something wrong?

my saddle is to the height that my leg is almost fully extendid I used to have to drop the saddle but now im used to the height my friend is 2 inches taller than me and he thinks my saddle is way too high but its comfterble to me i think its just persenel preference

 

[bigpedaler]

It IS personal preference, depending on the type of riding you do -- downhillers, freeriders (see vids), and 4x racers roll with saddles low, as they spend almost no time seated. Those of us that USE our saddles are better served having them at the proper height for pedaling (mine is high enough for my leg to be straight w/ heel on pedal when pedal is 180 from seat tube).

I'm personally sensitive to saddle height adjustments, can feel the "out-of-place" of just a couple millimeters, so I don't adjust my saddle once it's dialed in. If I'm going down a steep, I'm behind the saddle.

 

[SpyderPride]

Just keep pushing yourself to go faster and faster every time you ride, on all sections of the trail. Eventually you will keep up with your friend. Just keep your seat adjusted correctly (slight knee bend) unless you are using a chairlift to get up the hill (in which case you are better off dropping it as low as it can go).