If you can reach the pedals with your heels then it doesn’t make sense that you’d have to point your toes to reach the pedals. Can you post a side view photo of your leg with the dropper extended all the way and your foot on the pedal in your normal riding position?
seat height...feels like I'm overextending my legs on downstroke but not sure
Hi,
I picked up a new bike and have been playing with the seat height/dropper (dropper slammed into the seat right now), and trying to decide if when the dropper is extended, the seat is too high or not and I should switch the dropper for a slightly shorter one (currently have 150mm, so was thinking of switching to 125mm). I tried the method where I sit on the saddle, and I can reach the peddles with my heel through the entire stroke, but then when I'm actually seated and pedaling, at the furthest point, it feels like I'm extending my knees/legs a bit more to keep good contact with the pedal (also that I'm kind of pointing my toes down to keep good contact with pedals). I tried reading articles around leg angles, but don't have a good way of accurately trying to measure that.
I'm not sure if i just have short legs and need a smaller dropper than what came with my bike, or if I'm just not used to an efficient pedal stroke and this is correct. I don't mind spending the money and switching from a 150mm -> 125mm dropper post, but obviously dont want to waste money and end up with less drop and switch if I dont need to.
I picked up a new bike and have been playing with the seat height/dropper (dropper slammed into the seat right now), and trying to decide if when the dropper is extended, the seat is too high or not and I should switch the dropper for a slightly shorter one (currently have 150mm, so was thinking of switching to 125mm). I tried the method where I sit on the saddle, and I can reach the peddles with my heel through the entire stroke, but then when I'm actually seated and pedaling, at the furthest point, it feels like I'm extending my knees/legs a bit more to keep good contact with the pedal (also that I'm kind of pointing my toes down to keep good contact with pedals). I tried reading articles around leg angles, but don't have a good way of accurately trying to measure that.
I'm not sure if i just have short legs and need a smaller dropper than what came with my bike, or if I'm just not used to an efficient pedal stroke and this is correct. I don't mind spending the money and switching from a 150mm -> 125mm dropper post, but obviously dont want to waste money and end up with less drop and switch if I dont need to.
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Thanks I'll try and get some photos when its light out. Maybe it just feels like I'm pointing my toes and its actually just my legs extending more than I'm used to but you make a good point.If you can reach the pedals with your heels then it doesn’t make sense that you’d have to point your toes to reach the pedals. Can you post a side view photo of your leg with the dropper extended all the way and your foot on the pedal in your normal riding position?
If your hips are rocking in the saddle when pedaling, the seat is too high.
My method is while seated on the bike put your heels on the pedal you should have a slight bend at the knee (legs not fully extended). If your legs are fully extended then your seat is too high and each downstroke will cause knee damage.
You may have the seat too far rearward on the rails.
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I’ll have to pay closer attention but I don’t think my hips are rocking as I’m pedaling. I rode it at the bike park yesterday so not too many opportunities to pedal with the seat up but I tried it a few times and I felt planted in my seat and not swaying just my legs were more extended than what felt comfortable / I’m used to. Just not sure if this is correct and I had my saddle too low last time or I should go with my gut instinct and get a shorter dropper so I can lower it a bit. I’m guessing I’m right at the border and just need a few mmIf your hips are rocking in the saddle when pedaling, the seat is too high.
Thanks, I didn’t play with that yet so will try that as well. Is the expectation that moving the seat forward should lower the stroke distance a bit generally? The seat is setup right in the middle range it appears from the shop.You may have the seat too far rearward on the rails.
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Maybe? My best advice, is listen to your body. You may also try shoes with a thicker sole or a thinner seat. Might also try lowering the dropper a few mm from max height and go for a good pedaling ride.Thanks, I didn’t play with that yet so will try that as well. Is the expectation that moving the seat forward should lower the stroke distance a bit generally? The seat is setup right in the middle range it appears from the shop.
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Yea the problem is the dropper is already slammed so I can’t lower it any. The question is whether I should spend the extra money and get a shorter dropper which would give me that flexibility but don’t want to spend the money if it’s already at the right height and I just need to get used to it vs my old bikeMaybe? My best advice, is listen to your body. You may also try shoes with a thicker sole or a thinner seat. Might also try lowering the dropper a few mm from max height and go for a good pedaling ride.
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How tall are you?
What is your inseam?
What size is your yeti?
What length are this crank arms?
What is your inseam?
What size is your yeti?
What length are this crank arms?
Looks pretty good to me, don't think it's too high and I wouldn't worry about buying a shorter dropper.
It's hard to tell from the pics cause we can't see the extension of your dropper, but it looks like you took a pic of it slammed and then raised it. Was it all the way up?I’ll have to pay closer attention but I don’t think my hips are rocking as I’m pedaling. I rode it at the bike park yesterday so not too many opportunities to pedal with the seat up but I tried it a few times and I felt planted in my seat and not swaying just my legs were more extended than what felt comfortable / I’m used to. Just not sure if this is correct and I had my saddle too low last time or I should go with my gut instinct and get a shorter dropper so I can lower it a bit. I’m guessing I’m right at the border and just need a few mm
Just judging from the pics it looks to be the perfect height though.
Do some climbing with it all the way up. If you're not getting enough foot on your pedals then it might be worth considering.
Does look good from the pics though.
Good luck!
5’9”,How tall are you?
What is your inseam?
What size is your yeti?
What length are this crank arms?
30” inseam
Medium
170mm cranks
Yep the dropper is all the way extended and it’s fully seated into the seat tube as far as possible.It's hard to tell from the pics cause we can't see the extension of your dropper, but it looks like you took a pic of it slammed and then raised it. Was it all the way up?
Just judging from the pics it looks to be the perfect height, but only you can make that call. If you're uncomfortable though, and it's just by a small amount, then yeah, I'd swap it for a 125 ... You know how to ride a bike though obviously, so do whatever makes you feel most comfortable. Personally, I like feeling like my legs are extended a bit more than typical in it's highest position. That said, if your climbing with the seat all the way up, you want to be able to still apply the proper amount of pressure so you're not gonna wanna your legs completely extended.
Do some climbing with it all the way up. If you're not getting enough foot on your pedals in that scenario, then yeah, you're gonna probably want a shorter one.
Does look good from the pics though. Good luck!
Thanks, I’ll try and do some more climbing and see how it feels. I think it’s right on the border otherwise it’d be an easier decision either way
Yep the dropper is all the way extended and it’s fully seated into the seat tube as far as possible.
Thanks, I’ll try and do some more climbing and see how it feels. I think it’s right on the border otherwise it’d be an easier decision either way
Mabey the seat on your old bike was a little too low and you got used to it over time? That's pretty common and it's happened to me before. It is difficult to be sure based on a picture but it really doesn't look high, if anything maybe just a tad low. Since it's new I'd ride it a week or so and see if you get used to it.
Once you do nail down your saddle height it's a good idea to measure it and mark it down, that way when you're shopping for a new bike you can set the seat to the right height with confidence.
I found that a seat height may feel ok while testing around the house, but the “rub” is when you start bearing down on the seat while climbing. If your saddle is too high, you’ll start getting persistent saddle sores.
Yea that’s what I was thinking. The last bike I swapped from a 150 to 125 also (trek slash 2016) though that one was def too tall for me because it wasn’t just the 25mm but also the stock dropper had a large insertion height so it couldn’t be slammed whereas the new one could. I just set it to what felt comfortable but didn’t spend too much timing raising itMabey the seat on your old bike was a little too low and you got used to it over time? That's pretty common and it's happened to me before. It is difficult to be sure based on a picture but it really doesn't look high, if anything maybe just a tad low. Since it's new I'd ride it a week or so and see if you get used to it.
Once you do nail down your saddle height it's a good idea to measure it and mark it down, that way when you're shopping for a new bike you can set the seat to the right height with confidence.
Size is right and honestly your angles look good to me. Might be camera angle but it doesn’t look you are quite at BDC and you could move your foot back a few mm on the pedal.5’9”,
30” inseam
Medium
170mm cranks
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