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Seat hight?... Killer swore back while riding...

1323 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Shad6Bones, Jul 17, 2006

Shad6Bones

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2006 (Edited)

(Sore... that is)

Hey guys...

How high should my saddle be? Straight leg/knee extension at the lowest end of the pedal? (This is not what I have as of now).

I was riding this weekend, and within 15 minutes of riding I was having killer lower back problems.

This I figured was either because I am out of shape and getting back into this... or because my seat hight was too low. Maybe I was hunched over awkwardly? If I raise the seat that might make me hunch over more, making it worse?

Your thoughts?

-S6

PS: My seat hight is at a pretty comfortable hight, but I don't have a full leg extension in my strokes... I could manage to go higher if this is some of your recommendations?

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Martin.au

· #2 · Jun 20, 2006

First get your seat at the right height. Easiest way to get it close is to set your saddle height so you can lock your knee and put your heel on the pedal at 6 oclock. This will get it approximately right and you can then adjust or use a fit calculator to determine the fine position.

From there start to look at the rest of your cockpit. A sore back is possibly from your setup, but it's also possible to get a sore back if you haven't ridden for a while. In fact that's the most likely cause in my opinion. Your hamstrings and buttocks won't be used to the new activity and they cause tension in your back. I had a sore back for a while when I started riding again. It went away after a few weeks as I got my riding fitness back again.

Dave B

· #3 · Jun 20, 2006

How much higher is your seat than your bars? Could be seat height, a fitness problem, or just some fine adjustments needed to riding position. If you are really hunched over, a shorter stem or a riser bar (if you now have a flat bar) might help. Could be something as simple as seat tilt (if it tilts too far forward, you will always be trying to muscle yourself to stay on the seat, and too much pressure on your hands). If you have a helpful LBS around, might want to take the bike and see if they can help "fit" it to you.

Shad6Bones

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 20, 2006

Dave,

My seat is just a little above handle bar level...

rekibtm

· #5 · Jun 20, 2006

I read some where that the for and aft adjustment of your saddle on the seat post can really affect your lower back muscles therefore your lower back pain. any one have the info on that?

Shad6Bones

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 20, 2006

What is the common or proper seat height and saddle adjustment/placement?

BruceBrown

· #7 · Jun 20, 2006

Shad6Bones said:
What is the common or proper seat height and saddle adjustment/placement?

Read and arm yourself with knowledge so you can apply it to dial in the best fit for you:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/BikeFit/index.cfm

http://web.archive.org/web/19980201062345/www.kleinbikes.com/Technology/Myth/Debunking.html

http://bikefitting.com/English/Theory/Intro.aspx

Best of luck.

BB

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m1ke

· #8 · Jun 20, 2006

rekibtm said:
I read some where that the for and aft adjustment of your saddle on the seat post can really affect your lower back muscles therefore your lower back pain. any one have the info on that?

I havent heard of that one, but I know first hand that a half inch fore or aft could be the difference between having or not having knee pain. I also read somewhere something about how it compliments your riding style. If you like to spin fast and easy it helps to have the seat farther back and if you like to spin more powerfully moving it forward would get your knees more over the pedals... something like that...

namrita

· #9 · Jun 20, 2006

lots of questions...lots of subjective answers.

bottom line - everyBODY is different, there is no simple answer. check this out for some very good info: www.wobblenaught.com

4212darren

· #10 · Jun 21, 2006

I was told to use 83.5% of your inseam length from the center of your BB to the top of your seat.

LyNx

· #11 · Jun 21, 2006

It is the reverse of your statement....If you like to push big gears, rather than spin, having your saddle a little back helsp with this. If you're a spinner then having you saddle set closer to over the pedal axes helps spinning.
YES having your saddle for or aft can cause knee/quad pain, never heard of it causing back pain though.

As for what could be causing your back problems, more than likely it's just that you're not accustomed to riding and it will take you back a little while to get used to it again. Give yourself some time back on the bike and see if that helps. Also try doing some stretches before and after you ride.

As for saddle to handlbar height that is personal preference and also determined by your flexability.... For XC they say between1-2 inches lower and for serious XC racing 1-3 inches lower.

m1ke said:
I havent heard of that one, but I know first hand that a half inch fore or aft could be the difference between having or not having knee pain. I also read somewhere something about how it compliments your riding style. If you like to spin fast and easy it helps to have the seat farther back and if you like to spin more powerfully moving it forward would get your knees more over the pedals... something like that...

Penn State

· #12 · Jun 21, 2006

i just skimmed through your replies but it doesn't seem like anyone mentioned this. Are you stretching well before rides? I know i had killer lower back pain whenever i rode. Your hamstrings attatch to your lower back. And if they are tight they will pull on the lower back and hurt like hell. Thing like someone shoving a knife into your kidney. Make sure you stretch them well before rides. And see how that goes. I personally stretch mine when i wake up, pre ride, post ride, and right before bed. But thats just me over compensating because i can't stand little pains when i ride. Stretching does wonders, and a lot of people never do it.

TrekFan

· #13 · Jun 21, 2006

when you spot the killer, don't curse at him. this will make him less inclined to respond in kind while you're out riding...

Blue Shorts

· #14 · Jun 21, 2006

You'll get many differing opinions on this subject... Here's my opinion:

Most back pain that you get while riding is not soley due to the position on it.

Riding a bike puts a lot of stress on your lower back. It's a fact of life.

Things that make your back feel worse:

Short Hamstrings - The shorter your hamstrings are, the more upright you'll have to be on your bike... and the more you will have to stretch to help them out.... and the lower your saddle will have to be.

High Saddle - If your saddle is too low, it won't negatively affect your back. Too high is the issue with backs.

Weak Abs - I have to stretch my hamstrings and do ab work every day. When I do... I have no back pain while riding. When I don't... it sucks.

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jkish

· #15 · Jun 22, 2006

I've got back problems and bike setup is critical for my comfort. Slight changes in saddle height, fore/aft and tilt make a huge difference. I have to balance between my hands going numb and back pain. I've found it very important to have a neutral starting point before making any corrections. Here's the procedure for setting up a bike that I use.

1. First set the saddle in a level postion halfway between the saddle rails. Adjust your handlebar so that the grips are parallel to the ground.
2. Set the saddle height so that your heel is flat on the pedal in the 6 O'Clock position with your leg fully extended. When you pedal with the balls of your feet you should get the proper knee bend. Starting out with the saddle slightly lower than this (1/2 to 1" ) is probably O.K. since beginners tend to rock their hips until they learn how to spin smoothly.
3. Adjust the saddle forward/backwards so that your knee is directly over the center of the pedal spindle when in the 3 (9) O'Clock position. I use a piece of string with a weight on it as a plumb bob. Readjust the saddle height if necessary.
4. Go for a spin and take note if you feel like you are in a neutral riding position on the saddle. If you feel like your sliding forward or backward you may need to adjust the tilt of the saddle accordingly.
5. Finally, if your riding position is such that you are too stretched out or cramped, a stem length/height change may be in order. If this is too far off your bike may not be the correct size. Beginners tend to like shorter, taller stems but as the body adapts most people prefer a lower more stretched out position.

Ride with this neutral setup for a while as your muscles get accustomed to riding and slowly make incremental changes only one item at a time as necessary.

As others have stated stretching is important. I usually ride for about 5 min. to get my blood flowing and then stop on the trail for a light stretch. I do a more thorough stretch after the ride while still warm. This works for me but everyone has their own way of stretching.

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Shad6Bones

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 17, 2006

TrekFan said:
when you spot the killer, don't curse at him. this will make him less inclined to respond in kind while you're out riding...

From thread...
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=1979399#poststop

Haha, man... I was reading some of my older threads when I came across your reply... Sure I got caught with a typo in the thread title...

Your reply cracked me up!

Take it easy...

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