[SANDTOAD]

I have a Spec Hardrock disc pro, pretty much stock.

04 Hardrock Pro Disc

Size 17"

Stand Over Height 29.3"

Top Tube Length 570mm

Head Tube Length 110mm

Seat Angle 73°

Wheel Base 1050mm

Chain Stay Length 425mm

Fork Offset 39mm

Stem Length 90mm

H/B Width 620mm

Crank Length 170mm

Seat Post Length 350mm

* TT is measured horizontally from center of HT to center of ST

SandToad is 6'0" and 240#

It's been a terriffic bike so far. Absolutely no problems yet.

The more aggressive I get, and the more time in the saddle, I feel I need to change my set up. My legs feel alot better when I sit with my sit-bones on the rear edge of my saddle (seat is as far back as it'll go), and slightly too leaned over when there. I think some of this is due to the saddle. I recently broke a seat, and got a WTB Speed V. I can't really compare my old saddle to the new (gone), but I'm thinking the rails are shorter. Anyway, the thought of a set-back seat post has come to mind, but I don't need alot of angle on it, and I like to drop my seat 1-3 inches when descending or on really technical stuff.

I've never laid hands or eyes on a set-back seat post, and I'm not sure how much it'll allow me to drop my seat depending on where the radius is. And not sure what angles sizes they come in etc. My seat post size is 30.9mmx300. Is it possible to bend an alloy seat post maybe 10-15 degrees without worry of integrity (I weigh 240#)? There are alot of metal fab shops around here, I'm sure I could get it done if there's no worry.

Now for the Forward lean is pretty easy, I was just gonna get a short stem seing how the stem length is currently 90mm.

I guess I'm just looking for someone who's done something similar, or if someone knows a good way to do it for less than the $200 it's gonna take in parts.

 

[tonyl11]

Hi sand toad
Is your seat post at the max Height? I'm wondering if that is why you want to move the seat post back.
Do not bend a seat post!!! You can get a seat post with a off set bracket.
And the Hard rock already has a short stem(90mm) I wouldn't go any shorter.
What is your inseam? I am 6'2" and a 30" inseam and i just went up to a 19" frame and it's working much better. Just a thought...

 

[eatdrinkride]

Get a set back seatpost like a Thomson. It will work fine. Bending your seat post sounds like a real bad idea, but I would like pics if you choose to do so !

Maybe you are bordering on needing a bigger frame as well. 1st though get that set back post, should help.

 

[rzozaya1969]

Sometimes the Thomson setback seatpost won't let you move you're saddle more than a 'traditional' seatpost with setback (for example, Race Face Atlas).

On the Thomson, the clamp is just on top of the tube, while on the Atlas and others, there is a setback. The Thomson should be maybe lighter and stronger, but won't move the saddle more back than the Atlas.

 

[SANDTOAD]

A little more...

Thanks for the input guys I really do appreciate it.

Just a couple other things that might make a difference

My inseam is 30", and the seat height is perfect right at the max mark on the seat-post.

I can't see my front axle when riding with my but in the best spot (it's hidden by the handlebar), I thought rule-of-thumb was to be able to see the front axle just in front of the handlebar. And if 90mm is a pretty short stem, why do I see so many 75,50, and shorter stems??

Also, how would a shorter steering stem effect handling??

And most importantly, MOST of the time I feel like I should be further back over the rear wheel. And it seems that in most of the videos and clips I watch, most guys are closer to right over the rear axle than I am. And if I try to stand and climb, I often have to do it with my arms fully extended, which ends up diminishing the control i have on the bike. I'm almost thinking the frame is a size to big for me...

 

[chad1433]

Perhaps you need to raise the contact points up front, say with a few spacers under your stem or a high(er) rise bar. This will help get some weight back.

As for seat posts, there are several types: inline, like a Thomson, offset, like Titec and setback, like another Thomson product (http://www.beyondbikes.com/BB/ItemDesc.asp?IC=QST7531). Which type do you currently have?

Have you ridden a larger frame just for comparison? I'd suggest you try that. Your LBS should have some.

Also, how tall are you?

 

[SANDTOAD]

If anything, the frame is too big, ever so slightly.

I'm going to try a shorter stem first, see if things look better sitting a little more upright.

I'm 6', 245, with 30" inseam.

 

[chad1433]

6' tall on a 17" frame? My buddy is 5'7" and he's on a med Specialized with a 100mm stem, no less.

It seems that thats why you want to be off the back of the saddle.

 

[SANDTOAD]

Hmm

The feel I get is that my legs are not lined up with the pedal stroke comfortably for me.

When I sit on the back of the seat so that it's comfortable for my legs, then my arms/torso aren't at a comfortable angle (edit) too leaned forward. I think I'll go pick my LBS nos...er brains about it.

 

[KevinB]

I've never laid hands or eyes on a set-back seat post, and I'm not sure how much it'll allow me to drop my seat depending on where the radius is. And not sure what angles sizes they come in etc. My seat post size is 30.9mmx300. Is it possible to bend an alloy seat post maybe 10-15 degrees without worry of integrity (I weigh 240#)? There are alot of metal fab shops around here, I'm sure I could get it done if there's no worry.

Chances are good that you already have a setback seatpost. If the distance from the center of the post to the center of the clamping surface is non-zero, then you have a setback seatpost. If you're in need of more setback, you probably don't want to go with a Thomson setback post since it has less setback than the posts that are usually equipped on Specialized bikes. There are seatposts which likely offer more setback than what you currently have, but you'll have to do research as to what these are. (Search this forum; I believe the question came up here not long ago.)

As the others have mentioned, you don't want to bend your current seatpost. You should (re)consider the possibility that your present frame is too small.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

I'm probably with the frame is too small for you crowd...is that your pant inseam or cycling inseam? Have you tried raising your handlebar height to feel less leaned over?

 

[Wish I Were Riding]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I'm 5'8" with a 30" inseam. All the bikes I ride make me want to scoot back farther too. I may end up getting a custom bike just so I can get a nice slack and comfortable STA like 72 or even 71 degrees. I'd buy a new Fisher hardtail tomorrow, if they weren't spec'ed with 74 degree STA's...

It's true that the Thomson set back post doesn't really make enough of a difference, so look elsewhere.

Just wanted to mention (in case you weren't aware), that as you move your seat back with a new post or even along the rails of the seat, you should also be lowering your saddle a bit.

 

[bike_freak]

I'm also with the whole 'bike too small' crowd here...

One thing to try if your positive that your bike is the right size, is some longer cranks. 170mm is rather short for mountain biking, try something like a 175mm.

But all of the fixes mentioned above are all just bandaide fixes for a too small frame. Go see a bike shop and see what they have too say

 

[tazdevl]

It's true that the Thomson set back post doesn't really make enough of a difference, so look elsewhere.

Thomson setback is 16mm or about 2/3 of an inch. Depends if he needs to go way back or if a slight shift will make a difference.

 

[Shayne]

That's Compared to a Regular Thomson

Which has 0 setback, which is rare and unique in the seatpost world.

Most "normal", "non-setback" posts have more setback than that. ie, Shimano, Campy, Ritchey, Race Face, USE, ....

 

[Berkeley Mike]

You have short legs and a long torso?!

First off, I don't know your skill level and if you have ever had a bike which fit you well. Not knowing that I have no idea if you know what you are doing. I don't know your age, either,and that, as much as I hate to admit it, is a factor.
I have the Stumpy Pro Disc Large. I'm 6 ft, 34 inseam and sleeve length.
Let's forget about stems and bars for a minute. With an inseam of 30 the Medium bike CAN fit you in terms of seat and peddle position pretty easily. If you could get your bike on a trainer and just sit up and pedal it would be a no brainer. Knee over pedal is a good start and seat height is just about 1/4-1/2 inch below where your hips stop rocking from an overly high seat. Done. One challenge here is though, that you are using some arbitrary mark on a seatpost at it's maximum extension to verify your current position. Bad assumption. A low seat will cause you to push yourself back for power in the fight to extend your legs for power. And that is where you are ending up.
It is when you lean over that you really have a problem. You have a torso requiring the next frame size up and that, I am sorry to say, is what you should be riding I think that while the frame CAN fit your lower body that your cockpit is too small. In spite of your feedback, with a medium frame and a 90mm stem, I cannot imagine that you are "stretched out." I'd like to suggest that instead of being actually stretched out that you are fatigued by a bad position. With your torso the size it is and the weight you have my bet is that the small cockpit you have created ends up shoving your body back out of position and onto the back of the seat, wherever that may be. At that point you have pushed yourself out of the power position you initially set up on the trainer. This is exacerbated by straight arm riding which evolves from lack of training or lack of upper body strength. Even with a set-back seatpost the same thing would happen.
So the small cockpit, questionable seat height, and technique has left you in a horrible postion. Small wonder you can't see the axle.
As for solutions...I think you need more real time fedback about exactly what you are doing because your perspective is what got you into this problem to begin with. Go back to your LBS and/or find someone knowledgable to focus on this with you. You need to ride a few larger bikes with different positions to compare to yours and give your body a chance to do something different. I think you also need to compare your bike to one of your older bikes. With this new feedback you can then make adjustments to your ride.