I am looking to advice on seat position for any experienced XC MTN cyclists (who race hard) who do both road riding and MTN riding. How does your seat height vary, if at all?
I have my road position pretty dialed after several years, and when I hopped on a MTN bike I bought to compete on next year, I found it was a little more comfortable, and better for technic too, with a slightly lower seat height and further behind the BB. However, I am doing the Transrockies Stage race with lots of gravel roads, so I’ll need to lay it down and hammer for long stretches which I find I can’t do as well with the seat so far behind the BB.
Should I just learn to ride technically with the seat more forward on my MTN bike? or the other way around?
I’m sure that a couple of others may chime in here.
I leave the seat heights the same on both of my bikes. If the terrain is really technical…around TX that means quite a few drops and ledges…then maybe a tad bit lower. But, for singletrack…in TX that is very twisty and turny and some would say technical…and fire roads, I leave it the same. I ride a straight post with the saddle in the middle of the rails.
But, then again, i have not been on a mtb for a couple of years now.
I say go for a position that gives you more control rather than fire road speed. you’ll lose more time on technical bits than you’ll gain on the easy sections.
I ride with the same seat height as my road set up and try to keep the reach to the stem near the same length as my road setup (usually a little longer on the MTB, as the primary position on my road bike is on the hoods). My goal is to get a fairly stretched position so I sit on the saddle in the same on both bikes (height and hip angle) and then to get the reach at a point where I can handle the technical descents comfortably.
seat height is the same. why would’nt it be the same ? people have not run lower seat heights for fast XC riding since the hi-rite days.
fore/aft is more complex, owing to the total body position. think in terms of rotation around the BB, moreso than fore-aft. just like tri/road position, as you come up in front you will tend rearward, and vice versa.
Not to hijack the thread, but in general, if I’m riding a 54cm road bike, what size mtn bike should I be looking at? 16’ or 17’? What are the important measurements to look at in order to compare?
Horizontal top tube length is the measurement that matters. Should be close from road to MTB, although I like going longer on the MTB top tube by 2 cm or so, then compensating with a 2 cm shorter stem.
remember to measure seat height from the pedal spindle at max extension if you are using different sized cranks on MTB and road bike. Also, consider the difference between your road cleats and mtb cleats in terms of rise above the pedal. Its not much, but it adds up. I run my saddle a bit lower on MTB (maybe .5cm) b/c I move around on the saddle far more often than I do on road and before I lowered it I had too much extension when I was on the back of the saddle. Also, with the lower height its easier to get behind the saddle when needed for control. Best way IMO is to find a bike shop or coach who is experienced at fitting and have them help you out. Regarding front/back relative to BB, remember that the more back you go, the lower you must go to maintain relative saddle height (and vice versa). Picture a circle drawn around the BB with the edge intersecting your saddle. If you move the saddle back it goes outside the circle and needs to be lowered. If you go forward it goes inside the circle and needs to go up.
People - these are two totally different machines. Apples and oranges. Only triathletes would try to replicate their road position on a mountain bike.
Get on the MTB, and understand that it is all about finding your center of balance according to your riding style. Don’t look for some weird correlation from a non-MTB’er…just ride the damn bike, and as your skills improve you’ll figure out what position works for your riding style. Some xc racers prefer to be forward and some like to ride a little more behind the bb. Everyone’s body is different, and every frame is different. Things aren’t standardized in the same manner as they are with tri bikes and road bikes. A MTB fit is all about finding the balance point that works for you and your riding style, and you will achieve that by…you guessed it…riding a lot, and experimenting.
I, like many xc guys, ride a high saddle. I am an xc racer turned triathlete. I have am extensive xc background, and spent many years racing MTB’s at a national level. I have never once given thought to how my xc race bike was set up in relation to my road bike or tri bike - it just doesn’t work that way. A MTB will feel different, and it should…it’s a completely different setup, and the bike itself has a different center of gravity. Will riding different bike positions screw you up? Not on your life - it will probably help. Look at it this way…the bonus of riding both MTB and road is that between the two positions you will inevitably strengthen more of the legs than if you rode in the same position day in, day out on the same bike. I like to think that racing xc MTB’s teaches you to spin more efficiently and works your hamstrings/glutes more effectively than road, not to mention the obvious…killer LT work.
Figure out your position by experimentation, and the effects changes have on the handling characteristics. Go by feel. I will quite often make small (micro) adjustments to my saddle height pre-race until I feel just right that day, just like I would make adjustments to my tire pressure. Go by feel, go fast, and see what works best for you. DON’T listen to a bunch of tri geeks that say “I ride my MTB 3x each year, and this is what works for me.” Do what the xc racers do. Ride a lot, and dial in your own fit - you WILL figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.
Get on the MTB, and understand that it is all about finding your center of balance according to your riding style. Don’t look for some weird correlation from a non-MTB’er…just ride the damn bike, and as your skills improve you’ll figure out what position works for your riding style. Some xc racers prefer to be forward and some like to ride a little more behind the bb. Everyone’s body is different, and every frame is different. Things aren’t standardized in the same manner as they are with tri bikes and road bikes. A MTB fit is all about finding the balance point that works for you and your riding style, and you will achieve that by…you guessed it…riding a lot, and experimenting.
Positioning on a MTB is about what works for you and your riding style… like your positioning on a tri bike
