I don’t know how this can be, yet the evidence points to the fact that my proper saddle position has changed over the past two years.
Throughout this past late winter and early spring, after a few months off, I returned to training. I have been suffering with more pain in my quads than should be, and have been consistently much less strong on the bike. No troubles running. Anyone who knows me would agree that I’m a bike maintenance and position freak, and I know my bike as well as I know anything. I’ve been riding the same saddle position since Lake Placid '02. No change. No movement. Nothing. I even wrote measurements down and verify them every time I perform bike maintenance. Not that it matters, but I ride a custom Calfee Tetra-Pro without aerobars. For racing I strap on aerobars but my saddle position does not change. Still on same shoes, same pedals, and I’m still of the same short stature (5’5"). I ride that skinny little painful looking SLR saddle. While it looks like a torture device, its by far the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever ridden.
Finally the other day I got sick and tired of having sore quads while riding and struggling up hills that used to be a breeze. I wondered if somehow my saddle position was incorrect, though I knew it had not changed. I started moving around on the saddle to see if I could find a new “sweet spot”. Lo and behold, as soon as I found it I knew immediately. I climbed a hill seated with zero quad pain and my old strength. The new position - the very nose of the saddle, instead of on the back of it. That would put my new position about an inch and a quarter forward and a half inch lower. I can normally discern the difference of a few millimeters in saddle position, but this is nuts.
I find this quite unbelievable, yet it is true. Throughout the remainder of this ride I rode up on the front of the saddle until it hurt and my old riding performance returned. I altered the saddle position and am now fine, except for now I need a longer stem.
Changes in age, flexibility and fitness will result in minor changes in bike position/fit over the course of time.
I would always fiddle a bit with position/fit in the off seaosn while doing indoor trainer rides. Then in the spring bring along a few Allan keys for the first few long ride a fiddle a bit more with fit. I would find that there was invariably a couple millimetres here and there of change. The important thing is keeping or finding that sweet spot - that’s key.
I was told many years ago by a top coach/bike fitter, that this is quite common. Not to worry.
I dunno what happened with you…but this morning I had to slightly raise my saddle height and changed my aero bar position with a slight upward tilt to em and lo and behold the quad pain disappeared too…had felt like I was on a short little bike with the seat waaay to low this morning and as soon as I started peddling on flats quads felt they were climbing…and I know this isn’t so because on my road bike no problems unless climbing very steep inclines then get burn…hmm I don’t know what happened but have tweaked my cockpit this year, new saddle etc…and was fit on the bike with the help if an experienced tri bike person at the shop but still had to do this tweak…wow.interesting
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i’m predictably unsurprised. i’ll bet your cadence also increases, and you’re going to have to ditch that 21 rear cog for something larger.
Well you’re either reading my mind or you can predict my future. Before finding a new sweet spot I was regularly wishing for a 23, and figured next time I de-funked the sprockets I’d make the change.
I guess I’m not as young as I used to be, but I didn’t figure for it to be starting at 38.
I suppose muscular changes could require seat position changes, but I haven’t yet begun shrinking noticeably in height. I was surprised as all get out to find this after riding for many years in the same saddle position.
when you get older you lose muscular strength and this is an accommodation. however, the fact that a person has muscular strength doesn’t mean he should abuse it. lance is the best example. higher cadence = higher O2 consumption, but also lower glycogen consumption (you last longer). steeper angle = higher cadence, all things equal.
but that also doesn’t mean you ought to accept a reduction in power as inevitable. my drill for power? i have a 5-mile long hill out back of my house, and when i want to increase quad power i ride up it 2 or 3 days a week for 2 or 3 weeks, standing up pretty much the whole way (i do it on my road bike). it plays hell with your cadence (you have to work to get it back), but it’s great for your muscles.