Tri Bike Saddle Position - Forward or Backward?

Triathlon Forum
1

Can anyone explain how the tri bike saddle position either towards front or back affects riding position? Is front more aggressive than back or vice-versa? I’m trying to figure out how to make use of those lovely saddle rails:>

Thanks!

2

i would say have the seat facing forward, as it might rack a little weird with the nose pointing the other way?

but if you are into that sort of thing i guess…

(sorry)

3

Okay, fairly nice joke… but I still need the question answered. What is the difference practically in sliding the saddle forward or backward along the rail?

4

And for anyone that missed it, the post about the man riding around in central park with his aero-helmet on backwards was hilarious. In Washington DC last week I saw a person with an old mountain bike w/ clip-on aero bars. I just thought, huh, is that serious??

5

in an honest attempt at answering your question.

it makes a big difference, to most, sliding the seat forward or backwards on its rails. this effectively is changing your seat tube angle. which is then changing A) where you sit on the seat 2) your hip angle c: effective top tube length 4. all the above.

it is one of your contact points that is an intregal (spelling?) part of your bike’s fit.

so yes moving the seat for and aft makes a difference, practically speaking.

6

Thanks, I had known about the shift in seat angle, but not what that meant overall to the body. I can see how that would make a big difference given foot position is fairly locked.

7

I really hope someone more knowledgeable than I chips in on this and I will respond so perhaps someone correct me, but I always feel like when I push the seat forward it places the emphasis of the work more on my hip extensors (hamstrings, etc) whereas when I slide the saddle back it seems to hit more of my quads. I think the most popular opinion here is to ride steep (which I think is saddle forward), but as I do mostly road races now and don’t spend a lot of time on my TT bike, I slide the saddle back so it feels more similar to pedaling my road bike :).

-Brandon.

8

get your saddle rails and slide it as far as it will go forward. Works for me!

9

Well, here’s an attempt at a simple explanation:

Saddle back tends to recruit the glutes more relative to the quads.
Saddle forward tends to recruit the quads more relative to the glutes.
(the above assumes no handlebar changes)

glutes = good. quads = bad.

glutes = good because you don’t need glutes much to run afterwards and you do need your quads to run.
quads = bad for the above reason, plus it puts much more strain on the knee.

In addition to the above, it changes your hip angle ASSUMING NO CHANGE IN THE HANDLEBARS. If you increase your hip angle you will only see the benefit of more glute recruitment up to the point that you reach your physical limit. Then you begin to have interference from thighs to stomach as well as a constriction of the diaphragm that makes it hard to get all of your air.

Let’s say you have a nice powerful position right now that uses glutes. If you slide the seat forward it WOULD be detrimental, IMO, unless you then also move the handlebars forward and down an equivalent amount (ultimately maintaining the same hip angle). If you do this, then the muscle recruitment DOES NOT change as a result of the seat movement, but your upper body is lower and you are now more aerodynamic. So with the same power output you go faster…plus you can still run well off the bike.