Road Cycling · Public discussion

Question about seat position

Tom · 2003-11-26T19:04:08+00:00

What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem with the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree angle)?

Started by Tom · 26 November 2003 · Last activity 2 December 2003 · 12 posts · 948 views

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01 / Original postQuestion about seat positionTom · 26 Nov 2003 02 / This pagePosts 1–12Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #12Tom Kunich · 2 Dec 2003

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Original section: Road Cycling
Published: 26 November 2003
Last activity: 2 December 2003
Original author: Tom
Posts: 12
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 948
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Aero position Bib shorts and chamois Bike fit

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Original post
Tom
Archived post

26 November 2003, 19:04 UTC #1

What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem with
the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree angle)?

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Andy Coggan
Archived post

26 November 2003, 20:04 UTC #2

"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem with
the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree angle)?
Basically none.
Andy Coggan

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Scott Hendricks
Archived post

28 November 2003, 16:04 UTC #3

"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem
with the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree
angle)?
Basically none.
Andy Coggan
Are you suggesting that there's no validity to the 'science' of bike fit and positioning?

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Kirby Krieger
Archived post

28 November 2003, 18:05 UTC #4

"Scott Hendricks" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem
with the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree
angle)?
Basically none.
Andy Coggan
Are you suggesting that there's no validity to the 'science' of bike fit and positioning?
Let's ask a slightly different question:
Which (safe and UCI-legal) position on the bike maximizes speed for road racing break-aways?
and:
What is the best way to find out? What is a good way for a rider without deep pockets to find out?
Kirby.

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Andy Coggan
Archived post

28 November 2003, 23:04 UTC #5

"Scott Hendricks" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
What are the differences in power and efficiency between setting up a bike with a short stem
with the seat in a rear postion or a long stem with the seat in a forward position (73 degree
angle)?
Basically none.
Andy Coggan
Are you suggesting that there's no validity to the 'science' of bike fit and positioning?
No, I'm saying that any differences within the range that Tom had in mind are too small to be
detectable...which means that they amount to less than a percent or so.
Note that at least one study *has* found significant differences in efficiency due to fore-aft
positioning...but they were comparing extreme variations typical of the aero position, not
variations in where you put the saddle on a road bike (not to mention the fact that you can move
around considerably regardless of how the bike is set up).
Andy Coggan

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Tom Kunich
Archived post

29 November 2003, 04:04 UTC #6

"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

No, I'm saying that any differences within the range that Tom had in

mind
Quoted message said:
are too small to be detectable...which means that they amount to

less than a
Quoted message said:
percent or so.
Note that at least one study *has* found significant differences in efficiency due to fore-aft
positioning...but they were comparing

extreme
Quoted message said:
variations typical of the aero position, not variations in where you

put the
Quoted message said:
saddle on a road bike (not to mention the fact that you can move

around
Quoted message said:
considerably regardless of how the bike is set up).
Along these lines - on Thanksgiving day I went for an early ride and kept sliding forward on the
seat of the Colnago Master I have. My forearms were getting sore. By mid-ride I was siting with no
problems and by the end of the ride I was sliding too far back.

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Warren
Archived post

29 November 2003, 18:05 UTC #7

In article <[email hidden]>, Tom Kunich
Quoted message said:
Along these lines - on Thanksgiving day I went for an early ride and kept sliding forward on the
seat of the Colnago Master I have. My forearms were getting sore. By mid-ride I was siting with no
problems and by the end of the ride I was sliding too far back.
Tom, The chamois creme is supposed to go on the *inside* of the shorts.
-WG

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Stewart Fleming
Archived post

30 November 2003, 23:31 UTC #8

Kirby Krieger said:
What is the best way to find out? What is a good way for a rider without deep pockets to find out?
Out in front.

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Stewart Fleming
Archived post

30 November 2003, 23:31 UTC #9

Kirby Krieger said:
Let's ask a slightly different question:
Which (safe and UCI-legal) position on the bike maximizes speed for road racing break-aways?
[Grr. Bad editing.] Out in front.

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Richard Adams
Archived post

30 November 2003, 23:31 UTC #10

warren said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Tom Kunich
Quoted message said:
Along these lines - on Thanksgiving day I went for an early ride and kept sliding forward on the
seat of the Colnago Master I have. My forearms were getting sore. By mid-ride I was siting with no
problems and by the end of the ride I was sliding too far back.
Tom, The chamois creme is supposed to go on the *inside* of the shorts.
-WG
LMAO
PotM!!!

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Bob Mercier
Archived post

1 December 2003, 23:15 UTC #11

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

No, I'm saying that any differences within the range that Tom had in

mind
Quoted message said:
are too small to be detectable...which means that they amount to

less than a
Quoted message said:
percent or so.
Note that at least one study *has* found significant differences in efficiency due to fore-aft
positioning...but they were comparing

extreme
Quoted message said:
variations typical of the aero position, not variations in where you

put the
Quoted message said:
saddle on a road bike (not to mention the fact that you can move

around
Quoted message said:
considerably regardless of how the bike is set up).
Along these lines - on Thanksgiving day I went for an early ride and kept sliding forward on the
seat of the Colnago Master I have. My forearms were getting sore. By mid-ride I was siting with no
problems and by the end of the ride I was sliding too far back.
I've noticed the same thing in my riding. I assumed my lower back was tighter when starting out and
loosened up after awhile. It never bothered me enough to actually /stretch/ beforehand.

Report
Tom Kunich
Archived post

2 December 2003, 03:09 UTC #12

"Bob Mercier" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
"Andy Coggan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

No, I'm saying that any differences within the range that Tom

had in
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
mind
Quoted message said:
are too small to be detectable...which means that they amount to

less than a
Quoted message said:
percent or so.
Note that at least one study *has* found significant differences

in
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
efficiency due to fore-aft positioning...but they were comparing

extreme
Quoted message said:
variations typical of the aero position, not variations in where

you
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
put the
Quoted message said:
saddle on a road bike (not to mention the fact that you can move

around
Quoted message said:
considerably regardless of how the bike is set up).
Along these lines - on Thanksgiving day I went for an early ride

and
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
kept sliding forward on the seat of the Colnago Master I have. My forearms were getting sore. By
mid-ride I was siting with no

problems
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
and by the end of the ride I was sliding too far back.
I've noticed the same thing in my riding. I assumed my lower back was tighter when starting out
and loosened up after awhile. It never bothered me enough to actually /stretch/ beforehand.
Are you suggesting that a 59 year old frump actually warm-up? What ARE you thinking of?

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