if I moved your saddle could you tell?

[ColinJ]

I had an ache on one side of my lower back. I moved my saddle up 2 mm and the discomfort moved to the other side. I then dropped it by 1 mm and the discomfort level reduced by about 80% and was equal on both sides! (My legs are significantly different lengths so the saddle height is a compromise.)

So, yes - I am pretty sensitive to saddle position!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

oh yes…

 

[Globalti]

Height, angle, position on the rails, yes.

 

[MiK1138]

yup

 

[Sandra6]

One of the bikehut guys used to put my saddle up on the sly, to be fair I had it too low, and I never actually noticed until one day I came to a stop and the ground wasn't quite where I expected it to be and I fell off!!
I was riding to work the other day and my legs felt really odd, like the saddle was too low, bizarre because it hasn't been moved at all. So I was pondering to myself as to whether it could've slipped down, but I decided I wasn't really that heavy after all. Then I had a light bulb moment and realised I was wearing very thick soled boots instead of my flat shoes, and that was the problem. I've put it up a teensy bit to compensate and feel much better now.
People who are new to cycling and complain of discomfort never believe me when I say a few mm's on the saddle position can make a massive difference. Silly folk!

 

[Levo-Lon]

Yes.. takes me ages to get mine perfect..

 

[Drago]

Yep. Takes me weeks to set up the saddle to those final fractions of a mm. I've been known to discard a seat post because the spines in the clamp left the seat a teensy bit off my perfect position.

 

[vickster]

I doubt @potsy could...the laundry hanging on his bikes might though

 

[Moodyman]

My winter bike is a Surly LHT .... total different geometry to my summer bike commuter (S-Works)

if I ride my S-Works most days, then hop onto the Surly, my legs take a different strain, especially on longer distances

Quite. I hopped off my tourer in September having done c. 700 miles in two weeks and felt really fit. When I rode my commuting bike to work after a few days rest I found it really difficult. So slight geometry / saddle changes make a big difference.

 

[potsy]

I doubt @potsy could...the laundry hanging on his bikes might though

Oi!

 

[cyberknight]

I doubt @potsy could...the laundry hanging on his bikes might though

Sounds like my bike atm, with my chest cold i have decided to take the weekend off , only 2 commutes last week and i felt like sh** coughing up lumps so im on a self imposed non bike time till monday.

 

[vickster]

Oi!

 

[oldwheels]

What about horizontal angle? Does your saddle point straight forward? I find that to get comfortable I have to have the nose pointing to the left by about 2 or 3 degrees. This is on both of the bikes I mostly use so not a factor of the bike being bent. One is a Brompton and the other a Bike Friday. Both in good nick and sturdy bikes. Never seen this topic anywhere but what do others find ? I am male of mature years and have normal ( I think) anatomy.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Folks, may I introduce the nanometer. Yes, nano. 10-9.
One thousand of them in one millimeter.

Now, let's rephrase the question: Would I notice if someone sneaked up and moved my saddle 1000 nanometers?

Hell, yes.

 

[Alan O]

I'm not sure how much movement I'd detect in each of the directions, but I do seem to be sensitive to the angle of the saddle.

I recently replaced my old saddle, and with the different geometry of the new one I just couldn't get a good angle - one notch up or down was too far in both directions. I had an old fashioned seat clamp, so I ended up having to get a new micro-adjustable seat post.

Alan