Howdy,

I have recently built up a Trance X, size L. I am 6 ft 2, L size is supposed to go to 6 ft 1, but after much Internet research I decided L should be big enough.

I bought a lay back Thomson post from the lbs, in the standard 367mm height. They said I could swop it if too short, but I just wanted to ask opinions first. Riding the bike with the seat set back almost all the way on the rails, I feel like I can’t get or apply enough power going up hill, a bit like when your seat is set too low and you feel you need to stand to get more power Captain Kirk.

Does moving the seat position forward/rearward have the same affect, I.e. will it make a difference to the feel in my knees? I think the seat is pretty high, same height as my hard tail and I wonder if I can avoid taking the post back. At the same time I don’t want to keep adjusting he post if the shop need to sell it on, I have already ridden it once to test it.

Seat position should be set relative to pedals/bb, not to get the reach you need.

With pedals level, roughly speaking your front knee should be over the ball of your foot/pedal axle. The feeling you describe sounds like either too low or too far back seat – do you find yourself shifting to perch on the nose of the saddle?

FWIW I’m 6’4″ and rode an XL trance, a L would have been awfully small for me.

there is that rule about your kneecap being above the pedal spindle/ball of your foot when the crank is horizontal – I guess you don’t have that.

Try peddling with one leg unclipped and move the saddle backwards and forwards to see the effect.

It sounds like the bike is too small if you have a layback post and you have pushed the saddle back, it will make pedaling laborious.

Thanks both. Have moves seat forward and will try it for size. Reach seems fine, but just concerned that the post is at the top of its adjustment. Will try it as is and see how it goes.