just curious if your saddle height to pedal are the same on both types of bike

About an inch lower on the MTB for me

Slightly lower, not much, maybe only 1cm. Find I get really bad lower back pain if I try & run saddles at the same height. Can only assume different bike geometry has an effect???

Same. Why wouldn't you?

About an inch lower on my mtb too. Doesn't really make sense but it feels right on each one that way.

Yup about an inch lower.

Lower as you need to be able to move around the bike a bit easier it's a lot more dynamic riding a mountain bike than a road biek.

Bit lower on MTB here too. Not sure how much – certainly not as much as an inch – but I just go on feel. A little bit makes a big difference.

About 3/4" I don't like it but it's meant to be good for me?

yep, maybe an inch or so lower on the mtb – need more room to move about

About the same- I think for general XC stuff you don't need it lower.

The same. Why would you have it lower on the MTB? I spend most of my time on the MTB pedaling so why would I have the saddle at a less efficient height? If I come across a steep downhill that requires a bit more clearance to get my centre of gravity over the back wheel (not often) then I'll lower the saddle 3-4 iches.

All my bikes are the same. If my mtb is any lower I notice an immediate and significant loss in efficiency. 99% of my riding is xc though with very little in the way of steep descents.

Same. Why wouldn't you?

To allow movement over the saddle when offroad?

If I come across a steep downhill that requires a bit more clearance to get my centre of gravity over the back wheel (not often) then I'll lower the saddle 3-4 iches.

Playing devils advocate…..

And waste the time you gained by your slight efficiency advantage of your higher saddle height…

About an inch lower on the road bike – you're bent over more on a road bike, so you don't need it as high.

To complicate further, my CX bike is set somewhere between my road bike and my mtb.

My road bike is long/low at the front while relatively my mtb is higher/shorter with the CX bike in between so it's not suprising that they're not exactly the same because the rest of my position isn't identical.

i was curious as im sorting my bikes out in the hope i can be riding again soon and noticed my mtb have saddle 20mm lower than road bike and 10mm lower than the cx

about the same, drop it when the going gets fun though.

why would you bang on about saddle height having to be the same for efficiency's sake though?

the BB heights are bound to be different. so pedal to arse is different. ergo the same saddle height isnt the same magical efficient position on both bikes….

the BB heights are bound to be different. so pedal to arse is different. ergo the same saddle height isnt the same magical efficient position on both bikes….

I would think most people [well me anyway] measure it saddle to pedal rather than to the ground

I think everyone refers to saddle height as BB to top of saddle, not ground to saddle, tracknico…

Do people really bother to measure this sort of thing? 🙂

About the same for non-techy XC. Prefer to stop and drop saddle for big downhills or for sessioning tricky bits because it's more fun to throw the bike around like it was a big BMX.

Yes 😉

The same, as close as I can get it.

Bearing in mind different sole thickness between road shoes and MTB shoes, and shorter cranks on my road bike (172.5). But, as close as I can.

"Do people really bother to measure this sort of thing?"

amazingly yes
http://bikefitkit.com/fit_kit/seat_height.php?osCsid=f4752400b106a556fffec17a437d029f&

do they? so does that mean you guys measure it with a tape measure?

mtb is a little lower in a line from saddle top to bb, but mtb saddle is further back. I prefer a more forward seating position on the road bike, so the seat is lower than if it were further back in a similar position to the mtb.

i go off feel on each bike rather than obsessively matching arbitrary 'measurements'.

Slightly lower in XC mode & obviously a lot lower when pointing properly downhill.

Those that say "the same – why wouldn't you?" – are you from a serious road racing background, a leisure road or gone to road from mtb? I'm from a background of years of road racing, time trailing and triathlon (hence the user name) and the saddle height I use on the road, brought about by a few different bike fits and analysis sessions plus thousands of miles of graft, is proper high (802mm centre bb to saddle top with 175mm cranks & shimano spd sl pedal for a 33" inseam rider) and whilst biomechanically I'd like to ride the same off road it does not work so well in the more dynamic environment. On a FS it is also practically impossible for me with a dodgy hip to get on it with saddle at that height as the saddle is so jacked up until you sit on it!

This is where my personal problems start – a years old knee problem from when I was riding silly numbers of miles at elite level means that on the road if my saddle is even 5mm too low at about 80 miles my knee hurts like mad. When I transfered to off road this has been a bit of an issue on longer riders though the more stop start nature of mtb riding has saved the day a little. For this reason my next bike will have an adjustable seatpost to encourage me to get the seatpost height right up whenever possible.

edit – and to answer above – yes, most proper roadies will know "their measurements" to within a mm or 2 – in roadie mode and time trial mode. Not just saddle height but top tube, saddle tip to centre of bar etc etc. It does make a difference – not just to performance but also to injury prevention esp as you get older. I would even go so far as to change my saddle height dependant on the make of shoe or pedal being used.

I set all mine up by feel and eventually measured thinking it would be quicker if I knew and found all my bikes were set up the same; the full suss must sag a bit so that'll be different when riding.

quite. happy for roadies to measure and layout their positions, i certainly have been trying out a few different layouts recently. i just dont buy it for MTB.

bloke above who mentioned 'dynamic environment' has the right idea i think. on the MTB there are just far too many factors involved to be measuring your bb to saddle height and religously sticking to it.

"does that mean you guys measure it with a tape measure?"

Upper and lower marks on the seatpost – simples.

"is also practically impossible for me with a dodgy hip to get on it with saddle at that height"

I had the same problem, though my hip is OK. So I lower the bike to one side, step over the top tube then hold the bike upright so I'm standing over the top tube. I push a pedal to set off and mount the saddle as the suspension sags. Dismounting is the reverse procedure. Try it.

I'd love to perfect the cyclocross mount and dismount it looks cool but last time I tried running mounting I squashed my plums!

Yes (on mtb, road and cx-racing). The only time I haven't is a few years spent racing dual and doing dirt jumping where a lower saddle is a necessity. I also never stop to lower my saddle no matter what the terrain.

I run my seat a inch lower simply becuase I don't have a long enough seat post.

Same as I have always done – pedal at bottom of stroke, heel on pedal, pelvis level, leg straight. That gives best pedalling efficiency.

I'd love to perfect the cyclocross mount and dismount it looks cool but last time I tried running mounting I squashed my plums!

Ha! although I did once have this technique down to a fine art I do remember a National Trophy cross race at Woodbank in Stockport where I landed perfectly on one unlucky plum that must have broken free during a run-up. **** me that hurt, and it hurts now just thinking about it 15 years later! 😆

TandemJeremy – Member
Same as I have always done – pedal at bottom of stroke, heel on pedal, pelvis level, leg straight. That gives best pedalling efficiency.

Depends on how high thick your heel is – that can't be right! What about when you ride in your stilettos?!
😉

Mines same height.

Can move around the bike no bother.

I guess its my lack of baggies that dont get stuck on the nose when i move about ………

Mines same height.

Can move around the bike no bother.

I guess its my lack of baggies that dont get stuck on the nose when i move about ………

Buzzlightyear – Member
I'd love to perfect the cyclocross mount and dismount it looks cool but last time I tried running mounting I squashed my plums!

You do know that you're aiming to land on the inside of your leg, not your nuts, don't you? 🙂

trail_rat – Member
Mines same height.

Can move around the bike no bother.

I guess its my lack of baggies that dont get stuck on the nose when i move about ………

Yes, that's right, it's all about being too cool for skool and wearing baggies 🙄

For the 'must be the same height' people, do you also measure your position behind the BB and length of reach in that position?

For the 'must be the same height' people, do you also measure your position behind the BB and length of reach in that position?

Nope – its just the leg extension that matters for best pedalling.