LBS rocks!

So, I have been thinking I should really get my bike dialed in for me. I scheduled a fit test even though I didn't have any issues. I had kind of been wanting a carbon seat post and maybe a new saddle. So, I was more or less willing to drop some dinero on the situation. I went in today. The guy watched me ride around and refused to take money for the fit. I did get the saddle (Fizik allez) and a nice carbon seat post. It's snowing out ... so I put the bike on the trainer inside. I'm not entirely sure about the saddle, but that will become clear when I can ride her outside. So, here's my question... the saddle seems a bit too far back - when I pedal and the crank is perpendicular to the gound (i.e. at the bottom of the cycle), my leg is a bit in front of me. I feel like I have more power with this sort of stroke, but it seems different, and I'm not sure whether it is correct. I will ask the guys at the bike shop when I take her back for a tune up later this week... I wanted to get your opinion here though. Thanks!

depends on your femur to tibia ratio.

the biggie for this one is when your pedal is at it's most forward position (3:00 and 9:00). A string with a weight on it dangled from your kneecap should intersect the crank either at or a cm or 2 behind the pedal spindle. (or your metatarsal heads/ball of the foot)

This prevents you from damaging the knee joint by putting pressure through the leg when the knee is out beyond the met heads. (just like you shouldn't squat by pushing your knees out beyond your feet and lifting your heels off the ground)

Most bikes start off their lives set up for the shorter femur to tibia of the standard male leg. So if your fitter put your saddle down and back to be more appropriate for a woman's longer femur to tibia, it might feel different.

If you are concerned about it, ask someone to dangle a string off your kneecap while you have your pedal in the 3:00 position, and check where the string crosses the crank arm or your foot.

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(just like you shouldn't squat by pushing your knees out beyond your feet and lifting your heels off the ground)

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Knot, can you explain this, please? Because it seems like you've described how 90% of the undeveloped world squats to do their daily tasks.

Karen

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Originally Posted by Tuckervill

Knot, can you explain this, please? Because it seems like you've described how 90% of the undeveloped world squats to do their daily tasks.

Karen

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They squat correctly, we're the ones who squat wrong. They keep their knees over their feet and can get all the way to the ground that way. (with feet flat on the ground the whole distance) I've been trying to get the strength and flexibility to do that for years. When I teach squatting to my knee patients, I'm constantly grabbing my boss (from a culture that squats correctly) and having her demonstrate a correct full squat all the way to the ground.

Watch little kids squat, they do it right too.

Once you're on the ground, you can pop your knees any which way.

Turns out proper squatting is also *huge* for pelvic rehab. So I spend an awful lot of time trying to teach patients something I can't do myself!

Fun historical trivia: squatting correctly leaves it's mark on the bones of the leg. Folks from Appalachia used to squat to rest and do tasks. During WW2 the shape of the leg bones was used to help identify the bodies of unknown US soldiers; if they had leg bones that had shapes from squatting they were likely from Appalachia.

Ooooh, can you make a video of your boss (only half kidding)?

Really - how far apart are your feet supposed to be? What direction do your toes and knees point?

Thanks, Knot! I was hoping you would reply to my post. I have really appreciated all the saddle advice you give routinely! I also appreciate that you review the literature for us - I'm a biochemist, and not so sure I want to branch out into human physiology. Your reviews are about all I need. I will try the string trick - thanks again!

For what it's worth, when my saddle was put into the right position, far enough back that my knee was over my foot (tested with a plumb line as Knotted suggests) it felt really different too. I'm so much happier though. The big improvement for me is that there is MUCH less weight on my hands now. Feels better!