bike geometry

[Irulan]

Let's talk technique a bit.

(lol I see the previous post contradicts just about everything I have written here, so try things and see what works for you)

On my hard tail I could get down the technical stuff by getting my butt back and squeezing my seat with my thighs for stability.

Sorry I missed this the first time around. Think about riding LOOSE, not holding the saddle with your thighs. All that accomplishes in the long run is bruises, and a false sense of security.

Think of is this way. If you hold the saddle with your thighs, you keep your balance point high, and this is why you probably feel like you are going to go over the bars - you butt/hips/center of gravity is literally weighted too high and forward. I know, I used to ride like this and had the bruises to show for it.

I have been professionally coached since 2003, and what follows is what they teach us. I also now coach in local clinics, and I happily pass it on.

This is part of the segment we call body english/neutral:

When you are off your saddle, you are balanced mostly on your feet, with your hands just a little bit. Your weight is on your feet, equally, feet at 3 & 9. Your shoulders are relaxed, eyes forward, no death grip. You want your legs loose and relaxed - lots of space showing between your knees and the frame, and you are NOT holding the saddle with your thighs, EVER. Think of your saddle as a balance point, not something to hold onto.

What happens when you focus on being balanced on four points (hands/feet) instead of one ( thighs clamped to saddle) your CG ( center of gravity) is lower, and it's not fixed; it can move around to accommodate changes of terrain. When your legs are loose, it also frees them up to steer with the knees, a critical part of cornering. Last but not least, when your legs are loose it allows the suspension to work fully.

Here's another way to think of it. Thighs holding saddle is a triangle pointing down, weight on top. Legs loose, weight on feet, triangle pointing up with weight on bottom. Which configuration will be more stable?

There are a lot of nifty drills and exercises that one can do to get comfortable with this, but I've already written a novel on this.

This will probably be way out of your comfort zone to do this, but I encourage to you try. It will make a world of difference in your riding for stability, control, being relaxed and trusting your bike to work for you. I used to ride like this - so I know. I've worked with gals who were so conditioned into holding onto their saddle with their thighs that we have pulled the saddle/seat post out of the frame to break them of that habit. Not on the trail of course, in the skills sessions. The look on their faces when they "get' what we are trying to teach is awesome.

anyway, something to think about. I would look at technique and suspension set up before I ever started messing with KOPS and set back seat posts. Set back seat posts shouldn't be a first consideration if your bike was fit properly.

Irulan