Finally :)

[Catrin]

Almost a year after my LHT came home, my saddle height is finally high enough. I had my fitter mark the seat post so I would know when I moved it up enough and I reached that point tonight - I am having a beer to celebrate Even better, I can still, basically, start my old way with a slight modification!

[Tri Girl]

the best things are those worth waiting for... right?

[Catrin]

Indeed, and I don't know why it was so hard for me to get up there. It helped, in the end, to know that further injury was waiting for me unless I changed that knee angle. Especially with the amount of riding that I enjoy.

[redrhodie]

Great! It will get easier and easier from now on.

[Catrin]

It still takes me a couple of seconds longer to get started than others - but then again, how often do I actually start the bike when compared to the amount of time spent riding it?

A couple of friends are going to meet with me in Brown County State Park on some weekend good for both of us and we are going to ride a fire-road that comes out of the campground. Basically it is a double-track that is primarily dirt with a little gravel and few roots.

This is meant to give me a little taste prior to the women's mountain bike clinic - at their advice I am going to wait to return to clipless until after our experiment. I had no problems when I went clipless last summer as far as clipping in/out, but I found myself quite shy when climbing hills. I will be more confident if I hit that double-track with my BMX pedals... I just don't want to have to change my pedals back and forth.

[hebe]

Hurrah! I've done the same with my Marin - after swapping both the saddle and seatpost I now have an elegant piece of parcel tape marking the right height. The bike felt completely different with the saddle at the right height - faster and more comfortable.

Enjoy your test session on the fire road too

[Kerry1976]

Congratulations! I bet it makes a huge difference in your riding! Best of luck on the fire road.

[Catrin]

It IS better for my knees It is more awkward to get started though.

Tomorrow isn't going to be any warmer than today - and I couldn't get warm today on the bike even with my tights and layers of wool. I do think it will be a good day to take my bike to a private part of the park and practice starting..stopping isn't a problem. Starting isn't either, but it takes too long. Practice makes perfect!

[Roadtrip]

It still amazes me that small "tweaks" of a bikes setup can affect the ride in BIG ways!!

Kudos for you!!

Still having trouble with the getting started part... I think I need more practice... I still prefer to have my rear up in the saddle before setting off.

Shannon

[Catrin]

It still amazes me that small "tweaks" of a bikes setup can affect the ride in BIG ways!!

Kudos for you!!

Still having trouble with the getting started part... I think I need more practice... I still prefer to have my rear up in the saddle before setting off.

Shannon

Personally I do not think there is anything wrong with having your rear on the saddle before setting off - IF your seat-post is high enough so that your knee isn't going to have problems with being at the wrong angle when cycling. That being said, I think that our preferred starting position gives us less power in that first stroke - and it makes it a little more challenging to start going uphill - but it works

Considering that I ride BMX and double-sided SPD pedals - it takes a couple of strokes to get that left foot situated properly - whether it is getting it in the right position on the BMX pedal or finding the "clip-in" side of my SPD pedal - I do not think that my starting position really detracts all that much anyway...