5 Most Common Bike Fit Issues, Part 3 of 5: Saddle tilt

This is part 3 of the The 5 Most Common Bike Fitting Issues. If you would like to see Parts 1 and 2, they are available in the archive section of this blog, located in the right hand column.  
 
As a quick recap, the 5 most common bike fitting issues were:

     1.  Alignment Issues (“wobbly” knees and/or splayed legs)

     2.  Saddle too high or too low

     3.  Poor cleat position

     4.  Saddle tilted up or down

     5.  Reach to the handlebars (either too bunched or too stretched out)

I covered the first two problems in the last article, and I'll address issue #4 this time around - tilted saddles.
 
Poor Saddle Position - Improper tilt
 
I could make this a very short article by simply stating that your saddle should be level. End of story. Of course, things related to bike fit are never so cut and dry. 
 
This is not good:

Nor is this:

Sometimes it can be a bit tricky figuring out whether or not your saddle is level, especially on frames with a sloping top tube. The easiest way to determine if your saddle is tilted is to place a carpenter's level across its length. This method won't tell you by exactly how many degrees your saddle is tilted either upwards or downwards, only whether or not it's level. It's okay if the degree of tilt is off a degree or so in either direction, but any greater than that should be a tip off that something is not quite right elsewhere, and you are setting yourself up for problems.
 
Here is the best way to check your saddle tilt:

Find a small board (about 3" x 8") to place across the saddle's length and get yourself an angle finder (they aren't that expensive, maybe $12-$15). I know it's hard to see the dial in the above photo, but it measures the saddle tilt in one degree increments.  The saddle pictured above is perfectly level, with the red pointer at the zero mark.
 
The previous method is an excellent way to measure saddles that are nice and flat, but what if yours is cupped in the middle? Should you still measure from the nose to the rear? No. Here's how it should be done:

You'll notice that this is the same saddle pictured in the previous photo, and it is indeed cupped in the middle. This type of saddle should be measured for tilt in the general area just a little forward of where your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) rest. Measured at this point, there is actually a 7.5 degree downward tilt - not good; the nose of this saddle needs to come up by 6.5 - 7.5 degrees.

If your saddle and pelvis are tipped downward, your center of gravity is pitched forward and there is a pretty good chance your placing too much of your upper body weight on your hands, arms, and shoulders. Hand numbness, arm soreness and fatigue (usually in the tricep area), shoulder pain, and pain/discomfort between the shoulder blades are all possible outcomes. This situation can also cause too much of your weight to be over the front wheel, which certainly doesn't help with bike handling. A downward sloping saddle can also irritate your crotch, as you will be constantly sliding forward and then pushing back. Lastly, your knees may be too far forward, which can overtax your quads, or even lead to knee problems.

A saddle that's tilted upwards can also cause its fair share of problems, most notably saddle sores, crotch numbness, and even erectile dysfunction in males. It can also lead you to be too stretched out on the bike, or cause your knees to be too far rearward, overtaxing glutes and hamstrings. Again, poor bike handling is another possible issue.
 
If you feel you have to tip the saddle up to obtain the correct reach to the handlebars, there is a very good chance your bike is too big.  It's very common for folks to want to tip their saddles up if they're on a bike that's too long for them, or if the saddle to handlebar drop is too severe; they are trying to keep from being pulled forward on the nose of the saddle, which is probably what was happening when the saddle was level.
 
Many cyclists have their saddles tipped either up or down purely by accident, and once it's brought level are shocked by how much more comfortable and balanced they feel on their bikes.  It's amazing how such a simple  little adjustment can have such a large impact on overall bike fit.
 
Stay tuned for part 4, in which I will cover reach to the handlebars. 

Comments

[Tim Little]

I love the seat very high end leather for racing and comfort I sell a few that are similar on my site like Brooks the English maker. I would stay away from the cheap road bikes that you can pick up at garage sales.