Is Your Saddle Too High?

Is Your Saddle Too High?

This can be even worse than your saddle being too low! If your saddle is slightly too high you very quickly lose the ability to optimally develop power.  You will be stretching excessively to reach the pedal as it approaches the bottom of the pedal stroke and you cannot continue to generate force. You may also start to feel discomfort at the back of your knee due to excessive stretching.

In addition you may start to rock on the saddle to compensate for the saddle being too high creating discomfort in the lower back, arms and shoulders as your upper body struggles to reduce the rocking movement. 

People who's saddles are too high often tilt the nose of the saddle down to try to compensate but this puts additional strain on your arms and shoulders as you try to stop sliding forward down the saddle.

If you think this is you or if you can feel yourself rocking on the saddle then try a little experiment, try putting the heel of one foot on the pedal while sitting on the saddle.  If you cannot do this without rocking on the saddle then try lowering your saddle a few millimetres.

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