I know it's been asked a million times, but once more.Where on the saddle do you measure from when using the Lemond system for determining saddle hight?Is it the middle of the saddle to or the lowest point of the saddle?Thanks in advance.
Lemond system (saddle hight)
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The way I do it...
I extend an imaginary line along the centerline of the seat tube. I then eye-ball it with the surface of the saddle.
It's not an exact science. The type of saddle and its angel may need to be accounted for. When making an adjustment or building a new bike I'll take the saddle's firmness into account. I'll raise the saddle slightly if it is tends to compress when I sit on it.
I extend an imaginary line along the centerline of the seat tube. I then eye-ball it with the surface of the saddle.
It's not an exact science. The type of saddle and its angel may need to be accounted for. When making an adjustment or building a new bike I'll take the saddle's firmness into account. I'll raise the saddle slightly if it is tends to compress when I sit on it.
Try this
Measure straight up the st from the center of the bb, this should put you in the middle of your saddle (highest point).
I found if I sat on my bike with one of the cranks in the six o'clock position and put my heel on the pedal I should be able to straighten my leg with no bend in my knee. When I checked this against all the saddle setting formulas it puts me at 0.90 of inseam length. But all the formulas just give you a place to start. A lot of it has to do about anatomy, technique, shoe size and where you set your forth/aft saddle position. I tend to ride in a more forward positon, LeMond had his saddle pushed all the way back about 5cm further than most riders. Which in effect, raised his saddle.
I packed a hex wrench and made little changes when I rode over a period of time. When I got everything dialed in, I made a small scratch in my seat tube to show me where to position my saddle. You can do the same thing with electrical tape. I ended up moving up over a long period of time, probably about 1.5cm or so.
Measure straight up the st from the center of the bb, this should put you in the middle of your saddle (highest point).
I found if I sat on my bike with one of the cranks in the six o'clock position and put my heel on the pedal I should be able to straighten my leg with no bend in my knee. When I checked this against all the saddle setting formulas it puts me at 0.90 of inseam length. But all the formulas just give you a place to start. A lot of it has to do about anatomy, technique, shoe size and where you set your forth/aft saddle position. I tend to ride in a more forward positon, LeMond had his saddle pushed all the way back about 5cm further than most riders. Which in effect, raised his saddle.
I packed a hex wrench and made little changes when I rode over a period of time. When I got everything dialed in, I made a small scratch in my seat tube to show me where to position my saddle. You can do the same thing with electrical tape. I ended up moving up over a long period of time, probably about 1.5cm or so.
Don't forget that Greg was very flexible, and had enormous power. Not only that, I remember some wind tunnel tests that showed that Greg on drop bars was more aerodynamic than most pros on aerobars. Not everyone is that fortunate. What we now call the "LeMond position" was devloped by Cyrille Guimard, in his work with Bernard Hinault, probably the archetype of the power rider.TREKY said:
If you don't have that body type and riding style, Greg's theories of fit may not work for you. I tried Greg's position as an impressionable, hero-worshipping lad. I never liked it, and went back to a slightly lower saddle and higher, closer bar. I'm also 30 now, and about 20 lbs overweight.
--Shannon
Tried Lemond's ideas for awhile but it never worked for me. What I learned, for me, is that decreasing the angle between my upper body and my legs just killed my power. So, I have moved the saddle closer to the center of the BB then raised it a little bit. This opened up the angle and it seems to work.
To ride in the Lemond position, you have to have a flexible back and hamstrings. I saw somewhere in some magazine that you could find out figure out your upper body to leg angle by using goniometer. A goniometer is just a big compass that has a scale for doing an angle measurement. If I remember right, I think you lie on a firm surface, like carpet or a gym mat, then lift one leg, extended, until your butt comes off the surface. Then, take a measurement then repeat it for the other leg. Next, you lift your leg again but bend at the knee then take the measurement when the butt comes off the surface.
Also, you have to remember that most people have a slight descrepancy in leg length so you will have account for this, too.
To ride in the Lemond position, you have to have a flexible back and hamstrings. I saw somewhere in some magazine that you could find out figure out your upper body to leg angle by using goniometer. A goniometer is just a big compass that has a scale for doing an angle measurement. If I remember right, I think you lie on a firm surface, like carpet or a gym mat, then lift one leg, extended, until your butt comes off the surface. Then, take a measurement then repeat it for the other leg. Next, you lift your leg again but bend at the knee then take the measurement when the butt comes off the surface.
Also, you have to remember that most people have a slight descrepancy in leg length so you will have account for this, too.
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