Re: [RBW] Saddle height and PBH

[Jay Lonner]

So here’s a 3-month followup for those interested. Brief recap: I was querying the list about the ~18 cm difference between my 93 cm PBH and 75 cm saddle height, which is at odds with the recommended ~10-11 cm. First off, I decided to really make sure that I was measuring my PBH accurately. My prior estimate of 93-94 cm was based on Riv’s recommendation to put a yardstick between your legs and pretend like you’re trying to lift yourself off the ground. It’s a clever descriptor, but not foolproof — to some extent the value you get depends on how much discomfort you can put up with. This time I went with “firm but not intolerable pressure” as an endpoint, instead of “trying out for the Vienna Boys’ Choir.” After multiple measurements I wound up with a new PBH of 91 cm. I then raised my saddle from 75 to 79 cm, which brought things to a much more reasonable 12 cm difference between saddle height and PBH. The Catalyst pedals that I favor, which are designed for midfoot pedaling, account for another 1-2 cm, per the manufacturer’s recommendation. So that brings me squarely in line with the 10-11 cm guideline. So how does it feel? I have to say, much better. Pedaling efficiency seems improved, and it feels like I’m engaging my core more. My shoulders are more relaxed, and the hand numbness that I’ve struggled with off and on for years has basically resolved. My hamstrings also seem less tight. In this more leaned over posture, the backs of my upper thighs were brushing against my B68, so I switched back to a B17 (no the B68 isn’t for sale). I guess the moral of the story is that I’ve never approached bike fit systematically — I’ve just kind of vibed my way to what seemed right, and that has been to my detriment. Thanks to everyone for the input, it’s really made a difference in my riding. Jay Lonner Bellingham, WA Sent from my Atari 400 On Dec 12, 2022, at 9:49 AM, Jay Lonner <jay.lon...@gmail.com> wrote: I just took delivery of a new (non-Riv) bike and am dialing in the fit. I’m a little worried that the frame is too big for me, since I only have maybe 2” standover, which seems tight for a gravel bike. So I went out and measured the saddle height on my Hunq (which is a size 62). It came in at about 75cm. This gives me a solid fistful of seatpost. Then I remeasured my PBH, which is 93-94 cm depending on hard I pull. For reference, here’s the relevant page from HQ: https://www.rivbike.com/pages/pubic-bone-height-how-to-measure-your-pbh This suggests that based on my  PBH my saddle height should be closer to 83 cm – an 8cm discrepancy. Before riding in this morning I raised my saddle height to 79 cm, basically splitting the difference. It felt weird, which of course it would after so many years at 75cm. But I made it in and my feet were in full contact with the pedals without any tippytoe maneuvers. So I guess I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time? Kind of embarrassing. Even so, according to the Riv method my saddle height is still ~4cm lower than my PBH would suggest.  So I guess I’m wondering about alternative ways of determining saddle height somewhat objectively, and/or whether I should now be looking at other variables such as a fore-aft saddle positioning, saddle angle, and even saddle type (currently a B68, slammed back as far as it can go on a S83, with the nose pitched up ~10 degrees or so). Other relevant factors might be crank arm length (175mm), pedal height (Pedaling Innovations platform pedals), and shoes (Chuck Taylors, typically). Looking for the optimum balance of comfort, efficiency, and protecting my perineum. Jay Lonner Bellingham, WA -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cf9d0b0a-c497-4181-9c30-afdac0d6f54bn%40googlegroups.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/DBE47749-FEF2-45ED-B33D-FE223624FB41%40gmail.com.