Raise Your Seat!
So, Jon and I went for a ride Sunday and saw a number of cyclists of varying abilities and equipment.
Most of them needed to raise their seats. I am increasingly convinced, solely through anecdotal evidence, that more people need to check their seat height.
When your bike seat is too low, you don’t get extension of the leg. This is missed power on the downstroke. It also tires the legs faster. When a seat is at the right height, you get more power from less work. It’s awesome.
Some people worry about knee over-extension. As the queen of premature knee arthritis, I assure you this is not the case. The seat should be high enough to fully extend your leg without locking the knee. No knee lock = no overextension.
Even if you’re aware of seat height, like me, it’s good to check it regularly. On many bikes, seat posts can ‘sink’ with use. Just check the height before taking off every time.
Try it. Really. Trust me.
