The MTB thread

Skidding half a tonne of iron mongery can be interesting

Going to give it a go in the moring ice tomorrow.

My pedals are set to their lowest or should I say easiest to release. I can rotate the foot and move around on the pedals. But I will try a few different settings before I give up. maybe my seat is too low, I do have a low seat because I like to ride over stuff rather than around it. So often jumping and sliding, its the child in me that still wants to play I guess. I will never learn.

Thanks for your comments. Appreciated.

Originally Posted by SV-net

My pedals are set to their lowest or should I say easiest to release. I can rotate the foot and move around on the pedals. But I will try a few different settings before I give up. maybe my seat is too low, I do have a low seat because I like to ride over stuff rather than around it. So often jumping and sliding, its the child in me that still wants to play I guess. I will never learn.

Thanks for your comments. Appreciated.

I've been told the seat height is set by having your leg straight and heel on the pedal (at it's lowest point). This puts less strain on your joints.

I find it a lot easier to pedal when the seat is higher. It does mean that I can't tackle downhills without stopping and dropping the seat. If money was no object I'd get me one of those Gravity Dropper seatposts.

[northwind]

What I was told- and it seems to work- is to set the seat height so that with your toe on the pedal you can fully extend your leg, with your ankle pointed downwards (or toe pointed up). That gives you a fair amount of mobility offroad (I set mine slightly lower because my right leg doesn't straighten fully, but it probably amounts to the same thing). But I do drop it for more downhilly stuff, just because I'm rarely in the seat anyway.

Pedals... I got a set of DMR V8 flats, which are pretty nice but heavy, but I've just moved those onto the commuter bike and fitted a set of these, wellgo MG1s (Wellgo make the DMR pedals too) They're magnesium, dead grippy and weigh nothing, about 320 grams the pair. Really nice...

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

The brakes are back pedal, stop pedalling and put pressure in the reverse direction and it brakes. I presume they're hidden in the rear hub. It makes it interesting as you have to come to a complete standstill before putting your feet down.

Haven't been out on the MTB for ages

Thats called a "Coaster Brake"

Originally Posted by northwind

What I was told- and it seems to work- is to set the seat height so that with your toe on the pedal you can fully extend your leg, with your ankle pointed downwards (or toe pointed up). That gives you a fair amount of mobility offroad (I set mine slightly lower because my right leg doesn't straighten fully, but it probably amounts to the same thing). But I do drop it for more downhilly stuff, just because I'm rarely in the seat anyway.

The best way to set normal seat height is to put your heel on the pedal and clamp the seat pin shut . Then when the ball of your foot is on the pedal you will have the natural bend in your leg so as not to cause hyperextension . I know your case is different Northy

[northwind]

Mmm, there's a lot of people that would disagree. But then I guess it depends on your definition of normal seat height.

Hmmmm there`s a lot of magazines , cycling websites and sports scientists that cite that advice as gospel take it or leave it . Cured my problems with riding on the flat . The seat is dropped for any downhill bumpyness but as a rule , as soon as I am back on the flat I set the seat pin with that method and have stopped any pain in my knees .

[northwind]

Yeah, but likewise you can find plenty that would disagree- all the recent MBUK articles frinstance assume that you have the ability to drop your heel while seated, which means you need a slightly lower seat than you'd get by your method. Obviously what works for me is different so I can't say what's right or wrong, just pointing out that not everyone agrees that there's one best way. If you want a laugh, google it The first 5 examples I found all used a different method, and none of them were the ones you or I use

The way I mentioned actually reduces the risk of hyperextension compared to yours, by the way, as it sets the seat slightly lower than it would be if you set it from the heel- setting it using the heel means that the ability of the foot to bend upwards isn't taken into account.

I think probably this is something that doesn't apply well to mountain biking, since there's so many different conditions we ride in.

That`s why I mentioned that it works for me on the flat , I used to commute to work daily on my Freeride rig as I couldn`t afford any other form of transport . I used to get terrible pains in the backs of my knees and also lower back pain as well . I put the heel of my foot on the pedal and adjusted the seat . Then when you slide the heel backwards so that ball of the foot is on the pedal , the bend appears naturally in the knee . On the mountain this doesn`t work so well (if at all) . I tend to drop the seat about 2 inches lower than standard for general mountain riding and drop it even lower for any seriously technical sections . Oh and MBUK ....... a magazine I haven`t bought for 2 years cos they always seem to big up whoever has given them free forks/chainsets/trousers/helmets/frames , and don`t seem to be too impartial about it too , keep an eye on that Blonde pillock (Doddy?) you will see what I mean .