Do you "Flintstone" or have the seat higher ... ????

[Ken M]

I've noticed that many riders like have their seat heights such that they can stand flat footed on the ground while still sitting on their seats when stopped (I believe this is commonly called "flintstone" riding because in the comics they powered their stoneage cars by using their feet on the ground). I have tried this and if feels horribly inefficient (maybe not such a bid deal on an ebike but no one that has ever competed on a bike would ride with a seat height like this). I feel it's far better to have the seat adjusted such that your legs are flat footed when extend to a pedal at it's lowest rotation position as this provides a slight knee bend when you are pedaling on the fore step area of your foot. Obviously this means you will not be able to stand flat footed from the seat to the ground when stopped.

Does anyone out there really prefer to "flintstone" their seat height or is it that these riders just don't know better? My guess is that this is mostly about riders not understanding proper fitting but maybe it's because they prefer to ride like they are on a cruiser style bike all the time (even if I owned a cruiser style bike I would want my legs to extend when pedaling).

I allowed someone about my height test ride my ebike and he almost fell over when he came to a stop because he tried to stay seated. I explained to him he needed to step off from the pedals when he stopped but he had no clue how to do that because he grew up riding with a low seat height and significantly bent knees while riding. He didn't even consider that it was not efficient use of leg power to ride like that.

 

[AlanDB]

I can stay in the seat when stopped, but only by extending my feet strait down and balancing with my tiptoes, and even then usually balancing on just one side, keeping the other foot on the high pedal for the start. Since this is not comfortable, I only do it for very quick stops of a few seconds. If I have to wait for traffic, I step off the seat.

 

[PDoz]

Dropper posts are magical devices....

I vary my seat height - not just for stopping / riding up on the pegs, but also to vary what parts of my knees are grinding away.

 

[Feliz]

i competed on bikes and know what racers do but I could really care less when I'm riding an ebike, I just do what's comfortable not what looks good to others or how they tell me to ride in biking mag.

 

[Ken M]

I honestly would like to be able to stay seated when stopped but I find riding with significantly bent knees to feel awkward and inefficient. I was thinking that a dropper post on an urban ebike may actually make as much sense as it does on a mtn bike but probably need a much shorter range to achieve the desired results - mtn bikers just want that seat entirely out of the way when doing serious down hill riding.

 

[Ken M]

i competed on bikes and know what racers do but I could really care less when I'm riding an ebike, I just do what's comfortable not what looks good to others or how they tell me to ride in biking mag.

Feliz....thanks for response but I have a question. Do you find it more comfortable to ride with bent knees on the lowest pedal position or is it that being able to stay in the saddle when stopped the reason for the added comfort?

I too would prefer to stay in the saddle when stopped because it's more comfortable but to be able to do that I have to ride with my knees in what feels like an uncomfortable and inefficient extensions. This is why someone made a good suggestion to consider a dropper post even on a urban mobility ebike (something I'm considering but I just installed a Body Float suspension seat post that I don't think can be utilized on a dropper post.

I've seen a lot of people that have powerful throttle ebikes that they essentially ride as emopeds and rarely pedal so I could understand them wanting a low saddle height for staying seated when stopped. I just want to efficiently engage when I'm riding because I want good cardio when I ride even though I'm on an ebike. Hard to explain all this but hope this makes sense....

 

[PDoz]

I honestly would like to be able to stay seated when stopped but I find riding with significantly bent knees to feel awkward and inefficient. I was thinking that a dropper post on an urban ebike may actually make as much sense as it does on a mtn bike but probably need a much shorter range to achieve the desired results - mtn bikers just want that seat entirely out of the way when doing serious down hill riding.

Dropper posts come in various sizes, and the good news is a short ( 100 mm) drop will be a lot cheaper than a serious (160 mm) dropper. More importantly, you can drop as much or as little as you like - at least you can on any of the reasonable quality posts

 

[PDoz]

. I just want to efficiently engage when I'm riding because I want good cardio when I ride even though I'm on an ebike. Hard to explain all this but hope this makes sense....

I've never understood this argument. Surely you get better cardio workout from an inneficient setup?

From my perspective, I change seat height to suit the fatigue levels in my quads - when vmo fatigues and my patella starts to slide laterally I drop the post a little . Or if I've been doung a lot of riding on the pegs and my calves are burning, I'll raise the post to full height.

 

[DDBB]

My wife rides her acoustic bike w/ the seat as low as it can go, same with her step through e-bike.. I've tried to tell her she'll get far better pedaling efficiency if she raises her seat to allow full, or nearly full extension but she doesn't care in the slightest. It's more important to her to be able to put her feet flat on the ground when she stops. Who am I to argue? She's happy and doesn't want to be efficient. One of my favorite quotes is "Women and cats will do as they please, men and dogs should get used to the idea"

 

[indianajo]

I know it is inefficient to ride with my legs bent but I have to be able to stay seated with the bike upright when stopped. I do jack the seat up until I am on tiptoes when stopped. Jumping off the seat every time I stopped would be a nuisance since I stop at every octagon sign or red light if anybody can see me. I can get 36 miles at 8 mph with bent legs & electricity off, imagine what I could do if the frame actually fit me. Lower pedal tube would be nice, but the manufacture would get sued if a pedal ever hit the ground in a sharp high speed turn.
On my indoor exerbike with the heavy feet that keeps it upright, I have the seat up where I can nearly straighten my legs. I pedal more efficiently when I'm going nowhere.

 

[Ken M]

Some good responses. I guess it makes sense that a lot of riders keep the seat height lower with the intent to stay in the saddle when stopped. I was thinking it's because they didn't really understand it's not the most efficient to ride with significantly bent knees but in reality it's because they are not worried about efficiency vs what they feel is a more comfortable experience.

I tend to ride in the 15-25mph range so I tend to like closer to full extension of my legs knowing that I'll have to be off the saddle at stops.

 

[JRA]

Using PAS and different modes/gear ratios it is possible to keep your desired human input at a comfortable and consistent level in varied terrain no matter what your seat position relative to the pedals is. It’s the biggest benefit of eBikes for those that are getting back into riding or have disability issues.

That said as mentioned leg extension as noted will be the most effective method of power transfer. Having learned this long ago I have been using the same saddle height measured from the center of the bb to the top of the saddle ever since and riding anything over or under it is noticeable right away. It’s also the reason I don’t use suspension type seat posts.

 

[DDBB]

I gladly accept the variance in seat height with my suspension seat post. I'd rather be slightly less efficient every so often instead of getting a jolt right up the spine from a big bump

 

[JRA]

It is not a matter of efficiency for me DDBB as much as how it affects my cadence in general. I manage bumps by looking ahead and posting out of the saddle when I need to.

I don’t have any problem with others that use SUS posts for their own reasons and am happy you are satisfied with yours.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Using a dropper post allows me to:

• mount and dismount easily (seat low),
• pedal efficiently (seat high),
• put my feet on the ground at intersections, etc (seat low).

Here is a link to my comments and photos on EBR Forum Mounting and Dismounting thread relating to dropper posts.
... David

 

[DDBB]

It is not a matter of efficiency for me DDBB as much as how it affects my cadence in general. I manage bumps by looking ahead and posting out of the saddle when I need to.

I don’t have any problem with others that use SUS posts for their own reasons and am happy you are satisfied with yours.

I look ahead and post too!.. Sometimes I miss a nasty seam and I'm grateful for the suspension seatpost.. Mine is set VERY firm so there is little, if any vertical movement in normal riding. With it set to maximum stiffness it doesn't affect my cadence AFAIK but I'm just a hack of a rider

 

[Feliz]

Feliz....thanks for response but I have a question. Do you find it more comfortable to ride with bent knees on the lowest pedal position or is it that being able to stay in the saddle when stopped the reason for the added comfort?

I too would prefer to stay in the saddle when stopped because it's more comfortable but to be able to do that I have to ride with my knees in what feels like an uncomfortable and inefficient extensions. This is why someone made a good suggestion to consider a dropper post even on a urban mobility ebike (something I'm considering but I just installed a Body Float suspension seat post that I don't think can be utilized on a dropper post.

I've seen a lot of people that have powerful throttle ebikes that they essentially ride as emopeds and rarely pedal so I could understand them wanting a low saddle height for staying seated when stopped. I just want to efficiently engage when I'm riding because I want good cardio when I ride even though I'm on an ebike. Hard to explain all this but hope this makes sense....

Why do some people think they get a better cardio workout with their legs straight when peddling? We're not talking about racing we're talking about riding (in most cases) a heavy awkward top heavy electric bike. If two swimmers were swimming across a lake, one a very poor swimmer, the other an expert, the poor swimmer would use far more calories and get a better cardio workout wouldn't they?

Myself, at my old age (80) I prefer to sit on the seat when stopped although I'm quite capable and perfectly comfortable not sitting on the seat the entire (short) ride. I don't find it uncomfortable peddling with the seat adjusted to a height that enables me to sit on it when stopped, I can only touch the ground with the balls of my feet. On my conventional bikes where I do want peddling efficiency my seat is higher in a not seated when stopped position.

 

[PaD]

Better cardio is not what I think of when setting seat height. For me it’s all about pedalling efficiency and setting the seat so your legs are almost straight when pedals are in lowest position is what I do.
If others prefer lower seats for a more secure feeling it’s ok with me as it doesn’t affect my e-biking.

 

[6zfshdb]

Since I'm not as agile as I once was, safety is the big factor for me. If I'm riding a trail with cross traffic requiring frequent stops, I adjust the seat height so I can lean slightly to one side and put my foot flat on the ground. When frequent stopping isn't a factor, I adjust the seat higher so my foot is flat on the pedal with a straight leg. I have marks etched it the seatpost for the two heights and a QR clamp for easy adjustments. I sometimes make adjustments to maximize comfort on long rides as well.
I would love to get a dropper post but that would mean giving up my beloved Thudbuster suspension.

The "Flintstone" method is nothing new. It was used on some of the first "pedal-less" bicycles.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I would love to get a dropper post but that would mean giving up my beloved Thudbuster suspension.

My dilemma, too. At the moment, my cycling is from home - almost all on the unpaved rail trail or on rough country roads. The dropper post on my Trek Powerfly 5 hardtail has been replaced with the Thudbuster ST which takes up about the same space as the dropper. The dropper will find a more permanent home in 2019 on my R&M Homage which has comfort-oriented full suspension. Such are my plans, anyway.