Bike fitting: finding an optimum between performance and overuse injuries prevention? Influence of saddle fore-aft position on pedalling effectiveness
Journal Title: Journal of Science and Cycling - Year 2016, Vol 5, Issue 2
Abstract
There exists a great range of possibilities offered to cyclists to adjust their equipment. The influence of some bike adjustments as well as the interactions between them on the performance and/or the biomechanics of pedalling has been extensively studied but the setup of an optimal saddle setback remains controversial. Saddle setback is commonly associated with KOPS - Knee Over the Pedal Spindle - that means that saddle setback should allow the inferior pole of the patella to be at the vertical of the pedal spindle when the pedal is at 3 o'clock. However the rationale for this is unclear even if a few opinion articles suggested that exceeding this location may engender patellofemoral pain syndrome. According to UCI regulations, the horizontal distance between the chainset centre and the anterior portion of the saddle shall be a minimum of 5 cm, no maximum is recommended and, again, with no scientific support provided. Furthermore, this rule does not take the cyclist’s anthropometry into account and other disciplines such as track cycling or triathlon are not subject to this regulation, permitting a smaller setback. From a performance point of view, it is known that sitting more forward allows for an increase in maximal power production but the evidence relating saddle setback to pedalling effectiveness at steady state remains inconclusive.
Authors and Affiliations
M Domalain| Institut Pprime, CNRS, Université de Poitiers, ISAE-ENSMA, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France, M Ménard| Institut Pprime, CNRS, Université de Poitiers, ISAE-ENSMA, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France, A Decatoire| Institut Pprime, CNRS, Université de Poitiers, ISAE-ENSMA, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France, P Lacouture| Institut Pprime, CNRS, Université de Poitiers, ISAE-ENSMA, F-86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France
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