Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Catching the Bike Seat Between the Thighs: Do You???

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Catching the Bike Seat Between the Thighs: Do You???

Old 05-18-19, 02:53 AM
  #1  
allout1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
allout1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 58 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Catching the Bike Seat Between the Thighs: Do You???

As my legs became stronger and more in tune with bike I noticed that I get a lot more power, stamina, and consistency out of my legs if I capture the bike seat at the upper ends of my thighs. Rather than sitting on the seat like a normal person, I sit on it with my thighs. But it's not really sitting. I'm balancing myself over the seat in a coordinated effort to control pedals and my position as though the seat were a jet blast deflector on an aircraft carrier. The push on the pedal is more efficient because the top end of my leg (thigh) is completely stopped and stationary because the seat catches it.

This method gives me a completely different riding experience in every sense of riding. Just sitting, and pedaling the way I was before cannot compete. My legs get too tired, and the power is not there.

My legs can be exhausted, but when I use "hip deflector seat trick," all of a sudden I have power for hills, high speed acceleration from stop, etc.



Tell me about bike seats. Is this what it's all about, or have you not ever heard of this before? Pros are going to know this.
allout1 is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 05:30 AM
  #2  
shelbyfv
Expired Member
 
shelbyfv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,431
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3629 Post(s)
Liked 5,297 Times in 2,690 Posts
500 watts, pinch it off!
shelbyfv is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 05:43 AM
  #3  
GrainBrain
Senior Member
 
GrainBrain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Central Io-way
Posts: 2,648

Bikes: LeMond Zurich, Giant Talon 29er

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1216 Post(s)
Liked 605 Times in 455 Posts
I think I know what you're saying, but I think you just haven't developed the muscles yet for the more standard "compact" riding form.

Check out Greg LeMond and his position on the bike, I think this is how you are riding. Note like others have said that your bikes top tube is too short for this style. This is the classic "French fit".



You are bodging your position with "the seat between thighs". If you get a bike with a longer top tube versus seattube you can ride "stretched out". You should search out an old LeMond bike.

Yes I rode like that for awhile. I could transfer alot of power through my legs, it felt awesome. Gradually I switched to a more compact form because doing rides over 50 miles in that position was not fun.

Last edited by GrainBrain; 05-18-19 at 05:46 AM.
GrainBrain is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 11:41 AM
  #4  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
Many folks raise the saddle up so it's under their butt when pedaling in that 'strong leg' position.

It's a grown-up thing.
woodcraft is offline  
Likes For woodcraft:
Old 05-18-19, 11:56 AM
  #5  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Its part of why race bike saddles are so narrow, most of your weight is pushing down on the pedals ,

very little is on your tush..
fietsbob is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 01:48 PM
  #6  
burnthesheep
Newbie racer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 3,406

Bikes: Propel, red is faster

Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1575 Post(s)
Liked 1,565 Times in 972 Posts
Originally Posted by fietsbob
Its part of why race bike saddles are so narrow, most of your weight is pushing down on the pedals ,

very little is on your tush..
The Fizik saddle online tool even asks for your threshold power and weight.
burnthesheep is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 02:37 PM
  #7  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
Originally Posted by burnthesheep
The Fizik saddle online tool even asks for your threshold power and weight.
Based on the pic of the OP's bike in the broken saddle thread,

we're talking about more of a bmx type bike fit here.
woodcraft is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 02:48 PM
  #8  
Lemond1985
Sophomore Member
 
Lemond1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times in 631 Posts
I would think doing butt cheek-clenching exercises would help, I definitely squeezed a couple out reading this thread.

Seriously though, I think OP is referring to something I do sometimes on really steep climbs to get more power, kind of a desperation move to avoid standing up. I've never done it on the flats. However I have noticed that certain bikes I own give me the ability to "sprint" from a seated position. My Raleigh Competition is like this, it's one more great thing about that bike, but I'm not sure what precisely it is that gives a bike this quality. But that's fodder for another thread.
Lemond1985 is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 05:12 PM
  #9  
Ironfish653
Dirty Heathen
 
Ironfish653's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MC-778, 6250 fsw
Posts: 2,188

Bikes: 1997 Cannondale, 1976 Bridgestone, 1998 SoftRide, 1989 Klein, 1989 Black Lightning #0033

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 889 Post(s)
Liked 906 Times in 534 Posts
Originally Posted by woodcraft
Based on the pic of the OP's bike in the broken saddle thread,

we're talking about more of a bmx type bike fit here.
I’d agree. And it appears to be an older MTB ridden with the seat all the way down and back.
Based on his own description of his pedaling technique, ‘pushing against the seat with the hamstrings’. I’d say the bike is likely to small too.
OP’s pedaling style is what he’s developed to work with a poorly fitted bike.

Cycling, rowing, weightlifting, none of the sports I’ve done that require you to put lots of power through your legs, do you brace against your hamstrings.
To answer the question, if it was a legitimate technique, people would do it.
Ironfish653 is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 05:29 PM
  #10  
Loose Chain
Senior Member
 
Loose Chain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 2,067

Bikes: 84 Pinarello Trevisio, 86 Guerciotti SLX, 96 Specialized Stumpjumper, 2010 Surly Cross Check, 88 Centurion Prestige, 73 Raleigh Sports, GT Force, Bridgestone MB4

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 278 Post(s)
Liked 71 Times in 56 Posts
OP, you are doing this, whatever you call it, because your saddle is too low.
Loose Chain is offline  
Likes For Loose Chain:
Old 05-18-19, 08:15 PM
  #11  
aclinjury
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 660
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 497 Post(s)
Liked 170 Times in 128 Posts
Originally Posted by Ironfish653
I’d agree. And it appears to be an older MTB ridden with the seat all the way down and back.
Based on his own description of his pedaling technique, ‘pushing against the seat with the hamstrings’. I’d say the bike is likely to small too.
OP’s pedaling style is what he’s developed to work with a poorly fitted bike.

Cycling, rowing, weightlifting, none of the sports I’ve done that require you to put lots of power through your legs, do you brace against your hamstrings.
To answer the question, if it was a legitimate technique, people would do it.
competitive weightlifting even at the amateur level requires short anaerobic burst of power, a lot more than cycling ever will see
aclinjury is offline  
Old 05-18-19, 11:10 PM
  #12  
Ironfish653
Dirty Heathen
 
Ironfish653's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MC-778, 6250 fsw
Posts: 2,188

Bikes: 1997 Cannondale, 1976 Bridgestone, 1998 SoftRide, 1989 Klein, 1989 Black Lightning #0033

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 889 Post(s)
Liked 906 Times in 534 Posts
Originally Posted by aclinjury
competitive weightlifting even at the amateur level requires short anaerobic burst of power, a lot more than cycling ever will see
I’m not debating the levels of power required. I’m talking about the mechanics, which as you know, are crucial in weightlifting.
But we’re talking about cycling here, and the OPs description of a pedaling technique that only works if you have your seat too low, on a bike that’s also (likely) too small.
Ironfish653 is offline  
Likes For Ironfish653:
Old 05-19-19, 12:30 AM
  #13  
allout1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
allout1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 58 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I appreciate the replies here.

The bike size I like. If the top tube was longer, I'd have to get down into a bullet position. That's not what I need, and I have a more upright and wide handle bar style sort of like a cruiser...sort of. I don't want to lean forward much at all. Hehe. Therefore the top tube is just right for me.

I also don't want to separate my seat from my BB more. If I do, I can't back stop my hamstrings into the the seat. I'd lose all access to that essential power stroke. It's got a lot going for it.

And I'm not doing like a set down, and run it 30 miles non-stop here. I'm doing cross city, jig zag, cut and fade through traffic, over medians, off and up curbs... I'm going about 3x miles straight at a time. Maybe four sometimes. A lot of in between, and a ton of stop and go.

That's why that seated back stop on the upper end of the hamstrings is useful for me. It's really a whole other game for me now, and I'll never go any other way. I'll always fit my bike and seats accordingly. LOL

But yeah...it's an upright sitting style. It looks real cool like I'm nothing's going on, checking all the sites, people's eyes, stop lights and street signs...CARS, but the damn bike gets up and launches to probably 20mph and sticks there for a good long stretch. People do speculate on it. Hehe.
allout1 is offline  
Old 05-19-19, 05:26 AM
  #14  
aclinjury
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 660
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 497 Post(s)
Liked 170 Times in 128 Posts
Originally Posted by allout1
I appreciate the replies here.

The bike size I like. If the top tube was longer, I'd have to get down into a bullet position. That's not what I need, and I have a more upright and wide handle bar style sort of like a cruiser...sort of. I don't want to lean forward much at all. Hehe. Therefore the top tube is just right for me.

I also don't want to separate my seat from my BB more. If I do, I can't back stop my hamstrings into the the seat. I'd lose all access to that essential power stroke. It's got a lot going for it.

And I'm not doing like a set down, and run it 30 miles non-stop here. I'm doing cross city, jig zag, cut and fade through traffic, over medians, off and up curbs... I'm going about 3x miles straight at a time. Maybe four sometimes. A lot of in between, and a ton of stop and go.

That's why that seated back stop on the upper end of the hamstrings is useful for me. It's really a whole other game for me now, and I'll never go any other way. I'll always fit my bike and seats accordingly. LOL

But yeah...it's an upright sitting style. It looks real cool like I'm nothing's going on, checking all the sites, people's eyes, stop lights and street signs...CARS, but the damn bike gets up and launches to probably 20mph and sticks there for a good long stretch. People do speculate on it. Hehe.
dude i don't understand a damn thing you said, but if it works for you, stick with it. But just keep in mind your pedaling technique will never last on a long ride, because if it is, the pros would be doing it
aclinjury is offline  
Old 05-19-19, 05:45 AM
  #15  
shelbyfv
Expired Member
 
shelbyfv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,431
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3629 Post(s)
Liked 5,297 Times in 2,690 Posts
Thanks OP for clarifying. For those who haven't figured it out or enabled the ignore feature, this is a child (or the persona of such) messing around on a BSO. Little connection to cycling or bikes as we know them. Nothing to see here....
shelbyfv is offline  
Likes For shelbyfv:
Old 05-19-19, 08:20 PM
  #16  
allout1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
allout1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 58 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Kermit the Frog here reporting live here. Sir, tell everyone about the decline in literacy in the biking world. You bike, no?

Originally Posted by aclinjury
dude i don't understand a damn thing you said


And there you have it; alive BREAKIN' news.

Last edited by allout1; 05-19-19 at 11:48 PM.
allout1 is offline  
Old 05-19-19, 08:24 PM
  #17  
allout1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
allout1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 58 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by shelbyfv
This is a child messing around. Nothing to see here....
Is it a religious sect in your visions? Thug bike rites and such?


Last edited by allout1; 05-19-19 at 11:49 PM.
allout1 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.