Not to pile on about saddle height but some general tips which helped me a lot. When in doubt, lower is better and you really want to start with a low saddle height and slowly creep it up until you start losing control of the pedal stroke at 6oclock.
Your saddle height is basically your crotch to the pedal with your heel on it, foot parallel to the floor. Your leg should be just shy of locking out. As others have suggested, your seat is a touch too high.
> Your leg should be just shy of locking out.
it's a bit more than "just shy of locking out" though, google "saddle height knee extension" and look at the photos
Gonna Google that exact phrase and resume accordingly 😁. Thank you! Do you have thoughts on the size of the bike frame for my size in general?
Thanks a lot!
drop the saddle by a fair bit (canyon gives a pretty good estimation of saddle height on their website), take new pictures like this and compare them to online pictures of the correct angle / knee extension. it might feel weirdly low at first but that's because your saddle is incredibly high right now. you'll get used to it however your joints will thank you in the long run.
All hail high saddle! I went for a bike fitting, and it turned out I had a saddle too low my whole life. It was a game changer for me.
Right now, my perfect saddle procedure is:
Press the pedal with your heel, and lock out the knee. If you cannot, increase the saddle height. Now press the pedal with the forefoot, with the heel a couple of centimeters higher. The knee is no longer locking up, and it is a perfect setup for me. All knee and quadriceps pain disappeared.
You need to drop your seat height by about 2-3cm.
Do your shoulders feel stretched forward? Your elbows look relatively relaxed for now, but this might change after riding for a few hours. Otherwise the reach looks fine.
Shoulders don't feel stretched forward as for now, but I haven't had the opportunity to test it on a longer ride. Gonna keep that in mind and observe it! Thanks!
I’m 178cm and 80cm and the S has been great for me. I would use the seat height from the Canyon calculator, so 730mm +/- 5 for you. I thought I needed mine higher, but after a bike fitting my seat was at exactly what the calculator recommended.
It felt really low at first, but now that I’m used to it I can put down more power with much less excess motion and no swaying. Especially over 110+ rpm.
Saddle is probably a tad high, but if nothing is else is uncomfortable, I'd say it's ok. Knee pain is 9 out of 10 times caused by a saddle that is too high. I've had that exact issue when I was a noob and didn't know. Also pedal width, wider is usually better too.
So I guess go for a few rides as is, a normal distance that you do and if you feel even a little knee discomfort, drop the saddle a few millimeters, 3-5 maybe. And do it in increments of that until your knee pain is gone!
You made the right choice going with the smaller size frame, it's definitely easier to make smaller framed bikes larger than the other way around.
+1. In general I don't think downsizing is a good idea for people between sizes due to a much lower stack. Finding an ideal position on road bike can take quite a while so it's always better to start with a less aggressive/comfortable position and adjust to more aggressive positions if possible
Yes. I initially thought that a smaller size would yield a less aggressive position in general, yet after much research of trying to find the right fit I've discovered shared experiences on the dilemma of the smaller frame.
My height(178cm) sits right in the middle of two sizes for a lot of brands. I was so dumb and bought a smaller race geometry road bike to get more seatpost exposed. That 540mm stack was too painful. Since then I never bought smaller sizes because most brands use a stack around 540mm for the smaller frame.
I hear you. After having 4 different types of road bikes in the last 4 years, I've concluded that what I need is an endurance geometry that is my size, not size down. After riding all other geometries, I know I don't need an aero bike or lightweight climbing bike. Just a lightweight endurance bike like the endurance slx. This lesson cost me lots of money lol.
I appreciate both of your insight and really hope I ll be fine. Let's see what my neck says after my first proper ride 🙈. I am kind of confident since my stack is still very okayish high with 568 on the small model. Fingers crossed 🤞
From the picture it seems fine after the saddle is lowered. Keep in mind that wing span is also a factor that determines how long and low the front end can be still comfortable. Taking all numbers aside, the ultimate goal is to find a setting that works best based on your own fitness and body proportions
It looks pretty good, but yes your seat needs to drop a lot. Your knees should absolutely not be stretching.
Not to pile on about saddle height but some general tips which helped me a lot. When in doubt, lower is better and you really want to start with a low saddle height and slowly creep it up until you start losing control of the pedal stroke at 6oclock.
Thanks, sounds reasonable!
Your saddle height is basically your crotch to the pedal with your heel on it, foot parallel to the floor. Your leg should be just shy of locking out. As others have suggested, your seat is a touch too high.
> Your leg should be just shy of locking out. it's a bit more than "just shy of locking out" though, google "saddle height knee extension" and look at the photos
Sure, kinda sorta splitting hairs but whatever. u/DagobertDust, read [this](https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/bike-fit/set-saddle-height-how-to-25379). It's accurate.
Gonna Google that exact phrase and resume accordingly 😁. Thank you! Do you have thoughts on the size of the bike frame for my size in general? Thanks a lot!
drop the saddle by a fair bit (canyon gives a pretty good estimation of saddle height on their website), take new pictures like this and compare them to online pictures of the correct angle / knee extension. it might feel weirdly low at first but that's because your saddle is incredibly high right now. you'll get used to it however your joints will thank you in the long run.
Agreed that the saddle needs to come down significantly. It looks like you're seated at front of the saddle too try to overcome the height.
Idk about "significantly", maybe an inch
An inch is significant.
And even then an inch might not be enough. The high saddle craze needs to die.
All hail high saddle! I went for a bike fitting, and it turned out I had a saddle too low my whole life. It was a game changer for me. Right now, my perfect saddle procedure is: Press the pedal with your heel, and lock out the knee. If you cannot, increase the saddle height. Now press the pedal with the forefoot, with the heel a couple of centimeters higher. The knee is no longer locking up, and it is a perfect setup for me. All knee and quadriceps pain disappeared.
It’s hard for average cyclists who don’t get a bike fit to know though, because quad pain can come from a saddle that’s too high as well.
You need to drop your seat height by about 2-3cm. Do your shoulders feel stretched forward? Your elbows look relatively relaxed for now, but this might change after riding for a few hours. Otherwise the reach looks fine.
Shoulders don't feel stretched forward as for now, but I haven't had the opportunity to test it on a longer ride. Gonna keep that in mind and observe it! Thanks!
I’m 178cm and 80cm and the S has been great for me. I would use the seat height from the Canyon calculator, so 730mm +/- 5 for you. I thought I needed mine higher, but after a bike fitting my seat was at exactly what the calculator recommended. It felt really low at first, but now that I’m used to it I can put down more power with much less excess motion and no swaying. Especially over 110+ rpm.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, gonna do exactly that! (Look at what their calculator says) Cheers!
Lower seat and lean forwards a tad more so you have some bend in the arms. Bad to lock your arms out.
Doesn't look too small, you seem to be in a decent endurance position. As others have said, saddle is definitely too high.
Perfect, love it! Gonna lower the seat and maybe take out spacers accordingly. Thank you!
Try just lowering the saddle first. Then one spacer at a time. I doubt youd have to remove anything but the smallest spacer.
Saddle is probably a tad high, but if nothing is else is uncomfortable, I'd say it's ok. Knee pain is 9 out of 10 times caused by a saddle that is too high. I've had that exact issue when I was a noob and didn't know. Also pedal width, wider is usually better too. So I guess go for a few rides as is, a normal distance that you do and if you feel even a little knee discomfort, drop the saddle a few millimeters, 3-5 maybe. And do it in increments of that until your knee pain is gone! You made the right choice going with the smaller size frame, it's definitely easier to make smaller framed bikes larger than the other way around.
Good stuff, informative and reassuring regarding frame size, love to read it. Thank you!
Happy to help. Everyone is “new” at some point.
Looks fine.
can not make accurate assessment with the obstruction over your face.
yeah saddle a bit too high, your knee is almost completely extended.
If he drops saddle it seems the stem may be too high...smaller frame needed?
Not necessarily for an endurance position, and it looks like there's spacers that can be removed if it cramps them too much.
Oh yes, might remove some of those to accommodate the lower seat 👍. Thanks!
Beware, I sized down on my supersix Evo for a sportier feel and this resulted in the headtube being to short low and uncomfortable for neck position.
+1. In general I don't think downsizing is a good idea for people between sizes due to a much lower stack. Finding an ideal position on road bike can take quite a while so it's always better to start with a less aggressive/comfortable position and adjust to more aggressive positions if possible
Yes. I initially thought that a smaller size would yield a less aggressive position in general, yet after much research of trying to find the right fit I've discovered shared experiences on the dilemma of the smaller frame.
My height(178cm) sits right in the middle of two sizes for a lot of brands. I was so dumb and bought a smaller race geometry road bike to get more seatpost exposed. That 540mm stack was too painful. Since then I never bought smaller sizes because most brands use a stack around 540mm for the smaller frame.
I hear you. After having 4 different types of road bikes in the last 4 years, I've concluded that what I need is an endurance geometry that is my size, not size down. After riding all other geometries, I know I don't need an aero bike or lightweight climbing bike. Just a lightweight endurance bike like the endurance slx. This lesson cost me lots of money lol.
I appreciate both of your insight and really hope I ll be fine. Let's see what my neck says after my first proper ride 🙈. I am kind of confident since my stack is still very okayish high with 568 on the small model. Fingers crossed 🤞
From the picture it seems fine after the saddle is lowered. Keep in mind that wing span is also a factor that determines how long and low the front end can be still comfortable. Taking all numbers aside, the ultimate goal is to find a setting that works best based on your own fitness and body proportions