I'm surprised to learn about this seat tube angle/saddle placement issue, as I've always been a steep seat tube angle advocate. Every bike I've ever owned has had my saddle pushed all the way forward on the rails, because I feel that, especially on very steep climbs, I need to be not only over my BB, but in front of it, often with the nose of my saddle acting as a butt plug.
I just purchased a Rune V3, and even with a STA being almost a couple degrees steeper than the 2015 Altitude I previously rode, I still have ended up with my saddle all the way forward on the rails. I feel that the bike climbs very well for me in this position, and I guess that this speaks to the fact that we are all different. Whenever I have tried putting my saddle farther back on the rails, I feel like I lose power on the climbs, and that feeling of pushing the pedals from behind, rather than being on top of them, is one I don't like.
I've seen road bikes that come with laid back seatposts, and could not imagine a scenario where someone would gain any advantage being that far behind the BB when they didn't have to, and I think the same thing with mountain bikes, and the fact that there are no set back dropper posts either says that the aha moment has not yet occurred, or that it is not something that very many people want, or would want. I'm not trying to say you're wrong for putting your seat back on the rails, because that clearly works best for you, but I think that steep seat tube angles are most likely a very good thing for most riders.
April 12, 2021, 9:37 a.m. - rcybak
I'm surprised to learn about this seat tube angle/saddle placement issue, as I've always been a steep seat tube angle advocate. Every bike I've ever owned has had my saddle pushed all the way forward on the rails, because I feel that, especially on very steep climbs, I need to be not only over my BB, but in front of it, often with the nose of my saddle acting as a butt plug. I just purchased a Rune V3, and even with a STA being almost a couple degrees steeper than the 2015 Altitude I previously rode, I still have ended up with my saddle all the way forward on the rails. I feel that the bike climbs very well for me in this position, and I guess that this speaks to the fact that we are all different. Whenever I have tried putting my saddle farther back on the rails, I feel like I lose power on the climbs, and that feeling of pushing the pedals from behind, rather than being on top of them, is one I don't like. I've seen road bikes that come with laid back seatposts, and could not imagine a scenario where someone would gain any advantage being that far behind the BB when they didn't have to, and I think the same thing with mountain bikes, and the fact that there are no set back dropper posts either says that the aha moment has not yet occurred, or that it is not something that very many people want, or would want. I'm not trying to say you're wrong for putting your seat back on the rails, because that clearly works best for you, but I think that steep seat tube angles are most likely a very good thing for most riders.