Moving saddle further back or longer stem

[OldBean]

I need more reach on my Jam 2 medium..(should have purchased a large)...will a longer stem do the job.?
Or is there a way of moving saddle further back on the seatpost by modding the seat clamp?
Help.

 

[33red]

You might be able to buy a seatpost with more setback.
You need to be able to climb, keep the front wheel down so it is allways about testing what works in your unique situation. Hopefully you will find a way to be confortable sitting and standing. I like a light front wheel but there are no rules. Well except 1, keep your knees pain free. At some point being too forward or too backward is going to generate pain, never stay there. Adjust in the painfree zone.

 

[Pdoz]

Sorry if I'm telling you how to suck eggs

A longer stem is going to make the steering feel sluggish - rotate bars forward? Drop them a bit? Wider bars?

Ks suspension do an offset dropper post , but perhaps try borrowing an old offset post from the someone before sinking the $ because riding with the seat too far back feels weird KS Suspension Dropzone Remote Dropper Seatpost | Chain Reaction Cycles

For what it's worth, I went down the longer stem path and gradually reduced my stem back as I got used to the shorter bike. I now prefer the playfullness of a compact bike

 

[OldBean]

Thanks for that .I will persevere with what I have got ...maybe check other saddles as well.
Cheers

 

[thebarber]

I put a longer stem on so I could rotate my bars backwards
As was I'd get numb hands, might throw the original stem back on and give it a go again

 

[steve_sordy]

You can check if your saddle is in the "correct" place quite easily. Sit on the bike with cranks horizontal, foot on the forward pedal, foot in the riding position. Drop a plumb line over your knee and it should pass through the pedal axis. That is the best anatomical position, which is why I used inverted commas around the word correct. You shouldn't be too far away from that, maybe +/- half an inch or so.

Others have made good suggestions. doing all of them by small amounts may add up to something that you will be comfortable with.

You could always fit wider bars, this would give a similar feel to more reach in that it will move your chest forward.

 

[HikerDave]

I need more reach on my Jam 2 medium..(should have purchased a large)...will a longer stem do the job.?
Or is there a way of moving saddle further back on the seatpost by modding the seat clamp?
Help.

A wider handlebar might help.

 

[Mikerb]

You want more reach.....but why? What problem does the reach as is cause for you?

 

[thebarber]

Mine was too much weight on my hands I think.
I tried rolling bars forward but that throws elbows outwards.
So longer stem and roll bars backwards, completely opposite to my lil husky, but I suppose on that I'm just hanging on anyway

 

[Mikerb]

...but that is extending the reach which puts more weight on your hands!

 

[OldBean]

You can check if your saddle is in the "correct" place quite easily. Sit on the bike with cranks horizontal, foot on the forward pedal, foot in the riding position. Drop a plumb line over your knee and it should pass through the pedal axis. That is the best anatomical position, which is why I used inverted commas around the word correct. You shouldn't be too far away from that, maybe +/- half an inch or so.

Others have made good suggestions. doing all of them by small amounts may add up to something that you will be comfortable with.

You could always fit wider bars, this would give a similar feel to more reach in that it will move your chest forward.

Thanks ~Tried that test and i'm more or less right ...so tried raising saddle a bit and that helps (bloody hell its a long way down from up here)
Trouble was I cant tighten saddle tube clamp tight enough for fear of stripping threads ....solution was to make up simple 2cm sleeve held in place with zip ties ..does the job well.
Thanks all.

 

[steve_sordy]

Thanks ~Tried that test and i'm more or less right ...so tried raising saddle a bit and that helps (bloody hell its a long way down from up here)
Trouble was I cant tighten saddle tube clamp tight enough for fear of stripping threads ....solution was to make up simple 2cm sleeve held in place with zip ties ..does the job well.
Thanks all.

This will help:
Finish Line Fiber Grip Assembly Gel | Chain Reaction Cycles

Finish Line Fiber Grip Assembly Gel; it's not just for carbon fibre frames and components! It will also provide more grip with less bolt tightness (helping you with your seat post clamp), but also reduced the clamping force required for dropper posts. Dropper posts have sensitive internals that don't like being squashed out of shape.

 

[MattyB]

This will help:
Finish Line Fiber Grip Assembly Gel | Chain Reaction Cycles

Finish Line Fiber Grip Assembly Gel; it's not just for carbon fibre frames and components! It will also provide more grip with less bolt tightness (helping you with your seat post clamp), but also reduced the clamping force required for dropper posts. Dropper posts have sensitive internals that don't like being squashed out of shape.

Good advice. I have found the dinky kits from Decathlon work fine and are very cheap compared to buying a large tube that will probably take 10+ years to get through!

15 - Cycling - Carbon Mounting Jelly

Oo-err missus - insert you own joke about mounting jelly here...

 

[Jamsxr]

You can get a 5mm reach adjustable headset.

 

[miPbiP]

I don't see saddle position as a variable. Set what's right for your legs and the pedals and it's done. You can't change your leg shape.

 

[iainc]

^^^^ that +1. You could go a bit wider on the bars and or a slightly longer stem, but the latter may not do you any favours on techy tight stuff.

Sounds like your bike is too small for you.

I rode a demo Jam2 6.8plus before deciding on it, the demo was a bit small and a compromise but enough to know how nice a bike it is ?

 

[33red]

A bike is a bike. Every expert tells me mine are too small. They are all wrong. I can pedal every day for 5 hours pain free. Our body is unique and might not fit any size on the floor room.
#1 pain free knees. All my bikes have the saddle set at 30.25 in high except .025 variation.
# 2 find the foreward/backward correct position by testing. Usually if painfree for 2 hrs of riding it is set.
# 3 find proper cockpit configuration to be confortable seated and standing.
If need be pay a pro for a fit to learn # 1 wich is key. After that it is simple for your next 24 bikes.

 

[steve_sordy]

............
15 - Cycling - Carbon Mounting Jelly

Oo-err missus - insert you own joke about mounting jelly here...

As long as it increases grip, I don't care what it's called!

 

[Welshman]

A bike is a bike. Every expert tells me mine are too small. They are all wrong. I can pedal every day for 5 hours pain free. Our body is unique and might not fit any size on the floor room.
#1 pain free knees. All my bikes have the saddle set at 30.25 in high except .025 variation.
# 2 find the foreward/backward correct position by testing. Usually if painfree for 2 hrs of riding it is set.
# 3 find proper cockpit configuration to be confortable seated and standing.
If need be pay a pro for a fit to learn # 1 wich is key. After that it is simple for your next 24 bikes.

30.25 what? and from do you measure?

 

[33red]

30.25 what? and from do you measure?

I wrote **30.25 in ** in was short for inches i guess on youtube you might search proper positioning on a bike. Any bike is measured this way(road, mountain, any wheel size) from top of saddle to the center of the crank. If you want to work it out you multiply your inseems by 0.875 wich is a good point to start. Your ideal # should be close to that so you might have to do the trial with small increments to find your magic #. Just fallow the down tube when you mesure. With our magic # it is fast we adjust that when we try any bike, play with forward-backward saddle positioning and feel if we can live with that bike. If it is close the cockpit modifications will provide confort.

 

[Welshman]

I wrote **30.25 in ** in was short for inches i guess on youtube you might search proper positioning on a bike. Any bike is measured this way(road, mountain, any wheel size) from top of saddle to the center of the crank. If you want to work it out you multiply your inseems by 0.875 wich is a good point to start. Your ideal # should be close to that so you might have to do the trial with small increments to find your magic #. Just fallow the down tube when you mesure. With our magic # it is fast we adjust that when we try any bike, play with forward-backward saddle positioning and feel if we can live with that bike. If it is close the cockpit modifications will provide confort.

i know how to work it, i was just asking were you were measuring from and too, to get your figure. Also i wouldnt have put a space between 30.25 and In........30.25in would have been better and removed the doubt

 

[iainc]

Back to the OP’s question - If you slide your saddle back too far to lengthen the cockpit you may get sore knees..