Weight Weenies

I have heard that a high seat causes an increase in oxygen use. would this mean that hr is increased with it?

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.... wait, this is going to be great.

Ok, I'm ready.




Also, welcome to Weight Weenies!

looks pretty calm

i am looking for ways to increase my oxygen use. I thought it was increased by many hours of interval training and long base rides. I never knew all I have to do is raise my seat. How high do I have to raise my seat to put out 400 watts per hour for 3 hours?

damn, had this whole long paragraph written and decided just to post my question.

before i started messing with fore/aft and heigth my hr at "base/endurance pace was about 135-145 now it is higher and more forward and is around 150s. took a line and my knee is over pedal and seat is comfortable but my hr is too high. so the "increase in oxgen use isnt to cheat or get more watts its more of an efficiency issue. i am concerned that the height is messing with my zones

I am sure someone will chime in and tell you how the change in position is affecting different muscles, or the same differently. It's now a new position so the work has changed and you have not adapted.

However it sounds like high saddle and closer to the bars has sat you more upright so now your more in the wind and this doing more work.

Preface: I'm a rubbish t.t. rider.
I noticed that when I got a proper t.t. bike and started using it....I would get "puffed" almost immediately. My heartrate relected this also...it increased. I think the previous poster has this correct....the new position, though vastly superior aerodynamically, was scrunching me up quite badly and causing some serious re-jigging of how I was using my muscles (and I initially had it too low too). Time and a bit of practice lowered the breathing and HR nicely then I had just the aero benefits and started going faster. It took quite a long time!....I was faster on my roady with a set of clip-ons initially!).....2 months later.....2.5kmh faster!(on the t.t. rig).

I appreciate that answer as its a good one. but. I am using a powermeter so the work is the same. i assume this is just going to be a trial and error thing. was hoping someone would just be like "yep too high" what is making me seek out quicker answers is a concern for over training i would hat to think its my fit and continue working and getting more over-trained.

its not info that i have been really able to find, but i did see something a couple years ago that said a high seat increases oxygen intake. so my real question is that if the oxygen demand is increased does the hr increase with it. guess its probably a dumb question as it probably does just that

That is what I'm referring to. I also use power meters (tho my light bike does not have one). To make 300W was absolutely reaming me on the t.t. bike (like totally wrecking me....190BPM. and it certainly felt like it too!!).....rocking along on my Roady with a set of clip ons.....300W much more easily sustained (just under 180BPM from memory it was about 177). Now...you may be tempted to say "big deal"....but my AT is 182-185 in HR terms (ish) so I was always red-lining on the tt yet "working but surviving comfortably enough" on the roady at the same power. My first step was to raise both the saddle and the bars slightly to stop cramping up my hip angle so much (made it a little uncomfortable until I got an Adamo saddle). That made it tolerable....then I just rode it a bit. The next time I checked, they were within a few BPM at the same power (tho in fairness, I did the second check on my Tacx fortius which is far away from SRM level accuracy). Fit was the issue for me (mostly) and "getting used to it" was the final bit.
Power on it's own is fine, but unless you try to take into account how hard you are working to achieve that power level.....it's not gonna really help you the most.

KingWeenie wrote:I appreciate that answer as its a good one. but. I am using a powermeter so the work is the same. i assume this is just going to be a trial and error thing. was hoping someone would just be like "yep too high" what is making me seek out quicker answers is a concern for over training i would hat to think its my fit and continue working and getting more over-trained.

its not info that i have been really able to find, but i did see something a couple years ago that said a high seat increases oxygen intake. so my real question is that if the oxygen demand is increased does the hr increase with it. guess its probably a dumb question as it probably does just that

This particular position change is making you work harder to produce the same watts. That could be for multiple reasons... Different muscle work in the legs, more weight on the arms, more strain on the back, all or none of these. The bottom line is you're working harder.

More oxygen required to work harder is incidental (to the harder work) rather than being directly related to the saddle height adjustment.

If your saddle were too low before the change, raising your saddle height could just as easily lowered your hr (and oxygen use).

I'm afraid of heights, as well.

Less oxygen at altitude so your heart beats faster to pump more round

How High did you raise your saddle? 5000-6000ft ?

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Yes, if you raise your sadle too high you may end up with high HR, becasue of:
less oxygen at altitude
you are afraid of height
your seatpost is very long and it casues a lot of drag so your HR is a lot higher at the same speed