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So, you got your new bike, and on the vendor site, it was the right fit for your height range. However, often the seat height isn’t adjusted to your height. Alternatively, you may be borrowing or renting a bike for one-time use, and your sitting position feels off for some reason. This is fairly common, and often riders have to adjust the seat height to match their needs. Also, just like bike size charts, bike seat height charts exist, so you can get yours right. However, a more accurate way to determine the correct bicycle seat height is to use the heel method, 109% method, or the Holmes method, all of which we get into below.
Just like riding a bike that’s too big or too small, riding your bicycle with the wrong seat height could mean a whole host of problems. For instance, if your seat is too low, you put additional strain on your knees and ankles. While this may not have an immediate effect, in the long term, it could mean pain, injuries, and discomfort in these areas.
On the other hand, if your bike seat is too high, you’ll have to keep shifting your hips as you ride, leading to problems in your hip and lower back. According to Spine-Health Trusted Source Bicycling and Back Pain | Spine-health Information on how biking or bicycling sports injuries cause back pain, how to prevent low back pain when bicycling. www.spine-health.com , there are other ways for bicycling to cause back pain, although it’s also possible for it to ease lower back pain Trusted Source Can Bicycling Help Ease Lower Back Pain? In this blog, we’ll discuss how, if done properly, bicycling can help ease lower back pain and how to remain mindful of injury when cycling. www.radiologyofindiana.com in some people.
Getting your seat height right reduces your chances of developing the problem and allows it to be more of a pro than a con.
Additionally, riding with the wrong seat height means insufficient power gets to the pedals. As such, you end up straining harder than necessary. Nevertheless, if you’ve felt these issues and are wondering, “how high should my bike seat be?” you’re well on your way to solving the problem.
The most common sign your bike saddle height is incorrect is knee pain. According to the Rothman Orthopedic institute Trusted Source What Does My Cycling Knee Pain Mean? | Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cycling knee pain is common among athletes. Learn about the nature of the orthopaedic issues that may cause knee pain among cyclists and effective treatments. rothmanortho.com , this is brought about by the high-impact use of the knees. You can feel the pain in the front of your knee if you ride with the seat too low and at the back of the knee if the height is too high.
Also, as mentioned above, rocking from side to side due to the height being too high means pain in the lower back and hip area. Your ankles could also start to hurt from overextending them past their usual range of motion.
Wrist, neck, and upper back pain are the next sign since there’s a high chance that your whole body is not in a good position if your seat height is incorrect. Even Physiopedia Trusted Source Cyclist Neck Neck and back pain are extremely common in cyclists, occurring in up to 60% of riders. 30% of elite British cyclists reported having upper back or neck pain in a 1996 report. www.physio-pedia.com notes that one of the solutions for managing cycling injuries is a bike-fit adjustment, including on the saddle.
As for how to determine the correct bike seat height, there are a few things to consider. For instance, the type of cycling you do can affect the optimal seat height.
If you’re a road bike rider, your optimal seat height may be a smidge higher than for a mountain biker your height. This is because mountain bikers generally need more clearance between them and their seat when they ride.
If you’re in the market for a top-tier mountain bike, our list of the current best mountain bikes can help you make a selection.
Some riders get around the issue of having lower seat posts on their mountain bikes by having suspension seat posts. These allow them to raise the seat height almost as high as on a road bike. However, the seat post moves up and down on the bumpy terrains to ensure riders remain comfortable.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of the best suspension seatposts as well, so you can get one that allows you to optimally adjust the seat height. However, you’ll need to use one of these three methods to determine the right seat height.
The heel method is the easiest of the three available methods for determining seat height. But it’s also the least accurate. That said, it should be easy enough for most people, and here’s how to go about it.
With your bike next to you, raise the seat to your hips. Follow up by sitting on your bike and extending one of your legs to the pedal. Turn the pedal, so the crank is in the same line as your seat post. After that, place your heel on the pedal.
If your leg is fully extended, you have your saddle height right. If there’s a bit of bend at your knee, you must raise the saddle slightly. If your heel can’t reach the pedal without overexerting your knee, the saddle is too high and needs to be lowered.
A slightly more accurate bike saddle height formula is the 109% method; for this, you’ll need to measure your inseam. There are several ways to measure the inseam. One is to measure your height with your back against a wall. After that, you measure your seated height against the wall and subtract the latter from the former.
Another way to get the inseam is to measure it directly. Just like with the first option, you’ll have to stand with your back against a wall. Push a book as far up your crotch as you can and mark the position of the top of the book on the wall.
Notably, the less fabric between the book and your crotch, the more accurate the reading. As such, tight cycling shorts may be ideal for the exercise. Nevertheless, you’ll have your inseam once you measure the distance from the mark to the floor. Also notable is you should only measure your inseam while barefoot since your shoes will add a few millimeters.
With your inseam measurement in mm, you just have to multiply it by 1.09 to get the ideal saddle height.
Finally, the best method is the Holmes method, which considers knee angles as you’re riding. However, it requires extra equipment, i.e., a turbo trainer you may not have at home.
As for how to use this method, you’ll have to start by riding the bike as it’s mounted on a turbo trainer. Get family or friends to record you while riding and then review the footage. You want to measure the angle of your knee while the pedal is in its lowest position. If it’s larger than 35° or smaller than 25°, then you have to adjust the seat height.
A larger than 35° angle means you raise the seat, and a smaller than 25° angle means a lower position is better.
You need a plumbline to determine the ideal saddle fore/aft position. Fortunately, you can make a DIY option at home by tying a weight to a string.
Start by sitting on your bike and adjusting the pedal so it’s parallel to the ground. With your leg in the same position, drop the line over the front of your knee with the weight just above the ground. If the line goes through the middle of the axle on your pedal, the seat is in the right place. If it’s further ahead, move the seat back, and vice versa if it’s too far back.
As for saddle tilt, it should be horizontal. However, if you find this uncomfortable, there’s no reason not to play around with it until you find a better fit. Place a clipboard on the saddle to check if it’s level, then use a leveling tool. There are smartphone apps for this, so even if you don’t have one at home, there’s a workaround.
For easy to medium trails, your mountain bike’s seat height should be the same as your road bike seat height. With more bumpy trails, going a little lower or using suspension seat posts might be better.
First, make sure you’re using the right bike size for you. Then adjust your seat height and fore/aft position for the best riding position. You can also tilt the saddle forward to alleviate pressure on your crotch. However, tilt it too far forward, and you may slide out of your seat.
Tilting it back is another option, although there are similar issues for this as well.
Alternatively, try getting a saddle cover to add more cushioning to the seat. Reviewers recommend the Zacro Bike Seat Cushion since it’s gel-padded for comfort and allows for easy installation. This option also fits spin-class bike seats.
Another way to make your bike more comfortable is to change the seat. So, how to replace your bike seat is the most important question here. Well, it’s fairly easy, although you will need an appropriately sized Allen wrench.
If you don’t have one, reviewers recommend the WOTOW Bike Repair Tool Kit, given that it comes with multiple wrench sizes for all your bike repair and adjustment needs. It even comes with tire pry bars for tube changes and puncture repair.
Nevertheless, step one involves loosening the screw on the bottom back side of the old bike saddle with the wrench. Loosen just enough that the seat is removable without fully removing the screw.
Once the clasp is loose enough, pry out the old bike seat. Follow up by positioning the rails of the new seat inside the clasp. You can then set the appropriate fore/aft position before retightening the screw. The clasp will squeeze together to hold the seat, and then you’ll be done.
Now you know how to find and set the correct bike seat height for your needs. With that, you should be able to avoid some issues, including knee pain, insufficient power in your pedals, etc. You should also find that the ride quality and comfort are significantly improved. Happy riding! Also, remember there’s no rule against using all three methods mentioned above to ensure the best results.
