How to Set Saddle Height on Your Bike

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How to Set Saddle Height on Your Bike

[haroldrull]

I came up real close to my saddle height, no formula but just how I felt during my ride. I carry that height every time I swap my bike rides. Thanks Bobke.

[dpstrial]

I have tried various means of finding my ideal saddle height, using a home-made goniometer, Borysewicz's 96% method, and one or two others; but the best method I have found for me is that of Cyrille Guimard, used my Greg LeMond, which is inseam x 0.883 (from saddle to BB). It is based on a crank length of 170 mm, a pair of standard Campagnolo racing pedals (of the 1980s) and medium thickness shoes. Since the 1980s the stack height of pedals and shoes has decreased, and so some tweaking may be required. All in all, this corresponds always exactly with Bobke's recommendation.

[eriktabor]

I just set it based on placing my heal with no show on the pedal, and locking my leg at full extension. With shoes and the toe on the pedal it is a good starting point. After a while like that I started tinkering, by adding length to see how it felt. After a while of tinkering once a month I found a good spot. I takes a while like you said.

[jerryavalos]

The Lemond method (.883) is a good place to start. I went to a bike fitter and he noticed one leg was shorter than the other by almost half an inch, so saddle height was based on trying to find a middle ground between the longer and shorter leg or I would be rocking in my saddle. To help reduce that, he swapped saddles putting on a more wider saddle. The result was more power and stability than ever before. I am forever grateful for what he did.

[chrisyoung]

The thing I've never understood about this method is the fact that it totally disregards the crank arm length. I like the inseam x 109% (measured to the pedal when in its farthest position). Even then it still takes some adjustment.

[retroonhisbikes]

If you have bad knees like me I use the old method.
I’m using mtb pedals and shoes on my road bike. After many decades of tinkering with my saddle height, I’ve set on my new road bike to about 115% of my inseam - top of the saddle to the pedal crank as it’s furthest point from saddle (ie not 6 o’clock).
After 20 minutes in the saddle to loosen up, i unclip and put my heel on the pedal and push, I raise saddle until I cannot lift butt off the saddle-I mean take the weight of the saddle but my butt still remains in contact.
With my mtb shoes which have thick soles for the recessed cleat I get about 115% of my inseam without shoes.
If I have the saddle 5mm lower the pain in my bad knee is unbearable. That last 5 mm means I can go 30miles before my knee starts to hurt.

[stockman]

Shoe height, and if you have really long or short feet- adjust accordingly. Flat foot at bottom of rotation with tiny bend in leg. Greg Lemond method is what have been using. Nice video. I got Greg’s book a long time ago. Make a book too. I will buy it. Come out to Az do Fund raiser ride Tour de Tucson. Around third Saturday in November. About 100+. For full course.

[phildelgiudice]

Looks cold there in Cali Bob. ❄️. Thanks for the bids. Great content.

[kenlong]

Bob. I always thought it was knee bend. Thanks for the ruler method.
What is your inseam? Mine is 32.

[BIGDO]

Is that a short-sleeved goose down bubble jacket?

[PoliticusRex]

I bought a custom Merckx nearly 30 years ago. I paid the extra $ to be sized up by Eddy himself and have kept that position exact ever since. Every time I go to a bike shop some 20 something tells me my position is all wrong.

[mastacio]

@bobke Nice video. I have to ask, where does one get a sweet puffy short-sleeved down jacket like that? 😂 Never seen one like it before!

[brunospasta]

I experienced that when I set my saddle hight based on feel while riding easy, I always end up too low. Riding around FTP and if need be adjusting the saddle height works much better for me.

[akathesquid]

Oh Bob way to open up a can of worms...saddle height. I'm at .928 x inseam but I've been riding/racing that way since 1977 - I guess Anquetil style - high cadence, toes down, cleats forward - has served me well, never any injuries, but you have to have a strong back and forget ever running in your life with extremely strong and short calves. Also with my short torso makes frame sizing rather challenging. Torso of a 5'6" rider, saddle height of a 6'2" one... I only comment here to let people know the broad range of useful styles, body types and setups.

[sscott]

Thanks for the tips.  Much appreciated.

[BixbyConsequence]

I like my legs to be almost, but not fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Keep a little angle there. Sacrifice a wee bit of power to keep your knees healthy.

[rtorano]

Can you show how you measured your inseam.

[rcdenis]

I adjust it by feel and reajust it depending on how much climbing was involved.

[sapinva]

After 50 years of practice, I just go by feel, and that tends to fall within a few millimeters every time. Find that trail bikes are more challenging to set up, the seat tube angle and set back changes with saddle height, and you don't want to be too low, but even with a dropper post, road height can get you tossed.

[phatwebex]

Is that a Lynskey Ti frame Bobke? How do you like it?