Repair & Maintenance

Bike Fit

Bike Fit: Set Your Saddle Height

Boost comfort and power by dialing in the perfect seat position

Joe Lindsey


STEP 1 Set cleats
Slip on your shoes, run masking tape along the instep, and mark it at the widest point of your foot. "Align the middle of the cleat with that line, or up to 2 centimeters behind it", says fitter Paraic McGlynn of Faster, a shop in Scottsdale, Arizona.
STEP 2 Assume a natural cycling position
Warm up for 15 minutes, then extend your right leg as if it were the little hand of a clock pointing to 5:30 (use a trainer or balance against a wall). Most riders' heels rise while pedaling. Lift yours 2 centimeters above the pedal when your leg is extended.
STEP 3 Measure knee angle
Raise or lower your saddle. Have a friend measure your knee bend, aiming for 25 to 35 degrees (see illustration). That's the sweet spot for producing maximum power.
STEP 4 Set fore/aft position
With cranks level, lower a plumb bob (tie a 30-inch piece of string to a rock if you don't have one) from the front of your kneecap to where the pedal spindle connects to the crank arm. If the line falls in front of or behind the spindle, slide your seat forward or back, then recheck.
STEP 5 Save
Measure from the center of the bottom bracket to the seat top. Then drop the plumb bob from your saddle tip and measure from the string to the center of the bottom bracket. Record both numbers and mark the correct position on your seatpost and saddle rails.


Illustrations: Charlie Layton