How to Set Your Bicycle Seat Height

Hey guys, in this lesson I'll be showing you how to properly set your seat height. Just a heads up that I may use the words seat and saddle interchangeably which both mean the same thing. The seat height adjustment changes how far our legs will extend on each pedal stroke. One of the most common beginner mistakes I see is people riding with their seat too low which is both uncomfortable and inefficient. However it's just as easy for intermediate riders to make the mistake of riding with their seat too high which underutilizes the glutes forcing the quads and the hamstrings to do all the work. Over time these muscular imbalances can also lead to knee pain and injury. So the first step prior to changing anything on the bike is to take an inseam measurement to get a ballpark height for your saddle. If you're by yourself you'll want to grab a book with a thick spine and using your thighs hold the book between your legs positioning it as if it was your bicycle seat. Then find a wall and with your shoes off and feet resting flat on the floor make a mark where the top of the book meets the wall. Next measure the distance from the floor to the mark that you made with a tape measure. Taking that measurement will subtract 10 centimeters and you've got a good starting seat height. Next we'll apply our inseam measurement to make an adjustment on the bike. Start by loosening the seat post clamp which is commonly held on by a five millimeter hex bolt or a quick release lever. If your seat post is rusted and difficult to budge you'll want to lubricate it by using bike grease, lube, or WD-40 and wipe away any rust or excess oil with a rag. And for all bikes new and old it's good to apply a pea-sized portion of grease and spread it around to create a thin layer on the seat post before inserting which prevents it from seizing and makes it easier to adjust in the future. With the tape measure starting in the center of the bottom bracket raise the seat to match the inseam measurement you just took. Retighten the seat post clamp and wipe away any excess grease on the exposed portion of the seat post. Now it's time to jump on your bike and check the result. For this you can lean the bike up against a wall and mount it assuming your normal riding posture. On your non-leaning side scoot your foot forward until your heel is lined up with the back end of the pedal then spin the pedal backwards until the crank arm reaches the five o'clock position. If your seat height is set properly your legs should be fully extended and locked out at the knee but don't move your hips to try and make your leg straighter as this defeats the purpose of the test. If your heel doesn't reach the pedal in this position then your seat is too high and if your leg is bent at the knee then your seat is too low. Returning your foot to the normal pedaling position with the ball of the foot lined up with the pedal spindle your legs should now have a slight bend at the knee. At this point it's also smart to write down your seat height measurement or mark it on your seat post with a piece of electrical tape in case you need to disassemble the bike for travel and you won't have to go through this process again. So now that you've set your seat height I'd recommend riding it for a few days and seeing how it feels. Anytime you change your fit it can feel strange at first but after a few days your body will adjust to the new feeling. If you do decide to make any adjustments up or down make them in small increments no greater than a centimeter at a time. All right so that does it for this lesson on setting your seat height. Also keep in mind that over time if you're feeling any sharp or chronic pain especially in your knees it's a good indication that you need to re-evaluate and adjust your seat height. All right so that does it for this lesson on setting your seat height and if you have any further questions please let me know. Well I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Be sure to give it a thumbs up if you liked it, leave a comment if you have any questions, and subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any new lessons from Adventures4U.