We never tire of saying that getting your touchpoints on the bike right is the most important thing you can do to enjoy your cycling efficiently and injury free. And ensuring that you have your saddle height correctly aligned is a huge part of getting that butt touchpoint dialed-in.
There are several methods that offer options on how to adjust a bicycle saddle. And as is the case with most things to do with bike fit, most guidelines are just that: guidelines. They are a starting point to help you find your perfect fit; helpful hints rather than commandments set in stone.
First step: find the right saddle for you
We’ve discussed finding the right saddle in more detail in our blog How to Choose the Right Bike Saddle. There is no perfect saddle for every backside. That’s one reason there are so many saddle options in the world. The abundance of choice should give you confidence that there is the perfect saddle out there for you; it can also complicate the actual search since a certain amount of trial and error may be required.
What type of cycling you plan on doing – road racing, endurance adventuring, commuting, gravel riding, mountain biking, etc. You can find use-specific bike saddles in all these areas, and more. So knowing what your riding ambitions are will help you narrow the options quite substantially.
Have the right tools
Once you have your bike and saddle chosen, then you can start adjusting it to fit you not only in terms of saddle height, but fore-and-aft and tilt. Depending on the type of seat post your bike uses, these adjustments can either be fairly straightforward or rather fiddly. But it’s important to have the right tools to ensure you will be able to make the adjustments properly.
Most bikes use Allen bolts to attach saddles to the seatpost, and so you’ll want to have a selection of corresponding Allen keys. A multi-tool will be good to have when you are riding in case you need to make any on-the-fly adjustments. But when you are setting up your saddle height at home, we recommend you use full length Allen keys so that you can get the required leverage to loosen and tighten. And if you are riding a bike with a carbon seat post and frame, then we highly recommend you use a torque wrench to avoid over-tightening which can damage carbon parts.
How to adjust saddle height
First, determine how high the saddle should be. If you are a seasoned cyclist and experiencing knee pain due to improper saddle height, you may want to visit a professional bike fitter to decide where you need to make the adjustments. Setting up your bike perfectly is like dealing with a 3D puzzle: when you move one part, you inevitably impact another part. And getting it right may require the help of a professional bike fitter’s pair of eyes to see where your position is potentially causing you pain and reducing performance.
If you are new to cycling and setting up your bike for the first time, then there are several methods to do this, though we find the easiest and most effective is the very simple heel-pedal method. You probably did this as a kid when you were just messing around on your dirt bike. It requires simply placing your heel on the pedal and rotating to the furthest extension point (the bottom of the pedal stroke, sometimes referred to as 6 o’clock). Be sure to wear your regular cycling shoes when doing this and not thick soled tennis shoes.
You can most easily do this if you have your bike secured in a stationary trainer or holding yourself up against a wall or railing. You should be able to reach the bottom of the pedal stroke with your heel still on the pedal, your knee fully extended. If you can’t remain in contact with the pedal using your heel, then it’s likely your saddle is too high. If your knee is still bent when at the lowest point of the stroke, then you probably would benefit from raising the saddle.
We should point out that this method will get you close to your ideal saddle height, but there may still be a certain trial and error required when out riding before you can tuck your multi-tool deep into your saddlebag.
What to watch out for when setting saddle height
Several considerations on and off the bike go into arriving at your ideal saddle height. Crank length, pedal choice, shoe choice, even bibs vs jeans will have an impact on how high your saddle feels. If you change any of these details, it could make a noticeable difference. If you plan on experimenting with shortening your crank length, for instance, then be certain to raise your saddle by however much shorter your new crank arms are.
If you change pedals or shoes, it is likely that the stack height will be different, which could also make a noticeable difference. Make sure you check manufacturer numbers to know whether you will want to raise or lower your saddle by a few millimeters if you change pedal or shoe brands. And even something as basic as using your racing bike to commute to work, if you typically wear padded bib shorts when riding, you might notice you feel a bit overstretched in your pedal stroke when you wear basic trousers or shorts. To prevent that, you might want to wear padded briefs underneath your street clothes. Or commute wearing your cycling kit, and then change when you get to the office.
How to adjust saddle tilt
Getting the saddle height right is only part of the puzzle. You will also want to pay attention to getting the saddle tilt correct as well as the fore-and-aft setting spot on. Saddle tilt is normally an easy one, since most people will feel most comfortable either with a perfectly level saddle, or with the saddle ever-so-slightly tilted nose-down. We suggest you start out with a level setting – use a builder’s leveler to determine that you have your saddle perfectly level – and then if you begin to suffer from numbness in the perineum region, try tilting the saddle down a smidge and see if that helps.
In very rare situations, like when you are using a leather saddle, the recommendation is to tilt the saddle nose slightly up, to allow you to wear-in the saddle properly so it forms around your bottom much like a saddle on a horse would. But most of us are using much more modern and rigid saddles which will not require this type of counter-intuitive breaking-in period.
Sometimes, the hardest part of setting saddle tilt is accessing the proper screw, which is usually inconveniently situated at the seatpost clamp, awkwardly obscured by the saddle rails. Foul language can result from the effort.
How to adjust the saddle setback
Making sure your saddle is properly positioned either far enough forward, or not too far forward, will make a huge difference in how comfortable you feel in your pedal stroke, and how much power you can put out. If you have your saddle too far forward, you will be putting extra pressure on your hands, arms, and shoulders, which will likely result in numb hands and sore shoulder and arm muscles. It will also mean that your quads are doing all the work while your hamstrings remain unengaged. That will cost you power.
If your saddle is too far back, then you will feel like you are overreaching in your pedal stroke, leaving a dead-spot through the second quarter of the stroke. It will also cost you power because you will likely be underutilizing the quadriceps in this case. It may also result in making your handling feel quite skittish because too much weight is positioned behind your center of gravity.
Please keep in mind that your perfect saddle position is something that can change over time. If your flexibility or your weight changes, then you will likely benefit from revisiting your saddle setback. It is also important to remember that the problem may not be the saddle setback, but rather the stem/handlebar setup. Do not fall into the “pro-copying” setup where you have a super long stem and as a result have to move your saddle way too far forward in order to reach your bars comfortably. That will force you to rotate your hips out of perfect alignment, which will inevitably negatively impact your power and potentially cause discomfort and even injury. Don’t listen to what the pros do; listen to your body.
Conclusion – It’s complicated but important to get right
Getting your bicycle saddle properly adjusted is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to ensure you will be comfortable, in full control, and fast when riding your bike. As with nearly everything in bike setup, the right setup depends on a variety of circ*mstances, many if not all of which might be unique to you, your ambitions, and your body type. And sometimes, those answers might change over time as you become fitter, or less fit, more flexible, or less, etc.
This blog is intended to act as a signpost for those new to cycling so that you know where to look and what to look out for. If you are a longtime cyclist and experiencing discomfort or power issues, then speaking with a professional bike fitter that you trust will go a long way to helping you identify problem areas with your bike setup, and to solve those problems.
Just remember, the more comfortable you are on the bike, the faster you can go and the more fun you will have.
You may also like our article on how to replace a chainon a bicycle.
