Road Bike Saddle Height Formula

Road bike saddle height calculator a correctly positioned saddle makes your road bike easier and more enjoyable to ride.

Road bike saddle height formula. From the classic 109 of inside leg length from saddle top to pedal with crank set to six o clock to the newer 88 3 of inside leg length for centre of the bottom bracket to top of saddle as favoured and practised by three time tour de france winner greg lemond. For years i ve used greg lemond s formula of multiplying crotch to floor distance by 0 883 to get saddle height as measured from the center of the crank axle to the top of the saddle. Calculating your ideal saddle height based on your inseam is easy. There are many old wives tales arcane theories and mathematical formulae to give a to the millimetre answer to your personal saddle height measurement.

The bicycle saddle is the primary point of contact between you and the bike and having the correct saddle height maximizes pedaling efficiency while reducing the risk of knee injuries. On average the saddle height should be 109 of your inseam. Thomas mcdaniel immediate media. Choose a bicycle type.

My local bike shop used a goniometer like a big protractor to measure my knee angle at bottom dead center. There are numerous formulae for working out correct saddle height. How to determine your bike s saddle height measure the full length of your saddle to find a midpoint this selle italia is 27cm 13 5 midpoint. You can thus use your calculator to multiply your inseam in millimetres by 1 09.

Take your inseam measurement. One of the most commonly used is the lemond method named after the american tour de france champ. A variation of this method is the 109 per cent formula which uses the same inseam measurement but multiplies it by 109 per cent and taking that figure to set the saddle height but measuring from the top of the saddle to the pedal spindle when the crank arm is in the six o clock position. To set you saddle height sit on the bike unclip and place your heel in the middle of the pedal axle with it at the furthest point so that the crank is in line with the seat tube.