HOW TO SET YOUR SADDLE HEIGHT PERFECTLY FROM SCRATCH
Have you ever wondered, how your saddle height plays an important role while you're riding your bike?
And if once understood correctly and made right, the results can make you go bananas for sure.
For those who are hearing it for the very first time and don't have any idea about it, Here is a short piece of info about what saddle height is exactly.
saddle height is the height measured from the center of the bottom bracket, to the top surface of your saddle along the seat tube. I hope you got it
Saddle height is one of the crucial parts of a bike fit.
But, being the most important it's always given less importance, especially by the beginners.
Because by default, a saddle is always seen just as a place to rest your pelvis and upper body while pedaling.
But what if I tell you, that your saddle plays many important complicated roles other than resting your pelvis.
Having the correct saddle height can do wonders like,
- Increase average and top speed without getting exhausted.
- High efficient riding with headwinds.
- climbing uphill becomes faster with minimal effort.
- Long rides are as comfortable as a Rolls Royce.
- Absence of striking pain in your knees while pedaling.
- No more saddle soreness while long rides.
But having the wrong saddle height can make your overall performance drop to 5-8%, which is enough to make you inefficient despite having sufficient stamina, especially on long rides. And a great treat for all kinds of fatigues and discomforts while riding.
But now it's time to say a forever goodbye to all your problems.
Here you will be finding the most popular methods for correcting your saddle height, which ensures you achieve an optimal saddle height easily without any kind of hit or miss and redefine your cycling experience like never before.
So stay tuned with us for the next few minutes for our amazing tips and methods, and let's set your saddle height correctly from scratch.
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And also we will see, do you really need a correction in your saddle? if yes, how can I correct it easily and effectively?
WHY YOUR SADDLE HEIGHT IS IMPORTANT?
Many of us think that a saddle fit is all about making adjustments in its height and fore and aft position, and you're done with it.But that's not exactly what you think about it. There are some aspects you must know about your saddle.
As discussed before, your saddle is one of the crucial parts of your bike which decides your,
1) speed
2) power
2) power
3) efficiency
4) comfort
5) handling
6) safety
The topic of saddle height has gone so much narrow, that it's only bonded to the adjustments that we can make on a saddle until you feel comfortable.
well, adjusting its position is a part of getting it right, but it's not limited to what many think about saddle height.
while you're riding, your body does a lot of movements other than pedaling which you hardly notice but plays a big role while riding.
And your overall ride quality depends on several factors like your,
1. Pedaling style
2. The terrain
3. Your shoulder and neck position
4. crank length
5. The Torso angle
6. Center of gravity
7. Your bike geometry
8. The handlebar position
sounds stressful right?
But if you closely examine all these factors, you will find a common thing.
That it's all linked directly or indirectly to the position of your saddle, and changing the position of your saddle can bring a large impact on other factors too.
So when you're changing the saddle height, you must take care of many other factors along with it for a perfect ride, it's not alone the saddle that is getting affected.
And that's why the saddle is one of the important parts of a bike fit.
Now after knowing the importance of it, its time to answer the famous question that is,
DO I REALLY NEED A CHANGE IN MY SADDLE HEIGHT?
The topic of saddle height is discussed mostly when one feels discomfort in riding and some of the most common problems that are heard by ages are:1. knee pain.
2. lower back pain.
3. shoulder and palm pain.
4. locking of hip muscles.
5. numbness around your groin.
6. hurt in the balls of your foot.
7. saddle soreness
So for the ultimate solution to all these problems, we will concentrate on your current saddle position because we want to know, what exact precise changes should be made concerning your current saddle position for a comfortable ride.
An optimum saddle height is achieved by taking care of the following elements:
- Height of the saddle
- The fore and aft position
- Saddle tilt angle
Now we shall cover all the elements in detail
And once we know what exact changes should be made to your saddle, we will discuss the methods to correct it and you can choose the method which suits you better
So here it is:
The first common symptom of having a low saddle height is:
If yes, it can be a symptom of low saddle height. As your knee doesn't get enough room for a proper pedal stroke and it causes unnecessary compression in your knee causing a striking pain in the backside of your knee
My first knee pain was at a 27 km ride, where it was full of elevations, super heavy headwinds, and bad weather.
So you can imagine how a bad day it could be for riding.
I felt a striking pain in my left knee while pedaling, it was like someone hammering under my knees every time I pedal. and after the ride, my friend advised changing the saddle height as it was too low and I never noticed it.
And if you ever have striking pain under your knees while riding, most probably it's because your saddle height is too low.
This issue can be noticed easily by your co-riders. while you are pedaling your leg follows a clock pattern consecutively, the 3 "o" clock, and 6 "o" clock patterns.
When you're at the 6 "o" position, that is when your leg is at the bottom of your pedal stroke, it should be almost straight while pedaling.
If your leg is not straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke and you have your knee bent too much, its a sign that your saddle is too low for you
Although this is just an indication for a low saddle height and it's mostly corrected by the heel method which we will be discussing soon, so stay tuned with us.
So, do you have any of these symptoms??
If yes, you are most probably riding with a saddle that is too low for you. Let's also see the next case IE,
And once we know what exact changes should be made to your saddle, we will discuss the methods to correct it and you can choose the method which suits you better
So here it is:
IS MY SADDLE HEIGHT IS TOO LOW??
If you are wondering whether your saddle height is too low, you can figure it out easily by the following common symptoms.The first common symptom of having a low saddle height is:
knee pain while pedaling.
Ever had a striking pain in your knee while pedaling?If yes, it can be a symptom of low saddle height. As your knee doesn't get enough room for a proper pedal stroke and it causes unnecessary compression in your knee causing a striking pain in the backside of your knee
My first knee pain was at a 27 km ride, where it was full of elevations, super heavy headwinds, and bad weather.
So you can imagine how a bad day it could be for riding.
I felt a striking pain in my left knee while pedaling, it was like someone hammering under my knees every time I pedal. and after the ride, my friend advised changing the saddle height as it was too low and I never noticed it.
And if you ever have striking pain under your knees while riding, most probably it's because your saddle height is too low.
Incorrect pedaling style
Your leg should have a perfect position while pedaling,This issue can be noticed easily by your co-riders. while you are pedaling your leg follows a clock pattern consecutively, the 3 "o" clock, and 6 "o" clock patterns.
When you're at the 6 "o" position, that is when your leg is at the bottom of your pedal stroke, it should be almost straight while pedaling.
If your leg is not straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke and you have your knee bent too much, its a sign that your saddle is too low for you
Although this is just an indication for a low saddle height and it's mostly corrected by the heel method which we will be discussing soon, so stay tuned with us.
So, do you have any of these symptoms??
If yes, you are most probably riding with a saddle that is too low for you. Let's also see the next case IE,
IS MY SADDLE TOO HIGH?
Having your saddle high helps your leg to extend fully, hence delivering all your power to the pedals efficiently without any power loss.But having it too high can do the opposite of it.
But, how do I know that my saddle is too high for me?
Well, here are some common problems and signs of having a high saddle.
when you ride a bike with a high saddle your leg tends to lose contact with the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke
To maintain sufficient contact, your hip starts to move side by side making your leg stretch to its maximum. and if this situation is continued, it can cause severe damage to your muscles and knees.
The next symptom of a high saddle is :
Because of this, your leg stretches to its maximum causing your hamstring to work more which causes pain while riding, sometimes you may feel the pain after you complete your ride.
If this situation is continued you will develop some serious injuries to your hamstring and also creates a mindset of quitting cycling due to the stinking pain in your muscles you experience each time you walk or run after your ride.
Hey, but no worries we have got the best solutions for it, which I will tell you soon after we know your problems.
Let's see the next symptom and know our problems more precisely for achieving an optimal saddle height.
And it's really a painful experience, and in the worst-case scenario, you might have to take rest even for weeks.
I hope you have figured out the exact problem you are facing with your saddle height.
The first method to correct your saddle height is:
STEP 1: Place your bike on a stand and sit on it. if you don't have a stand, lean your bike against a wall and try to balance it firmly.
STEP 2: Ensure your surroundings are clean, like no oil or grease on the surface and nails or any sharp objects around you, as they can hurt you if you fall down from your bike while doing this method.
STEP 3: After everything is set to go, put on your shoes, and place any one of your legs at the bottom of the pedal stroke by only your heel touching the pedal.
STEP 4: Now slowly pedal backward and see if you get a satisfactory grip with the pedal every time.
The heel method says, that your leg should be almost straight with having a slight bend of 10 to 5 degrees at your knees at the bottom of the pedal stroke with only your heel touching the pedal.
STEP 5: If your saddle is too low for you, you will find that you have your knee bent too much at its bottom stroke and your leg is not straight.
And in the case of a high saddle, you will find that you tend to lose contact with the pedal at its bottom stroke.
STEP 6: our goal is to maintain sufficient contact with the pedal and at the same time to have almost a straight leg with not much knee bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
But, how do I know that my saddle is too high for me?
Well, here are some common problems and signs of having a high saddle.
Rocking of hips
When you're saddle is too high your hip will start to lean side by side as you pedal.when you ride a bike with a high saddle your leg tends to lose contact with the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke
To maintain sufficient contact, your hip starts to move side by side making your leg stretch to its maximum. and if this situation is continued, it can cause severe damage to your muscles and knees.
The next symptom of a high saddle is :
Pain in hamstrings while pedaling
As discussed before your hip starts to rock side by side as you pedal, to compensate for the loss of contact with the pedal at its bottom stroke.Because of this, your leg stretches to its maximum causing your hamstring to work more which causes pain while riding, sometimes you may feel the pain after you complete your ride.
If this situation is continued you will develop some serious injuries to your hamstring and also creates a mindset of quitting cycling due to the stinking pain in your muscles you experience each time you walk or run after your ride.
Hey, but no worries we have got the best solutions for it, which I will tell you soon after we know your problems.
Let's see the next symptom and know our problems more precisely for achieving an optimal saddle height.
Hurt in the balls of your foot
A high saddle can easily cause pain or damage to the balls of your foot as you tend to lose contact with the pedal each time at its bottom stroke your ankle starts to work more to make contact and you end up transferring all your power to the pedal inefficiently via the ball of your foot.And it's really a painful experience, and in the worst-case scenario, you might have to take rest even for weeks.
I hope you have figured out the exact problem you are facing with your saddle height.
METHODS TO CORRECT YOUR SADDLE HEIGHT.
After knowing whether your saddle is too high or too low for you, it's time to get it right.The first method to correct your saddle height is:
1.THE HEEL METHOD
The heel method is one of the easiest and quickest methods to find your correct saddle height. let's understand this method step by step.STEP 1: Place your bike on a stand and sit on it. if you don't have a stand, lean your bike against a wall and try to balance it firmly.
STEP 2: Ensure your surroundings are clean, like no oil or grease on the surface and nails or any sharp objects around you, as they can hurt you if you fall down from your bike while doing this method.
STEP 3: After everything is set to go, put on your shoes, and place any one of your legs at the bottom of the pedal stroke by only your heel touching the pedal.
STEP 4: Now slowly pedal backward and see if you get a satisfactory grip with the pedal every time.
The heel method says, that your leg should be almost straight with having a slight bend of 10 to 5 degrees at your knees at the bottom of the pedal stroke with only your heel touching the pedal.
STEP 5: If your saddle is too low for you, you will find that you have your knee bent too much at its bottom stroke and your leg is not straight.
And in the case of a high saddle, you will find that you tend to lose contact with the pedal at its bottom stroke.
STEP 6: our goal is to maintain sufficient contact with the pedal and at the same time to have almost a straight leg with not much knee bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
Now according to your current saddle height try to adjust the saddle to achieve our goal.
If you have it too high lower it a bit and if you have your saddle too low increase its height until you satisfy the above-mentioned condition.
Bonus tip: Raise or lower your saddle each time by 5mm or less than that as having small increments each time on your saddle will help you to reach the sweet spot more precisely.
After you set your new saddle height, ride with it for a few days and fine-tune it with your every ride to get an optimal saddle height.
This method can give you some major improvements in your ride quality and also requires less time and resources.
Although the heel method is very simple and one of the quickest methods to know your saddle height it has some cons too
The heel method is sometimes known for being the less accurate method for finding an optimum saddle height. and for some riders, it cannot provide the best solution as they expected.
For those who didn't get a satisfactory result from the heel method, I would recommend them to try out the next method.IE,
This method tends to approach with a mathematical form and provides a greater amount of accuracy by taking so many factors into count, unlike the heel method.
But this requires some amount of time and a little bit of extra effort, but believe me it will be worth spending.
The 109% method works based on your inseam measurement ( inseam measurement is nothing but the distance between your crotch to the foot)
The optimal height is found by multiplying your inseam measurement by 1.09 and the final answer you get is your saddle height, which is the measurement from the bottom of the pedal stroke to the top surface of your saddle via your seat tube as shown in the pic.
Bonus tip: Raise or lower your saddle each time by 5mm or less than that as having small increments each time on your saddle will help you to reach the sweet spot more precisely.
After you set your new saddle height, ride with it for a few days and fine-tune it with your every ride to get an optimal saddle height.
This method can give you some major improvements in your ride quality and also requires less time and resources.
Although the heel method is very simple and one of the quickest methods to know your saddle height it has some cons too
The heel method is sometimes known for being the less accurate method for finding an optimum saddle height. and for some riders, it cannot provide the best solution as they expected.
For those who didn't get a satisfactory result from the heel method, I would recommend them to try out the next method.IE,
2. THE 109% METHOD
If you're not satisfied with your results by the heel method the 109% method will be a nice treat to you.This method tends to approach with a mathematical form and provides a greater amount of accuracy by taking so many factors into count, unlike the heel method.
But this requires some amount of time and a little bit of extra effort, but believe me it will be worth spending.
The 109% method works based on your inseam measurement ( inseam measurement is nothing but the distance between your crotch to the foot)
The optimal height is found by multiplying your inseam measurement by 1.09 and the final answer you get is your saddle height, which is the measurement from the bottom of the pedal stroke to the top surface of your saddle via your seat tube as shown in the pic.
So let's understand the 109% method more deeply step by step.
STEP 1: put on your cycling shoes and shots and lean against a wall.
STEP 2: Take a telephone diary or a fairly thick book and put the binding of the book in between your legs and pull slightly up towards your crotch,
The thick book is placed between your legs and pulled slightly towards your crotch to replicate the scenario of being on a saddle.
STEP 3: Now grab a measuring tape and measure your inseam.
Mark the point on the wall where you held your book with a pencil or any marker and measure the distance from the point to the ground by a measuring tape in centimeters.
STEP 4: Once you have got the measurement it's time to do the magic move, multiply your measured value with 1.09 by calculator if you suck at math like me.
In my case, I got the inseam measurement as 81cm. And I multiplied it by 1.09 which gave me my saddle height as 88.29 which in reality was my optimum saddle height.
After we set our saddle height it's time to correct the next element which is our fore and aft position.
Now, after knowing the symptoms and what changes should be made to your saddle height it's time to examine the fore and aft position of your saddle.
The center of gravity depends upon the bike's geometry and its size but it's largely affected by the saddle position on its rails and that's why the fore and aft position in a saddle is important.
I have seen many riders with a perfect saddle height and improper fore and aft position
And because of this they get exhausted and give up soon despite having sufficient stamina.
and if it's not correct you are going to waste a lot of watts and develop pain while riding.
A too forward or too backward saddle can bring a significant performance drop on your ride and also can easily appear as a major barrier in the handling of your bike.
So let's find if you're saddle is too front or back for you.
A too-forward saddle can easily stress out your shoulder muscles as you sit close to the handlebar you feel a tightness in your shoulder.
And when you're on a climb you always tend to lean backward which is too irritating during a climb and also it puts more pressure on your knees especially at the 3 "o" clock position which causes knee pain, especially on long rides.
Having a saddle forward will increase your torso angle( basically, it's the angle between your upper and lower body while riding) and causes strain in your hip muscles too.
And when you tend to shift yourself backside in a climb, you sit on the edge of the saddle as your saddle is already too forward and there is no more enough room for you to sit comfortably.
If you feel these symptoms at your ride, your saddle is too forward for you and this can be corrected by the KOPS method which we will see shortly, once we get to know all the problems with your saddle for an optimum saddle height.
let us also see the next case,
To catch the handlebar you have to bend too much and also exert a lot of force on your hands to maintain a sufficient grip with it, which causes pain in your palm and wrist.
And with too much bending, you have to put some extra effort into your neck muscles to keep it straight which causes neck pain too.
I hope you got the exact problem you're facing with your fore and aft position, lets us also see the methods to correct it.
The layback/fore and aft position of a saddle is generally found by dropping a plumb bob from the front of your knee by having your pedals at the 3 "o" clock position.
If you don't have a plumb bob just take a 30 to 40-inch thread and tie anyone of its ends with a small stone and you're plumb bob is ready to use.
In case, if you don't find comfort with a plumb bob for some reason, you can have a long 30 to 40-inch scale and can use it instead of a plumb bob, even that makes the job done.
Now, for a more deep understanding, let's see how to do it step by step comfortably.
STEP 1: Put your bike on a stand. if you don't have one, lean against a wall firmly with no sharp objects around you.
STEP 2: Have your pedals leveled to the ground, ie set your pedals at the 3"o" clock position with your riding shoes put on.
Now drop a plumb bob from the front of your knee. the bob/stone should intersect just in front of your pedal axle or at the end of the crank arm.
If you find the bob falling away from the pedal axle, adjust the saddle reach in such a way that the bob should intersect right at the pedal axle or at the end of the crank arm.
STEP 4: Once you have got the measurement it's time to do the magic move, multiply your measured value with 1.09 by calculator if you suck at math like me.
In my case, I got the inseam measurement as 81cm. And I multiplied it by 1.09 which gave me my saddle height as 88.29 which in reality was my optimum saddle height.
After we set our saddle height it's time to correct the next element which is our fore and aft position.
Now, after knowing the symptoms and what changes should be made to your saddle height it's time to examine the fore and aft position of your saddle.
3.FORE AND AFT POSITION
A perfect center of gravity is important for having a perfect ride.The center of gravity depends upon the bike's geometry and its size but it's largely affected by the saddle position on its rails and that's why the fore and aft position in a saddle is important.
I have seen many riders with a perfect saddle height and improper fore and aft position
And because of this they get exhausted and give up soon despite having sufficient stamina.
and if it's not correct you are going to waste a lot of watts and develop pain while riding.
A too forward or too backward saddle can bring a significant performance drop on your ride and also can easily appear as a major barrier in the handling of your bike.
So let's find if you're saddle is too front or back for you.
Is my saddle too forward?
A saddle that is too forward can make your upper body stretch so badly, especially on the climbs.A too-forward saddle can easily stress out your shoulder muscles as you sit close to the handlebar you feel a tightness in your shoulder.
And when you're on a climb you always tend to lean backward which is too irritating during a climb and also it puts more pressure on your knees especially at the 3 "o" clock position which causes knee pain, especially on long rides.
Having a saddle forward will increase your torso angle( basically, it's the angle between your upper and lower body while riding) and causes strain in your hip muscles too.
And when you tend to shift yourself backside in a climb, you sit on the edge of the saddle as your saddle is already too forward and there is no more enough room for you to sit comfortably.
If you feel these symptoms at your ride, your saddle is too forward for you and this can be corrected by the KOPS method which we will see shortly, once we get to know all the problems with your saddle for an optimum saddle height.
let us also see the next case,
Is my saddle too backward?
A saddle that is too backward can be easily figured out by your handlebar reach, when you sit on the bike you will feel your handlebar is too far from you and you have to bend too much to catch it every time.To catch the handlebar you have to bend too much and also exert a lot of force on your hands to maintain a sufficient grip with it, which causes pain in your palm and wrist.
And with too much bending, you have to put some extra effort into your neck muscles to keep it straight which causes neck pain too.
I hope you got the exact problem you're facing with your fore and aft position, lets us also see the methods to correct it.
4.THE KOPS METHOD
The kops method ( knee over the pedal spindle method ) is one of the most popular methods to correct your fore and aft position.The layback/fore and aft position of a saddle is generally found by dropping a plumb bob from the front of your knee by having your pedals at the 3 "o" clock position.
If you don't have a plumb bob just take a 30 to 40-inch thread and tie anyone of its ends with a small stone and you're plumb bob is ready to use.
In case, if you don't find comfort with a plumb bob for some reason, you can have a long 30 to 40-inch scale and can use it instead of a plumb bob, even that makes the job done.
Now, for a more deep understanding, let's see how to do it step by step comfortably.
STEP 1: Put your bike on a stand. if you don't have one, lean against a wall firmly with no sharp objects around you.
STEP 2: Have your pedals leveled to the ground, ie set your pedals at the 3"o" clock position with your riding shoes put on.
Now drop a plumb bob from the front of your knee. the bob/stone should intersect just in front of your pedal axle or at the end of the crank arm.
If you find the bob falling away from the pedal axle, adjust the saddle reach in such a way that the bob should intersect right at the pedal axle or at the end of the crank arm.
The kops method will provide the right layback for your saddle, but there are some things that you should consider before you do it.
The kops method is designed in such a way, that it concentrates only on your pedaling comfort. And sets your saddle on its rails to maximize your pedaling efficiency by avoiding knee pain and all other problems related to wrong pedaling.
The major advantage of using the kops method is that it brings the right muscles into action for pedaling, which helps you to pedal more smoothly without straining any of your muscles too much and you will find yourself faster once you adopt the kops method.
As mentioned before the kops method helps you to fit your saddle layback to maximize only your pedaling efficiency. And in some cases, the saddle layback is set in such a way that it will clear your pedaling problems but might mess up with your handlebar reach.
This case was noticed by my friend. He was a new bee to cycling, So he was not aware of the importance of a saddle fit. I advise him to spend some time on his saddle to have a good experience while riding.
After all the correction in his saddle, he decided to follow the kops method to set his saddle layback.
Before adopting the method the handlebar reach was perfect for him although his pedaling efficiency sucked.
But after the method was adopted he found himself that the pedaling experience got very smooth than before but he also found the handlebar reach got very short for him this time.
If the same situation occurs for you, firstly do not change the saddle layback which was corrected by the kops method.
Many beginners spend so much time finding their ideal layback for their saddle but once they find that the handlebar reach is short or long for them they immediately change their saddle layback according to their handlebar reach.
The kops method is designed in such a way, that it concentrates only on your pedaling comfort. And sets your saddle on its rails to maximize your pedaling efficiency by avoiding knee pain and all other problems related to wrong pedaling.
The major advantage of using the kops method is that it brings the right muscles into action for pedaling, which helps you to pedal more smoothly without straining any of your muscles too much and you will find yourself faster once you adopt the kops method.
As mentioned before the kops method helps you to fit your saddle layback to maximize only your pedaling efficiency. And in some cases, the saddle layback is set in such a way that it will clear your pedaling problems but might mess up with your handlebar reach.
This case was noticed by my friend. He was a new bee to cycling, So he was not aware of the importance of a saddle fit. I advise him to spend some time on his saddle to have a good experience while riding.
After all the correction in his saddle, he decided to follow the kops method to set his saddle layback.
Before adopting the method the handlebar reach was perfect for him although his pedaling efficiency sucked.
But after the method was adopted he found himself that the pedaling experience got very smooth than before but he also found the handlebar reach got very short for him this time.
If the same situation occurs for you, firstly do not change the saddle layback which was corrected by the kops method.
Many beginners spend so much time finding their ideal layback for their saddle but once they find that the handlebar reach is short or long for them they immediately change their saddle layback according to their handlebar reach.
And they ruin their saddle position as the kops method only concentrates on your pedaling comfort and efficiency, not on your handlebar reach.
So if you find your handlebar reach improper after the kops method, I would recommend you do to make changes in the stem length of your handlebar instead of your saddle in this way you can achieve a comfortable handlebar reach without compromising your saddle layback.
Now after correcting the fore and aft position of your saddle its time to clear our last checkpoint IE,
No matter how expensive a saddle you put in your bike, if you're saddle tilt angle sucks you will have discomfort while riding.
Many beginners skip this part and just stick with the height and front and aft position in correcting their saddle position.
But we will avoid that mistake as we want to love our saddle when riding, so let us explore saddle tilt in deep.
Basically, your saddle tilt is measured by the nose of your saddle.
As you can see from the pic, the saddle nose is straight, and it's a nice flat saddle.
But in some cases, you will notice that the nose is too upright or too down. which will definitely hurt you in many ways.
Some people have their nose down thinking that it will reduce the pressure at your groin areas and increase comfort when you bend too forward to get aero.
But the reality is something different.
When you have your saddle nose too down you gradually start to slide forward from your saddle which increases the pressure in your knees, shoulder, and hand.
And if you have your saddle too upright, you will end up having a painful ride and if continued for a very long time, you might be taking weeks of bed rest in the hospital.
Defining a perfect saddle tilt is tough as it varies from person to person.
Many bike manufacturers keep their saddle leveled as its most the preferred one for many riders.
But you might want a change in it, to increase your performance and comfort.
There are no fixed procedures or methods to correct your saddle tilt because, We are all different from others, which means we differ from others in our physical abilities and flexibility.
And each one needs a unique saddle tilt angle which is only possible by many trial and error methods and fine-tuning it after every ride.
But there are some signs of having a wrong saddle tilt which can give you a nice start to correct your tilt angle.
In some cases you might find that the saddle nose is a bit up or down just by naked eyes, you can adjust the saddle nose until it's leveled and comfortable for you.
The second method is to examine yourself while riding.
Concentrate at which point or at which stage that you feel your saddle hurts you in your ride and make a note of it and try to correct it until you feel comfortable.
To give you an even more clear vision, I will suggest the most preferred saddle angles for different riders and according to your needs and you can choose the one which suits you
So if you find your handlebar reach improper after the kops method, I would recommend you do to make changes in the stem length of your handlebar instead of your saddle in this way you can achieve a comfortable handlebar reach without compromising your saddle layback.
Now after correcting the fore and aft position of your saddle its time to clear our last checkpoint IE,
5.Saddle tilt
With the height and front and aft position, your saddle tilt is also important.No matter how expensive a saddle you put in your bike, if you're saddle tilt angle sucks you will have discomfort while riding.
Many beginners skip this part and just stick with the height and front and aft position in correcting their saddle position.
But we will avoid that mistake as we want to love our saddle when riding, so let us explore saddle tilt in deep.
Basically, your saddle tilt is measured by the nose of your saddle.
As you can see from the pic, the saddle nose is straight, and it's a nice flat saddle.
But in some cases, you will notice that the nose is too upright or too down. which will definitely hurt you in many ways.
Some people have their nose down thinking that it will reduce the pressure at your groin areas and increase comfort when you bend too forward to get aero.
But the reality is something different.
When you have your saddle nose too down you gradually start to slide forward from your saddle which increases the pressure in your knees, shoulder, and hand.
And if you have your saddle too upright, you will end up having a painful ride and if continued for a very long time, you might be taking weeks of bed rest in the hospital.
Defining a perfect saddle tilt is tough as it varies from person to person.
Many bike manufacturers keep their saddle leveled as its most the preferred one for many riders.
But you might want a change in it, to increase your performance and comfort.
There are no fixed procedures or methods to correct your saddle tilt because, We are all different from others, which means we differ from others in our physical abilities and flexibility.
And each one needs a unique saddle tilt angle which is only possible by many trial and error methods and fine-tuning it after every ride.
But there are some signs of having a wrong saddle tilt which can give you a nice start to correct your tilt angle.
HOW TO SET OPTIMUM SADDLE TILT?
The first easy method to know whether you have a correct saddle tilt is, just by seeing them carefully.In some cases you might find that the saddle nose is a bit up or down just by naked eyes, you can adjust the saddle nose until it's leveled and comfortable for you.
The second method is to examine yourself while riding.
Concentrate at which point or at which stage that you feel your saddle hurts you in your ride and make a note of it and try to correct it until you feel comfortable.
To give you an even more clear vision, I will suggest the most preferred saddle angles for different riders and according to your needs and you can choose the one which suits you
so here it is,
If you're a casual rider who rides mostly on flat roads with fewer elevations and go for shorter rides I would suggest having a flat leveled saddle tilt angle.
But, If you're an endurance rider who gives speed as the first importance like me, I would suggest you have your saddle nose slightly but down not more than 3 degrees.
In case you love to climb or do a lot of elevations on your every ride, having your saddle nose slightly up can make things a bit easier.
But do remember that a perfect saddle tilt comes with a lot of experiments and fine-tuning so make sure you do your best when you make changes each time to your saddle.
last but not least,
The methods which are listed till now may not be a permanent solution to your problems they can only reduce your discomfort or increase your performance to some margin when compared to a professional bike fit.
so I strongly recommend having a professional bike fit.
A bike fit can be very complex than you think as many factors come into play that can only be solved and handled by a professional bike fit.
All these methods which are listed above can only give you slight relief from your problems but going for a professional bike fit can completely solve all your problems.
So I always recommend you go for a professional bike fit to enjoy cycling to the fullest and to make use of the right muscles without harming it.
spending some time and money on professional bike fit will really pay off especially in the long run.
So, now we have a perfect,
- saddle height
- fore and aft position
- saddle tilt
In case you have any quires, let me know in the comment section. be frank to use it and share our blog with your colleagues.
And yes, wear a helmet while riding and obey the traffic rules, and pedal like pro.
See you guys in our next article. Happy pedaling.
And yes, wear a helmet while riding and obey the traffic rules, and pedal like pro.
See you guys in our next article. Happy pedaling.
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