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Saddle Positioning
Adjust your saddle to maximum comfort
04.05.2019
Here are a few simple steps for getting your saddle position in the right place:
Adjusting the Saddle Height
Jump on your bike and put the heel of the foot on the pedal. At this point, your leg should be lock out.
Then place the front foot on the pedal, and make sure the angle between your shin bone in relation to your thigh bone. This is called ‘Holmes’ method. Holmes theory required quite a lot of research, and states that the optimum angle is 25 to 30 degrees, when you leg is at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
You can use a goniometer to do it. If you don’t have one, it won’t make much of a big hole in your pocket.
Make your saddle LEVEL
If it’s tilted up slightly, you can put a little too much pressure on some sensitive areas, and if you point it too far down, then it puts a lot more weight to your hands and you’ll find yourself constantly sliding forward on the saddle.
Make sure your bike is on level ground, and adjust your saddle accordingly with a leveler tool.
Don’t Move The Seat To Adjust Handlebar Reach
Another mistake to avoid is determining your seat position based on the reach to the handlebars. Sometimes, if it feels like the bars are too far away, you might be tempted to slide the seat forward to reduce the reach.
This solves the reach problem but your seat position should be based on your relationship to the pedals, which will minimize chance of injury and maximize your power when you’re riding.
The correct way to make size adjustments such as reach is to change the stem length (the part that holds the handlebars) after you determine your appropriate saddle position.