4 Ways To Get The Right Saddle Height

If your saddle isn't set at the right height, it can cause you all sorts of issues. The worst-case scenario is injuries to your hips, knees, and ankles, and your pedalling won't be as powerful or efficient. Anna Cipullo has a few methods to ensure your saddle is at the right height, maximizing your pedal strokes and reducing the risk of injury. There have been a few different ways to measure saddle height over the years, Anna shares her favourites and the pros and cons of each.
⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
0:00 - Intro
0:21 - The Heel Method
2:48 - The Lemond Method
3:45 - The Hamley Method
6:32 - Overview
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[@gmbntech]

📏When was the last time you changed your saddle height? Is it set to the right height now? Let us know! 👇

[@MrJacquers]

It's probably not optimal, but for that I'd need a dropper post with longer travel.

[@AE31011]

On my mtb there is a dropper post. In the beginning i did some rides and used the dropper to find a good hight. When i came home i measured the hight of the saddle and adjusted the hight of the saddle with the dropper fully extended.

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

Yes that's the ideal, ideally you know what dropper height you need with the bike you tried, I'm often scared to buy online just for that reason, it's quite a bummer if you can't go low enough or insert the dropper enough...

[@fredboudreaux9663]

Always love her videos! Great info.

[@Milessongs]

Really excellent, complete tutorial, Anna! Thanks as always!

[@Broodjemetbeleg]

Excellent video! Just in time haha, got my new hardtail which still needs setting up.

[@Ulster2]

Given I’m not a cyclist and ride a Como 4 ebike I’ve been baffled by saddle height advice. The inseam method you suggest is the most logical advice I’ve seen to date and given I ride with Catalyst flat foot pedals I’m going to reset on this method. The other methods as you point out will differ from this substantially but I can only assume they are based the fact your are effectively riding on your tip toes. The Catalyst pedal is designed to be pedalled using the full foot ( they are larger to accommodate this) and their inventor claims this is more science based than pedalling on your toes. He claims this because when he went in search of scientific papers on current pedalling advice he couldn’t find any. Thanks for the inseam advice really pleased I found some common sense in the cycling instruction world.

[@josemarieteomale5791]

The 1st method is applicable for me. I have been using this type of seat adjustment

[@ianwilde1800]

i just go buy feel then pit mark on seat post so its always set at correct hight a light bend in knees' when at bottom of stroke i have mine a little bit longer than i advise other people to do but it works for me i get max amount power on all my bikes mountain and road and buy the way im bike shop owner so yea i try fit everyone to the bike i dont sell new bikes only used ones but every customer i get even for bike repair or tune up i refit them for the best riding position for them only been open for few months but every customer iv had has been so happy and that's the way to move forward injured army veteran and cycling is something i love so being able to help out other cyclists my perfect job

[@chrisridesbicycles]

In the MTB, the heel method is good enough. If you start on the high side, you can use the dropper to avoid getting on and off the bike 1000 times. If you have found it, mark the position of the dropper with a marker or cable tie, extend it back to maximum, measure the difference and use that to adjust the height.

[@jaredmott6402]

I think most people have their seat way too high, the assumption being that nearly full extension at the bottom of the stroke is more efficient or something. But go look at a few pro road race videos. They all have their knees bent a decent amount at the bottom of the peddling stroke. This saddle height feels waaay better for me. Plus, because of the mechanics of the hips there’s a slight internal rotation at full extension that’s gonna cause knee strain if you’re too close to full extension.

[@kevinclark9176]

Yes, exactly. My first thought when she showed the heel method is that sets the saddle too high. And then using a road bike method from the 80s most certainly will too. A lot has changed since then on our understanding of generating power and reducing injuries and a lower saddle is better for both. I was watching a saddle height video a while back from a road race trainer and he showed how you need to have enough angle of bend at the knee at bottom of stroke. Seemed like the best method is riding on a trainer with a video set up from the side then getting a still and measuring that angle. Also, as far as being too long, it makes it way harder to get over technical features on climbs. Of course you can lower the saddle a little with a dropper but I find this very hard to do consistently with the popular infinite adjustment posts.

[@ktse87]

I agree, it was really aparent when I got into road/gravel cycling with a fixed post that the traditional methods of setting saddle height were generally too high and resulted in back pain. With fixed posts I now purposely set it low initially, ride, test for pain over a long ride and raise it 5 mm to see if it's a little bit more efficient.

[@patrickcarmody5905]

Nice video, thanks! What about correct forward or back placement of the seat, tilt adjustment up, down or level and seat rotation slightly left or right?

[@1969Escobar]

Anna i have a fast one, inseam in cm minus 10, it works for me, cheers

[@shards14]

Lemond and Hamley method gives me crazy high saddle position. Inseam (without shoes) 900mm so it's 965/980... Heel method or setting saddle to inseam height get's me much closer. ( I have been raiding saddle too high for long time before)

[@David-qx8jm]

I've always set it to inseam and then make micro adjustments from there. I know it's real important to get this right so stay at it till you get it just right. Also your reach to the bars is just important. If something goes numb then you know to keep adjusting with micro adjustments. Ok my lady keepemcoming.

[@lolsaLlama]

I always use the heel method, MTB, commuter and gravel. All my bikes I just use that. I'm a flat footed peddler and I don't get any discomfort when setting up each bike using the heel method.

[@awfully.average]

i use the Heel method its been great

[@rodhagen9393]

Last time I changed my saddle height was when I changed saddles. I finally got a saddle that fits my sit bones properly and I had to raise my saddle about 15mm.

[@pablomondragon5738]

Good information!! How tall you are? What frame size is that canyon lux? Thanks

[@VictorElGreco]

Fiddly is good. 😌 It lets me feel my way around the bike, back-pedal for a bit, fiddle some more… 😄 Hey, it’s the MTB lifestyle. ☺️

[@ThePalmDude]

I use the ..."set it then ride it, then tweak it, then ride it and tweak it till its right" method 😅

[@Canyon_Shawn]

I do the inseam method, then I drop it an inch. I feel that works the back and the front of my legs more equally.

[@fusion01wp]

You should sit on the bike with the ball of your one foot on the pedal that is then fully extended vertically downwards. Your should have a 10-15 degree bend in your knee. That is the right height.

[@briannyob7799]

Perfect seat height is for road bikes and possibly xc racers.

[@manitolas]

Heel method for me works fine(i suppose) 😀✌️🤟

[@yeshwanth_reddie_0842]

I am getting knee pain , how to avoid it

[@noke1785]

i changed my saddle, and now i have to make seatpost longer...sucks, because dropper wire is to short now...but to be honest, i feel the 2cm difference a lot....i measured from my old bike ;)

[@RC_Gubben]

Please is that the best way to measure inseam length?? Use a wall & a book. Known since at least 20-30years

[@adam11wilson]

Hi guys you did a video featuring a helmet with mips that didt brake the bank but I can't find the vid again 😢 can any one help please

[@enriquee.k3329]

On my xc bike, I installed dropper 100m the problem it’s too high, but I keep adjusting it by dropping it a bit, the problem if I lower it, it won’t work lol 😂 Driving me crazy

[@MajorBorris]

Heel method...I extend the ball of my foot a little bit while pedaling.

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

More importantly I love to try out and demo bikes because it's the only way to know if you can go low enough, a good example is the forbidden dreadnought, I really wanted one but couldn't live with the minimal height of the seatpost on a large...

[@Da5idc]

For me, the Greg LeMond method makes the most sense for a starting point - it measures from the point in the stroke when you are exerting maximum force, when your knees, etc. are under the most stress. When you at the bottom of the stroke, nothing much is happening anyway. The exception is using LONG cranks which may cause rocking on the saddle at the bottom or hip impingement at the top.

[@soumyakantipal9942]

So good❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@imanMohamadighasr]

What is your name? You speak very beautifully

[@Pompelaify]

#askgmbn Please help, how do I shorten a travel in a dropper post?

[@waltw8230]

You probably have to buy a shorter travel dropper

[@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5]

just sit on your bike and put your heel on the pedel...when your leg is almost locked out then thats your height...yep that's how I've always done it.

[@imanMohamadighasr]

Hi

[@Justkeepshredding]

Professional bike fitter? Oh, before I go let me just transfer some funds into my child’s platinum credit account.

[@ericbeaupre8505]

You did not mention how sag May affect these methods / measurements on a full sus.

[@MrJacquers]

Because sag isn't going going to change the distance between the pedals / bb and saddle. Unless you have some weird suspension layout?

[@thesmf1210]

@@MrJacquers GT come to mind with their stupid bottom bracket in the suspension design

[@MrJacquers]

Yeah, that funky looking i-Drive design :) I don't think they use that anymore though. But a suspension seatpost would also have a similar @@thesmf1210

[@MrJacquers]

A suspension seatpost on a hardtail will definitely throw out the measurements a bit.

[@jmo2752]

@@thesmf1210 the whole point of the i-Drive design was that it keeps thew bottom bracket in the same location regardless of the suspension cycle - but yes, it was an overly complicated 'solution' to a problem that should not have existed in the first place... These days, all modern suspension frames have a consistent distance between the centre of the bottom bracket and the top of the seat tube.

[@eggbenedict-gt7mw]

Nice bobbas