@Bjorn Arnesen That's when the toe is placed on the pedal and not the heel. Heel to pedal lock technique results in the "slightly bent knee" when you ride with toe on pedal. Note that we should not ride with our heel on the pedal. You may consider re-watching that video, since in this video, the significance of using heel to pedal for saddle adjustment was not mentioned. Edit: By saying toes, I am actually referring to the balls of the feet, similar to like how we run.
Really useful, I've had height dialled in but never knew about the "hanging object" method for working out fore/aft and that confirmed what I thought - saddle could do with being moved forward, will see how it feels tomorrow out on the road!
Thank you GCN! I am new to Road Cycling. It took a while to find a biike that would work for me (6'3", 235# or 191cm, 107 kg). I found a 61cm Felt Z25 that fit me well. I rode it a few time in 2020 and didnt love it, so it sat unused. I decided to learn more about road cycling through your youtube channel and figured out the saddle and handle height, as well as saddle angle were all wrong. I got fitted locally and had everythign adjusted. In the last 2 months (after the fit) I have ridden almost 500 miles! Thanks for the education.
Oh man, can't stress enough how important the correct saddle height is. I thought I had it right but my knees were aching like crazy. Moved the seat up a few cm, no more knee pain and what's even better was that I rode more efficiently and that in turn lowered my times by about 4mins around a 19km course I ride.
The general opinion for years on end has always been that most people ride with a saddle too low and the dangerous misconception, which I fell for ,that pain in the front of the knee means the saddle is too low, pain behind the knee too high. I had pain in front of my knee, so put the saddle up. I still had pain in front of my knee, so I put the saddle up again. I continued with pain in front of my knee for 5 years so yet again put the saddle up until it was so high I developed Achilles tendonitis. Also the knee pain never resolved. After lots and lots of research and particularly reading " riding a saddle that is only slightly too high is far more problematic than a saddle that is very much too low", I decided to go in the opposite direction and I lowered my saddle by a whopping 2 cm. Knee pain eradicated.
The heel on the pedal method with a slightly bent leg is a good starting point. After that just start marking your seatpost and move your seat height up or down in mm increments according to your personal preferences. Every one of us is different.
You might also mention that if you adjust your saddle fore or aft that you should recheck / reset saddle height. Because most saddle mounting rails are on an angle, if you move the saddle forward it raises saddle height and moving it backwards lowers saddle height.
I’m enjoying the bike so far ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
We tackled assembling the bike as a family project. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxzg0clhbtRf2gGxPkVETFKJJKGqdsorQu The package is heavy, but I have 2 teen boys that were able to move it. The written instructions were great- we didn't need to watch the videos, but it was good knowing that the option was there if we needed it. After we were able to get it set up, the boys each rode 3 miles and I rode 8 and the bike stayed quiet. The display is easy to reset, and you can put it on whichever setting you are using (time, distance, calories, etc). I will say that my butt is a little sore from the seat, but that could be because I haven't rode in a while. While it is comfortable for me, it was not comfortable with the seat position for my friend (could not move the seat back far enough and he slightly looked like a kid riding a tricycle that he had outgrown). He also said that the seat hurt his manly parts. We are going to look for a different seat that will be compatible with this bike for him.I did purchase the Wahoo Cadence sensor and strapped it to the crank of one of the pedals. This will sync with my Apple Watch, iPhone and will import data in to my Health app. Wahoo does have other sensors available other than cadence. I can also keep either my phone or my iPad on the display and they both feel pretty secure.
Great Video, in the late 70’s and early 80’s I had the pleasure of racing many times with Greg Lemon, Ian Jackson, Phill Anderson and many others. Just a few more tips. Using the center off the Bracket, be carful because Crank arm lengths differ. So it is better to use Saddled height to center axel of the Peddle at the BDC Bottom Dead Center or 6 O’Clock position and the Lemond Math of inseam. Last tip is always after more than a 3 week period of not riding, always lower your saddle 2.54 CM, because your tendons have shrunk some due to the layoff, then raise it about 1 cm each week or 1/2 CM every 4 days. This will help your Tendons and muscles acclimate. GOD Bless and have a Fantastic day. PS I loved my first bicycle with Index shifting on the Break levers on the fist issue of my Greg Lemond Zurich 2006. I raced with Greg many times when he was known at the Reno Rocket racing out of Reno Nevada. Back then you could earn no money if you wanted to race in the Olympics as you had to maintain an amateur status. LOL the good ole day.
Grew up in Reno when Greg was king! Back when Reno was Reno, the good old days! 8 dollar all day lift tickets at Mount Rose, 8 dollar concerts, 75 cent beers, ect....
Thanks this is the most straightforward vid I have watched today. And God knows I have watched a few. And I needed this info. Thanks for making this vid.
Thanks for great tips on this topic! My saddle height shocked me using Lemond method - my inseam multiplied by coefficient resulted on my current saddle height with accuracy on one millimetre! I am proud of my saddle height settings based on feeling :D You are definitely right :D
It's important to note that saddle height will also impact the position of the knee in relationship with the pedal, so make sure to get the height right before messing with the front/aft. With my first road bike I thought I had setback issues and made a mess out of my saddle before realizing height was the problem. Great video!!
The heel on pedal method works for me .I used to just guess the saddle height and keep altering it until it felt right. After finding out about the heel on pedal method I noticed it wasn't far off where I have it , so I know this method is pretty accurate. I use the measurement from the centre of the pedal axle to the top of the saddle to set up any bike I buy in a few seconds now.
I didn't know about the Lemond method and according to that I've always ridden with saddle about 2.5 cm too low. I hope that this will help me to get more use of the hamstrings and less problems with my knees. Thank you!
I used the heel to pedal method with the bikeshop mechanic to determine the height, he said that when you're cycling and you feel a little knee pain it's too low and if your quadriceps are a little tingly/painful it's too high. Don't know if this is how a bike-fitter does it, but it does work very well for me
Tysm for this video. I have been having knee pain after 20+ mile rides and felt I needed to adjust this. I had my bike squared away perfectly, but after accidentally taking on a single track ride without a dropper post, I messed up the position and needed to redo it. This video had clear directions that I hope will lead to less knee pain. I'll ride this one out and make note of all my current settings if it turns out correct. I'll post a follow-up to this comment with additional tanks if this gets me back to near perfection.
Thanks Manon! Enjoy watching your videos. I forgot about the LeMond formula. I've heard mixed reviews on the plumb bob method but at least it get's you in the ballpark.
@@josephramos3232 I've not seen a definitive video on 'Reach' a much debated/ tweaked area for many and yet critical to real comfort-Is the saddle to handlebar measurement any value or do we all try and touch the bars with our nose, hands behind back???? (the early GCN version of this was not very conclusive- )Ollie?
Nice informative video. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with making bike ajustements yourself but I would strongly suggest having a professional bike fit. It's worth every penny. Also, don't be afraid to swap your saddle if you the one that comes with your bike doesn't suit you. I had to do it for both of my bike and this made a huge difference in confort.
I was on bike fitting twice, but it wasn't good. I had severe pain in my lower back, inflamed ischiadic nerve, whole left leg in pain and very painful riding. So, I watched your video and tried to bike-fit myself. It turned out, I had to push saddle 1,5cm towards handlebar and 0,5cm higher, and had to extend the lenght or the reach of the handlebar. Now I ride with rally minimum pain, but this will probably be always present due to ischiadicus nerve inflammation. But I like it now, it is a real relief after painful rides. Thank you.
Thank you for the math equation! That helped me lots! I don’t have this type of bike, but I’ve always had my dad adjust the height from “feel” and it’s hard to know if it’s right if you’ve never had it professionally set. The equation helped me see how it’s supposed to feel which is great because it felt good :)
I came to this video because I noticed my power meter was reading dramatically different efforts between pedal strokes. Adjusted my height and numbers are within a much more consistent range. Excited to see how this will affect my average power readings in the future!
This video was really helpful! I ended up adjusting my saddle 3cm up, moving it back and tilting it ever so slightly forward. Still trying it out but it feels a lot better.
6:25 Apart from the fact that this might be one of the best GCN videos I really like the outro of this video. The music, the presentation everything is well made in this video. Excellent in every way.
Well its been close to 40 years since i rode a racing cycle !!!! wait for it I found the exact cycle I had for 35 years ago and have spent past 6 months renovating it ( had several racing cycle just really got along well with this one hence why I bought it again ) well thanks to you ive set up the handle bar height perfect for my height , thanks to you I have set up seat height perfect ( had seat post head around the wrong way now its on back of post which now get knee in correct position) I now have Knee over peddle in correct position , and also have seat angle set correct ,,,,, Yikes Im a bit scared for the test ride that I hope to do this Thursday !!!!!! bike is now PERFECT its up to the rider now ,, which is the scary bit ,, thanks again I know i might have to do a few tweak's ,,, Bye for now
Great vid as usual. Manon has really found her stride. Now, how about something to show the best ways to equalize positions on more than one bike - winter bike and summer bike for example? Cheers
This is how i set my saddle height 1) make sure bike is steady and level. 2) make sure that the drive side crank is paralle the seat tube. 3) on the non drive side measure from where the center of your cleat sits on the pedal to the top of the saddle keeping the measuring tape paralle with the seat tube. 4) this measurement should be match your inside seam next DROP the saddle by 2mm. 5) make sure you measure your inside seam with your cycling shorts and cycling shoes on.
I had to lie on the floor for this measurement! But my knee is now definitely under the pedal spindle. I have placed the saddle on the floor. Will attach it later with sellotape. Hope the back wheel doesn’t run over it.
Yeah I had an issue on my saddle where I always slip forward and always have to scoot back to get my sit bone back on the wing. Once they tilt the saddle 2 degrees up, made a huge difference. No more saddle slip. They lowered my seat post by 2mm and I'm still getting used to it. My quads are sore. It could be because I was pacing hard or my body is trying acclimate the new adjustment. I'll give it a few a rides and see where to go from there.
When it comes to anything cycling I'll pretty much take anything Greg LeMond says as gospel from the almighty him/herself. He's from before my time but I've watched soo much video and read soo many interview from him as well as other cyclists from that era. Younger folks don't comprehend how good and how feared he was. If not for outside circumstances along with his loyalty that dude could have easily won many more tours. He was a beast and criminally underrated.
I remember him getting asked a question about his compatriots in the tour = 'I don't fear them at all, I'll take them all on or near them in a time trial!
I was confronted with several options for videos containing information about the correct saddle height of a bicycle and I picked this one because of the absolutely gorgeous host.
If you’re constantly sliding forward on your level saddle and or getting pain in your wrists, your saddle is too far forward. You’re tipping forward because your center of gravity is too forward. Stand up on the floor and mimic a bike riding position. Knees bent, butt out, bend forward, and arms out. Balance your weight on the balls of your feet. That will simulate your saddle being too forward. Your natural position will want to slide forward and ride on the nose of your saddle. And you will put a lot of weight on your wrist. Then move your butt back. Your weight will transfer to your heels. If your saddle is far enough back, your center of gravity will stay in the comfortable part of your saddle and relieve weight from your wrists. The fore and aft movement of your saddle can really affect your comfort.
Who is using the 109% method? Inseam Measurement x 1.09 Measure from top-middle of pedal to top-middle of saddle. Make sure to place the pedal at 5 oclock (right-side) or 7 oclock (left-side),which ever is furthest. Worked for me.
Very good video, using sensible measurements based on someone’s body and bike set up. Also,wise to indicate this is a starting set up and that rider needs to be aware of how their body performs and reacts and to give it time to accommodate any changes: well done !
Mannon your bike looks awesome. I love Canyon bikes and have had an Endurance AL 8.0 disc since 2018 (yes I couldn't afford carbon frame at the time). It's been great and easy to maintain with no issues. It's little heavy on climbing but I've been forced to get stronger and feel safer on high speed decents. Thanks for the video. Have learned a bunch from GCN over the last few years. It's taken me about a year to get that perfect saddle position....hahaha
Watched the video yesterday as I always question my saddle height and position. Last night, I adjusted the height to be my inseam x 0.883, guess what, this morning, I went even faster and more powerful according to Strava! Oh forgot to mention, the fore and aft measurement helps too! Thanks for the great video, easy to understand and follow!
I thought the heel method was with the crank in line with the seat tube, not at the 6 o'clock position? I've had some discomfort on the turbo recently so I'm glad this video came out with fore/aft, tilt etc.
At the bottom of the stroke which should be in line with your hips, which maybe slightly behind the tube depending on the angle of the tube, depending on the size of your body/hips and or the tilt of your pelvis.
Hi. I did lemond method measurement. It turned out my seat height was about 2 cm higher than it should be. I never had any problems, but sometimes I felt it's too hight. After I adjusted the seat height, heal to pedal method was also spot on.
You did lemond method with shoes or without them? As I read lemond method insteam measurement means without shoes, but in this video she said with shoes. There is 2 cm difference too 😑
Worth noting that the length of the crank will affect the height of the seat needed...I recently replaced the cranks cranks on my bike with slightly shorter cranks and was able to find a much more comfortable position at both the top and bottom. Before I either had to stretch a bit at the bottom or had too sharp a knee angle at the top of the stroke. Going from 170mm to 165 improved it. If it wasn't so expensive (and difficult to find) I would love to try a 160mm crank.
The Lemond method disregards crank length or at leat isn't precise enough. The 109% method includes crank length but measuring is more complicated ie. pedal at 5 or 6 o clock/measure from centre of pedal axle or from top of pedal. An easier way is to calculate 109% of inseam and deduct crank length. That will be the correct measurent from centre of B B to top of saddle and easier to measure also.
I've known about Greg LeMond since the late 80's but I didn't know that there was a interesting sizing method named after him. I found this video very interesting and informative. I've been riding for over 35 years. When I start to accelerate I point my feet more, and I start bouncing on the saddle. Is this something you've encountered before? Thanks.
Friend and I had discussion on what portion of the saddle do you determine height. His good point is in the widest portion of the saddle about where the sit bones make contact, this is even more imperative if the rear of the saddle sweeps up a bit like many do.
This was asked a long time ago in a tech clinic, the answer: the sweat is not good for the soft parts in your helmet (so the part that actually takes the energy when you crash) so you should replace your helmet at least every 3-4 years. if you sweat a lot it may be beneficial to replace it quicker, but just keeping an eye on your helmet yourself and replace it if you think it's time (or if you want to)
Thank you! Very complete information and a well-built instructional video with the most illustratives b-rolls inserts. My compliments! And again, thank you very much for sharing such a well-structured informational video. Redmond (Red) Sanders Brown jr.
I prefer to use the 108% method of setting saddle height. Measure your inseam in stocking feet, multiply the result by 108%, use that measurement to set your pedal face to saddle height (this method takes into account crank length).
Thank you! My left knee had a pain in the back of it every time i was riding (im a complete beginner) i tried the heel to pedal method and all of a sudden my pain has gone from what i would consider tolerable to completely gone! i didn't get a single twinge in an hour long ride
Doing the heel to pedal starting point, your best bet is to go 10-15mm lower than that and start/raise from there. If you start from a too high position and you lower or raise it’s likely you’ll not feel it’s better or worse in the new position. You’re better off coming to your correct position from below (a too low seat position). You’ll tend to feel a difference easier that way, and starting low won’t be as detrimental to your riding as starting from a too high position would.
Good tip about using the book to mark an inseam on the wall. Probably much more accurate and easier to make the measure solo than the way I did it. Haha
The way to get your 'inseam' is to measure your Standing Height. Measure your Seated Height ( surface of the flat bench to top of cranium ), and take your Seated Height from your Standing Height.
I will say in both methods, because is it is with your cycling shoes and you have two or more different shoes; then you'll be readjusting the saddle height every time you use your shoes.
it's not as though the difference is that much between shoes... it could be if you're talking about going from a summer shoe to a heavy winter boot like the 45Nrth Wülfgar which has thick tread and lots of insulation.... but between one shoe and another you're talking about millimeters of difference and honestly there's more change than that that happens as you pivot your foot on the pedals when just riding with the crank arms level
Thanks, that's helpful. I'm 55, 93kg and 197 cms with inseam 95 cms. I've been riding more since Covid and I'm re-hooked. I feel a new machine coming on. I was looking at bikes today. But slow to ditch my trusty Trek 1200 of 20 yrs because it's 63 cms and fits me and still does what I need. But I'm very tempted by the CUBE Attain SL composite; looks like a great training/ club bike, in 62 cms. Any tips for a tall, middle aged, somewhat overweight, occasional riding gent? I don't want to spend much more than E2k if possible.
Do you think you need to adjust your saddle height? Let us know in the comments below!
Hi @GCN. A video request. What is the best way to clean your chain and cassette when the bike is being used on the turbo? Would love your advice!
@Bjorn Arnesen That's when the toe is placed on the pedal and not the heel. Heel to pedal lock technique results in the "slightly bent knee" when you ride with toe on pedal. Note that we should not ride with our heel on the pedal. You may consider re-watching that video, since in this video, the significance of using heel to pedal for saddle adjustment was not mentioned.
Edit: By saying toes, I am actually referring to the balls of the feet, similar to like how we run.
I got a free fit at my local bike shop when I purchased my bike and they did a fine job.
I think so...
Really useful, I've had height dialled in but never knew about the "hanging object" method for working out fore/aft and that confirmed what I thought - saddle could do with being moved forward, will see how it feels tomorrow out on the road!
Thank you GCN! I am new to Road Cycling. It took a while to find a biike that would work for me (6'3", 235# or 191cm, 107 kg). I found a 61cm Felt Z25 that fit me well. I rode it a few time in 2020 and didnt love it, so it sat unused. I decided to learn more about road cycling through your youtube channel and figured out the saddle and handle height, as well as saddle angle were all wrong. I got fitted locally and had everythign adjusted. In the last 2 months (after the fit) I have ridden almost 500 miles! Thanks for the education.
So what was the final measurement you went with?
Oh man, can't stress enough how important the correct saddle height is. I thought I had it right but my knees were aching like crazy. Moved the seat up a few cm, no more knee pain and what's even better was that I rode more efficiently and that in turn lowered my times by about 4mins around a 19km course I ride.
It makes all the difference!
@@user-k-333 raise your bars
@@user-k-333 arm extensions?
4 minutes! Insane
She is a great addition to the GCN team!
totally!
Thank you :)
she already put on weight
Ahmad Fariq, she looks fantastic. It's ignorant people like you that cause others to have body image problems.
I love her lilting Welsh accent & her positive attitude. I could listen to her talk about paint drying 😍🤪
my way to become athletic in 2021: - 1 % training - 99% watching gcn videos...
you are training your mind 99% dont put yourself down lad
Tell everybody
I’m on my way…
1% more.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha THAT'S ME
Hahaha
Me too
But , I'm 30 % training , 35% video , 35% cafe .
The general opinion for years on end has always been that most people ride with a saddle too low and the dangerous misconception, which I fell for ,that pain in the front of the knee means the saddle is too low, pain behind the knee too high.
I had pain in front of my knee, so put the saddle up. I still had pain in front of my knee, so I put the saddle up again. I continued with pain in front of my knee for 5 years so yet again put the saddle up until it was so high I developed Achilles tendonitis.
Also the knee pain never resolved.
After lots and lots of research and particularly reading " riding a saddle that is only slightly too high is far more problematic than a saddle that is very much too low",
I decided to go in the opposite direction and I lowered my saddle by a whopping 2 cm.
Knee pain eradicated.
The heel on the pedal method with a slightly bent leg is a good starting point. After that just start marking your seatpost and move your seat height up or down in mm increments according to your personal preferences. Every one of us is different.
You might also mention that if you adjust your saddle fore or aft that you should recheck / reset saddle height. Because most saddle mounting rails are on an angle, if you move the saddle forward it raises saddle height and moving it backwards lowers saddle height.
This might have been the most concise simple cycling info I've ever watched in 15 years
I’m enjoying the bike so far ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
We tackled assembling the bike as a family project. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxzg0clhbtRf2gGxPkVETFKJJKGqdsorQu The package is heavy, but I have 2 teen boys that were able to move it. The written instructions were great- we didn't need to watch the videos, but it was good knowing that the option was there if we needed it. After we were able to get it set up, the boys each rode 3 miles and I rode 8 and the bike stayed quiet. The display is easy to reset, and you can put it on whichever setting you are using (time, distance, calories, etc). I will say that my butt is a little sore from the seat, but that could be because I haven't rode in a while. While it is comfortable for me, it was not comfortable with the seat position for my friend (could not move the seat back far enough and he slightly looked like a kid riding a tricycle that he had outgrown). He also said that the seat hurt his manly parts. We are going to look for a different seat that will be compatible with this bike for him.I did purchase the Wahoo Cadence sensor and strapped it to the crank of one of the pedals. This will sync with my Apple Watch, iPhone and will import data in to my Health app. Wahoo does have other sensors available other than cadence. I can also keep either my phone or my iPad on the display and they both feel pretty secure.
Great Video, in the late 70’s and early 80’s I had the pleasure of racing many times with Greg Lemon, Ian Jackson, Phill Anderson and many others. Just a few more tips. Using the center off the Bracket, be carful because Crank arm lengths differ. So it is better to use Saddled height to center axel of the Peddle at the BDC Bottom Dead Center or 6 O’Clock position and the Lemond Math of inseam.
Last tip is always after more than a 3 week period of not riding, always lower your saddle 2.54 CM, because your tendons have shrunk some due to the layoff, then raise it about 1 cm each week or 1/2 CM every 4 days. This will help your Tendons and muscles acclimate. GOD Bless and have a Fantastic day. PS I loved my first bicycle with Index shifting on the Break levers on the fist issue of my Greg Lemond Zurich 2006. I raced with Greg many times when he was known at the Reno Rocket racing out of Reno Nevada. Back then you could earn no money if you wanted to race in the Olympics as you had to maintain an amateur status. LOL the good ole day.
thank you Sir. Thanks for your great advice.
can you explain the 6 o clock position? thank you
You forgot the "d" on Greg's last name.
Grew up in Reno when Greg was king! Back when Reno was Reno, the good old days! 8 dollar all day lift tickets at Mount Rose, 8 dollar concerts, 75 cent beers, ect....
Thank you for the advice!
Glad GCN covered this, AGAIN. 00:42 was new info, thanks for that.
Thanks this is the most straightforward vid I have watched today. And God knows I have watched a few. And I needed this info. Thanks for making this vid.
Thanks for great tips on this topic! My saddle height shocked me using Lemond method - my inseam multiplied by coefficient resulted on my current saddle height with accuracy on one millimetre! I am proud of my saddle height settings based on feeling :D You are definitely right :D
It's important to note that saddle height will also impact the position of the knee in relationship with the pedal, so make sure to get the height right before messing with the front/aft. With my first road bike I thought I had setback issues and made a mess out of my saddle before realizing height was the problem.
Great video!!
The heel on pedal method works for me .I used to just guess the saddle height and keep altering it until it felt right. After finding out about the heel on pedal method I noticed it wasn't far off where I have it , so I know this method is pretty accurate. I use the measurement from the centre of the pedal axle to the top of the saddle to set up any bike I buy in a few seconds now.
I didn't know about the Lemond method and according to that I've always ridden with saddle about 2.5 cm too low. I hope that this will help me to get more use of the hamstrings and less problems with my knees. Thank you!
I used the heel to pedal method with the bikeshop mechanic to determine the height, he said that when you're cycling and you feel a little knee pain it's too low and if your quadriceps are a little tingly/painful it's too high. Don't know if this is how a bike-fitter does it, but it does work very well for me
I have been riding casually for a few years now. I have recently started taking it seriously and this channel has been a big help.
How do these measurements match with your normal saddle height you're used to? 😊
Very well explained. Thank you for sharing this information.
It's videos like this that make me love GCN.
Tysm for this video. I have been having knee pain after 20+ mile rides and felt I needed to adjust this. I had my bike squared away perfectly, but after accidentally taking on a single track ride without a dropper post, I messed up the position and needed to redo it. This video had clear directions that I hope will lead to less knee pain. I'll ride this one out and make note of all my current settings if it turns out correct. I'll post a follow-up to this comment with additional tanks if this gets me back to near perfection.
Thanks Manon! Enjoy watching your videos. I forgot about the LeMond formula. I've heard mixed reviews on the plumb bob method but at least it get's you in the ballpark.
This evidently helps a lot, it's not a minor thing. Posture is everything. Cycling should also look comfortable and proper. Thanks a lot Manon.
Can’t believe GCN finally made a saddle height video!
Simon did one on GCN about 5 years ago and it has 2.3M views! Not sure what this one adds...... apart from an attractive presenter!
ruclips.net/video/FVu5Zrktm40/видео.html
@@duncansandford9423 It’s like the bike cleaning videos. We don’t need a new one every month! We want 1vs5.
@@josephramos3232 I've not seen a definitive video on 'Reach' a much debated/ tweaked area for many and yet critical to real comfort-Is the saddle to handlebar measurement any value or do we all try and touch the bars with our nose, hands behind back???? (the early GCN version of this was not very conclusive- )Ollie?
/s
4:00 top of the saddle -> what is the top? across the seattube? middle of the saddle? where I sit (more to the back) -> this can be 1-2cm difference.
Wow, the "heel to pedal test" - you're a star!
paddle?
@@larrycarter3765 "pedal" sorry 😞
Nice informative video. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with making bike ajustements yourself but I would strongly suggest having a professional bike fit. It's worth every penny. Also, don't be afraid to swap your saddle if you the one that comes with your bike doesn't suit you. I had to do it for both of my bike and this made a huge difference in confort.
Thanks! According to what you explain, my saddle was maybe one or two RCHs high. I made the adjustment, and will take it for a test ride.
This young lady is very thorough and sensible. I really like her bike too, cool colour combo.
I was on bike fitting twice, but it wasn't good. I had severe pain in my lower back, inflamed ischiadic nerve, whole left leg in pain and very painful riding. So, I watched your video and tried to bike-fit myself. It turned out, I had to push saddle 1,5cm towards handlebar and 0,5cm higher, and had to extend the lenght or the reach of the handlebar. Now I ride with rally minimum pain, but this will probably be always present due to ischiadicus nerve inflammation. But I like it now, it is a real relief after painful rides. Thank you.
Thanks that helped a lot!! My seat was an inch two high and back to far. Now for some Zwift...
That moment Mannon realised that was a Biro and not a pencil she just drew on the wall with.....
sssshhh!
Biro de’italia 😂
Heel to pedal method is the most effective way to determine comfortable peddling. Especially for beginners.
never ever let Manon Lloyd go...she is a great asset for GCN !!
Massive help to correct the saddle height, thanks 🙂 And the knee to crank arm worked like a charm.
Good video, because you covered all the way the seat can be adjusted, and not just the height.
Thank you for the math equation! That helped me lots! I don’t have this type of bike, but I’ve always had my dad adjust the height from “feel” and it’s hard to know if it’s right if you’ve never had it professionally set. The equation helped me see how it’s supposed to feel which is great because it felt good :)
I came to this video because I noticed my power meter was reading dramatically different efforts between pedal strokes. Adjusted my height and numbers are within a much more consistent range. Excited to see how this will affect my average power readings in the future!
This video was really helpful!
I ended up adjusting my saddle 3cm up, moving it back and tilting it ever so slightly forward.
Still trying it out but it feels a lot better.
6:25 Apart from the fact that this might be one of the best GCN videos I really like the outro of this video. The music, the presentation everything is well made in this video. Excellent in every way.
Thanks for the advice 👍👍
Great video, really helpful. Thank you
Well its been close to 40 years since i rode a racing cycle !!!! wait for it I found the exact cycle I had for 35 years ago and have spent past 6 months renovating it ( had several racing cycle just really got along well with this one hence why I bought it again ) well thanks to you ive set up the handle bar height perfect for my height , thanks to you I have set up seat height perfect ( had seat post head around the wrong way now its on back of post which now get knee in correct position) I now have Knee over peddle in correct position , and also have seat angle set correct ,,,,, Yikes Im a bit scared for the test ride that I hope to do this Thursday !!!!!! bike is now PERFECT its up to the rider now ,, which is the scary bit ,, thanks again I know i might have to do a few tweak's ,,, Bye for now
Great vid as usual. Manon has really found her stride. Now, how about something to show the best ways to equalize positions on more than one bike - winter bike and summer bike for example? Cheers
This was helpful, thank you.
This is how i set my saddle height 1) make sure bike is steady and level. 2) make sure that the drive side crank is paralle the seat tube. 3) on the non drive side measure from where the center of your cleat sits on the pedal to the top of the saddle keeping the measuring tape paralle with the seat tube. 4) this measurement should be match your inside seam next DROP the saddle by 2mm. 5) make sure you measure your inside seam with your cycling shorts and cycling shoes on.
@4:27.....”knee directly under the pedal spindle”, let me know how that works out for you!
I had to lie on the floor for this measurement! But my knee is now definitely under the pedal spindle. I have placed the saddle on the floor. Will attach it later with sellotape. Hope the back wheel doesn’t run over it.
Yeah I had an issue on my saddle where I always slip forward and always have to scoot back to get my sit bone back on the wing. Once they tilt the saddle 2 degrees up, made a huge difference. No more saddle slip. They lowered my seat post by 2mm and I'm still getting used to it. My quads are sore. It could be because I was pacing hard or my body is trying acclimate the new adjustment. I'll give it a few a rides and see where to go from there.
Useful, veruy useful, and very well explained. Thanks for the vid!
When it comes to anything cycling I'll pretty much take anything Greg LeMond says as gospel from the almighty him/herself. He's from before my time but I've watched soo much video and read soo many interview from him as well as other cyclists from that era. Younger folks don't comprehend how good and how feared he was. If not for outside circumstances along with his loyalty that dude could have easily won many more tours. He was a beast and criminally underrated.
I remember him getting asked a question about his compatriots in the tour = 'I don't fear them at all, I'll take them all on or near them in a time trial!
I was confronted with several options for videos containing information about the correct saddle height of a bicycle and I picked this one because of the absolutely gorgeous host.
Okay, this was around the 5th amazing video from you GCN team, new subscriber! Thank you for your work❤
Wow, there's a whole science behind a saddle adjustment. I'm a novice rider and had no idea. Interesting content. Thx
Hope it was helpful
Very helpful and straightforward, thanks!
Loved it completely changed the way I ride my bike and it feels right!
If you’re constantly sliding forward on your level saddle and or getting pain in your wrists, your saddle is too far forward. You’re tipping forward because your center of gravity is too forward. Stand up on the floor and mimic a bike riding position. Knees bent, butt out, bend forward, and arms out. Balance your weight on the balls of your feet. That will simulate your saddle being too forward. Your natural position will want to slide forward and ride on the nose of your saddle. And you will put a lot of weight on your wrist. Then move your butt back. Your weight will transfer to your heels. If your saddle is far enough back, your center of gravity will stay in the comfortable part of your saddle and relieve weight from your wrists. The fore and aft movement of your saddle can really affect your comfort.
Who is using the 109% method?
Inseam Measurement x 1.09
Measure from top-middle of pedal to top-middle of saddle.
Make sure to place the pedal at 5 oclock (right-side) or 7 oclock (left-side),which ever is furthest.
Worked for me.
Excellent video. Very thorough.
Very good video, using sensible measurements based on someone’s body and bike set up. Also,wise to indicate this is a starting set up and that rider needs to be aware of how their body performs and reacts and to give it time to accommodate any changes: well done !
Which method of measuring leg length is correct? Do you use shoes to measure, but online it says to measure barefoot?
Great video - easy to understand and logical to follow.
Literally i fell love with manon lloyd..😍
GCN, kindly tell her.. 🤗
Mannon your bike looks awesome. I love Canyon bikes and have had an Endurance AL 8.0 disc since 2018 (yes I couldn't afford carbon frame at the time). It's been great and easy to maintain with no issues. It's little heavy on climbing but I've been forced to get stronger and feel safer on high speed decents. Thanks for the video. Have learned a bunch from GCN over the last few years. It's taken me about a year to get that perfect saddle position....hahaha
Watched the video yesterday as I always question my saddle height and position. Last night, I adjusted the height to be my inseam x 0.883, guess what, this morning, I went even faster and more powerful according to Strava! Oh forgot to mention, the fore and aft measurement helps too! Thanks for the great video, easy to understand and follow!
I thought the heel method was with the crank in line with the seat tube, not at the 6 o'clock position? I've had some discomfort on the turbo recently so I'm glad this video came out with fore/aft, tilt etc.
At the bottom of the stroke which should be in line with your hips, which maybe slightly behind the tube depending on the angle of the tube, depending on the size of your body/hips and or the tilt of your pelvis.
Hi. I did lemond method measurement. It turned out my seat height was about 2 cm higher than it should be. I never had any problems, but sometimes I felt it's too hight.
After I adjusted the seat height, heal to pedal method was also spot on.
You did lemond method with shoes or without them? As I read lemond method insteam measurement means without shoes, but in this video she said with shoes. There is 2 cm difference too 😑
Some great information on this subject. Thanks
Thank you for this video and take care your self .
Very good explaining (and simple) video. Great job!
Veryhelpful, thanks for posting.
Thank you , Ride safe always 😊
Worth noting that the length of the crank will affect the height of the seat needed...I recently replaced the cranks cranks on my bike with slightly shorter cranks and was able to find a much more comfortable position at both the top and bottom. Before I either had to stretch a bit at the bottom or had too sharp a knee angle at the top of the stroke. Going from 170mm to 165 improved it. If it wasn't so expensive (and difficult to find) I would love to try a 160mm crank.
👆 this
Excellent video Manon!
Very helpful and simple, Thank you.
The Lemond method disregards crank length or at leat isn't precise enough. The 109% method includes crank length but measuring is more complicated ie. pedal at 5 or 6 o clock/measure from centre of pedal axle or from top of pedal. An easier way is to calculate 109% of inseam and deduct crank length. That will be the correct measurent from centre of B B to top of saddle and easier to measure also.
I've known about Greg LeMond since the late 80's but I didn't know that there was a interesting sizing method named after him. I found this video very interesting and informative. I've been riding for over 35 years. When I start to accelerate I point my feet more, and I start bouncing on the saddle. Is this something you've encountered before? Thanks.
Friend and I had discussion on what portion of the saddle do you determine height. His good point is in the widest portion of the saddle about where the sit bones make contact, this is even more imperative if the rear of the saddle sweeps up a bit like many do.
Its helpfull thank you here for philippine Cyclist
I used the Lemond method on my bikes, worked for me. But as I've got older I've lowered my saddles by a few millimetres.
Please do a video about if helmets expire or if it’s marketing! Hello from Australia 🇦🇺
“This video features a paid advertisement from POC” 😩
I had one expire. All the soft bits inside it dry rotted and crumbled away. A pretty clear sign to me.
This was asked a long time ago in a tech clinic, the answer: the sweat is not good for the soft parts in your helmet (so the part that actually takes the energy when you crash) so you should replace your helmet at least every 3-4 years. if you sweat a lot it may be beneficial to replace it quicker, but just keeping an eye on your helmet yourself and replace it if you think it's time (or if you want to)
Just do what red bull brand ambassadors/ sponsored riders like Kris kyle do and don’t wear one .... problem solved
Helmets expire. The materials lose structural integrity from heat cycles, sweat, small drops, etc.
Don’t be cheap, protect your head properly.
Thank you!
Very complete information and a well-built instructional video with the most illustratives b-rolls inserts.
My compliments! And again, thank you very much for sharing such a well-structured informational video.
Redmond (Red) Sanders Brown jr.
I use the 109% method it takes into account the length of your crank arm's.
... cranks arms* (plural, no apostrophe)
@@einundsiebenziger5488 how is this for an apostrophe. 🖕
I prefer to use the 108% method of setting saddle height. Measure your inseam in stocking feet, multiply the result by 108%, use that measurement to set your pedal face to saddle height (this method takes into account crank length).
Some say 109%, but I feel "heel to pedal" is better, maybe even for verifying the second method (as in video) and also this.
I was told centre of pedal spindle to top of saddle. Crank arm in line with the seat tube, not at not at 6 O'Clock. Multiply inseam by 109%
Better to take a look at this video as well..
ruclips.net/video/D57cjn9XElc/видео.html
😵 Too much math. I wouldn't even be able to google that!
Thank you! My left knee had a pain in the back of it every time i was riding (im a complete beginner) i tried the heel to pedal method and all of a sudden my pain has gone from what i would consider tolerable to completely gone! i didn't get a single twinge in an hour long ride
came to learn what the right saddle height is for me; liked the video for Manon..😉
From a BMX street guy, measuring my seat high level is mindblowing. I was like wtf am i sitting on a tower?
Doing the heel to pedal starting point, your best bet is to go 10-15mm lower than that and start/raise from there. If you start from a too high position and you lower or raise it’s likely you’ll not feel it’s better or worse in the new position. You’re better off coming to your correct position from below (a too low seat position). You’ll tend to feel a difference easier that way, and starting low won’t be as detrimental to your riding as starting from a too high position would.
Can you give us the saddle height you got with the first method? And how it compares with the height you are running?
Good tip about using the book to mark an inseam on the wall. Probably much more accurate and easier to make the measure solo than the way I did it. Haha
The way to get your 'inseam' is to measure your Standing Height. Measure your Seated Height ( surface of the flat bench to top of cranium ), and take your Seated Height from your Standing Height.
I believe the Lemond Method calls for you to measure inseam without shoes...
I will say in both methods, because is it is with your cycling shoes and you have two or more different shoes; then you'll be readjusting the saddle height every time you use your shoes.
it's not as though the difference is that much between shoes... it could be if you're talking about going from a summer shoe to a heavy winter boot like the 45Nrth Wülfgar which has thick tread and lots of insulation.... but between one shoe and another you're talking about millimeters of difference and honestly there's more change than that that happens as you pivot your foot on the pedals when just riding with the crank arms level
Dave Lefebvre Thanks for clearing that up. I was wondering 👍
@@better.better heel bumpers from brand to brand are thicker/taller, not counting the thickness of the sole.
You are right Dave
Awesome, thank you. ❤❤❤❤
Looking fwd a Video about tennis elbow , how to catch handle bar and perfect handle bar height
Well explained. Wish u the best
Thanks, that's helpful. I'm 55, 93kg and 197 cms with inseam 95 cms. I've been riding more since Covid and I'm re-hooked. I feel a new machine coming on. I was looking at bikes today. But slow to ditch my trusty Trek 1200 of 20 yrs because it's 63 cms and fits me and still does what I need. But I'm very tempted by the CUBE Attain SL composite; looks like a great training/ club bike, in 62 cms. Any tips for a tall, middle aged, somewhat overweight, occasional riding gent? I don't want to spend much more than E2k if possible.
Maybe check connors vid on that
Good instructions, my saddle (seat) was too low. Nice video.
Thanks! Perfect video for my cycle saddle height details. :)