Saddle Height article, What do you think?

comsense
comsense Posts: 245
edited October 2014 in Road general
Came across an article "on another site" :) re estimating saddle height.
It reckons that you get your cycling inseam in the usual manner, then subtract 10 cm. I personally never heard of this and wondered if any of you have? If you haven't would you have a go and then check the figure against your current saddle height just for curiosity?

Mine came out 7mm higher than I have ever had it. I raised it this morning before a hilly ride. Have to say it felt good and I will leave at that unless something crops up.
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Comments

  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Saddle height formulas are usually just a basic guideline and can vary a bit between methods. If it feels good you probably have it right.
  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    crankycrank wrote:
    Saddle height formulas are usually just a basic guideline and can vary a bit between methods. If it feels good you probably have it right.

    Yeah, I'm around long enough to understand that, thanks. I guess I was surprised that it was 7mm out from where I was at - I'd consider 7mm a big enough difference. I just wondered how close other people found it.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    comsense wrote:
    Mine came out 7mm higher than I have ever had it. I raised it this morning before a hilly ride. Have to say it felt good and I will leave at that unless something crops up.

    Do you have small feet?
    With me, its exactly the height I used 20 years.....
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I went for a bike fit and he lowered by saddle by 22mm. Which was massive and it felt really weird to ride.

    I kept with it for about a month and I was getting ever worse back pain so I put it up by about 10mm which much improved things.
  • crikey
    crikey Posts: 362
    It predicted my saddle height to be about 3 cms higher than it is, but I do tend towards riding with a flat footed style, and I'm not a giant among men. My saddle height does go up and down by a cm or so, it's lower when I've been riding cyclocross or mountain biking.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,830
    I've never stuck to a formula for saddle height. I set the height then go for a ride and may have to adjust it a few times before I get it right. Any of these formula should only be a guide I would say, surely nobody takes them as hard and fast rules.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    Keezx wrote:
    Do you have small feet?
    With me, its exactly the height I used 20 years.....

    Yep, size 8 (42) even though I am over 6' .

    Why do you mention that? I would have thought small feet would mean a lower saddle.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    comsense wrote:
    Came across an article "on another site" :) re estimating saddle height.
    It reckons that you get your cycling inseam in the usual manner, then subtract 10 cm. I personally never heard of this and wondered if any of you have? If you haven't would you have a go and then check the figure against your current saddle height just for curiosity?

    Mine came out 7mm higher than I have ever had it. I raised it this morning before a hilly ride. Have to say it felt good and I will leave at that unless something crops up.
    10cm?That's 4 inches in old money!?
    Surely it's 10mm?
    Lynskey R480

  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    Veronese68 wrote:
    I've never stuck to a formula for saddle height. I set the height then go for a ride and may have to adjust it a few times before I get it right. Any of these formula should only be a guide I would say, surely nobody takes them as hard and fast rules.

    I agree, I have mentioned above that I understand that. My question was just curiosity to see whether peoples actual heights were close to the one from this method. If I am being honest, I suspect the majority's current height will be lower.
  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    ibbo68 wrote:
    comsense wrote:
    Came across an article "on another site" :) re estimating saddle height.
    It reckons that you get your cycling inseam in the usual manner, then subtract 10 cm. I personally never heard of this and wondered if any of you have? If you haven't would you have a go and then check the figure against your current saddle height just for curiosity?

    Mine came out 7mm higher than I have ever had it. I raised it this morning before a hilly ride. Have to say it felt good and I will leave at that unless something crops up.
    10cm?That's 4 inches in old money!?
    Surely it's 10mm?

    Not 10 cm of a saddle height difference!
    The calculation is your inseam minus 10 cm = saddle height. Which in my case meant my saddle was 7mm too low.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    My inseam is 30inches-30"X1.09=32.7"
    My saddle height is 32.7 inches-83cm
    Inseam minus 10cm/4" is 26"X1.09=28.7
    Using that method my saddle height becomes 28.7 inches-72.8cm....which is 4nches/10cm/100m difference!
    Or am I missing something?
    Lynskey R480

  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    ibbo68 wrote:
    My inseam is 30inches-30"X1.09=32.7"
    My saddle height is 32.7 inches-83cm
    Inseam minus 10cm/4" is 26"X1.09=28.7
    Using that method my saddle height becomes 28.7 inches-72.8cm....which is 4nches/10cm/100m difference!
    Or am I missing something?
    I think you're measuring something wrong!
    If your saddle is higher than your inseam then how do you reach the pedal? Bear in mind the pedal is a further 175mm or so lower than the bottom bracket at straightest leg position.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Well I never, 82.5 inseam, 72.5 between the saddle and BB. It's the devil at work!
  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    Bozman wrote:
    Well I never, 82.5 inseam, 72.5 between the saddle and BB. It's the devil at work!

    You're the lad who wrote the article aren't you? :D
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    Ai_1 wrote:
    I think you're measuring something wrong!
    If your saddle is higher than your inseam then how do you reach the pedal? Bear in mind the pedal is a further 175mm or so lower than the bottom bracket at straightest leg position.
    My inseam is 30"
    The formula is Inseamx1.09=32.7 because inseam is crotch-ankle bone not crotch to floor.This is how I've always done it(inseam x1.07 on MTBs) and all my bikes(3) fit me perfectly!
    Lynskey R480

  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Most like this are a good starting point but people's proportions and flexibility vary.
  • comsense
    comsense Posts: 245
    Kajjal wrote:
    Most like this are a good starting point but people's proportions and flexibility vary.

    Hi, don't want to sound like a smart alec, but that is the 3rd or 4th time someone has made that point. And please do not think I'm being thick with this reply :D
    I understand these calculations are ball park, starting points or whatever.

    I am just curios if any of you do the calculation how close it resembles your actual saddle height.

    Thanks!
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    ibbo68 wrote:
    My inseam is 30inches-30"X1.09=32.7"
    My saddle height is 32.7 inches-83cm
    Inseam minus 10cm/4" is 26"X1.09=28.7
    Using that method my saddle height becomes 28.7 inches-72.8cm....which is 4nches/10cm/100m difference!
    Or am I missing something?

    dog_2-png.png
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    Well that works for me, my inseam is 85cm and top of saddle to centre of BB is 75cm.
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    NapoleonD wrote:
    ibbo68 wrote:
    My inseam is 30inches-30"X1.09=32.7"
    My saddle height is 32.7 inches-83cm
    Inseam minus 10cm/4" is 26"X1.09=28.7
    Using that method my saddle height becomes 28.7 inches-72.8cm....which is 4nches/10cm/100m difference!
    Or am I missing something?

    dog_2-png.png

    ibbo68 is using the 109% method - saddle to the pedal axle (not centre of bottom bracket).
  • gubber12345
    gubber12345 Posts: 493
    Seen that article as well and tried it on my old turbo trainer bike, only recently picked it up and so decided to try it.was 80cm inseam so set saddle to 70 cm...have to say it feels ok to me so gonna stick with it. :P
    Lapierre Aircode 300
    Merida
  • fudgey
    fudgey Posts: 854
    intriguing..

    I have never measured my inseam before, so just been and got the tape measure and measured from floor to gooch sans shoes and it was 89cm.

    measured from centre of BB to top of saddle and its 79cms!

    how about that then!
    My winter bike is exactly the same as my summer bike,,, but dirty...
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    Pretty close. 88.5cm crotch to floor. 78cm centre BB to top of saddle. I use Speedplay with 4-bolt soles, so have a lower stack height than other pedal systems. Probably accounts for the other 0.5cm.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    That £150 bike fit looks like money down the drain :wink:
  • mmacavity
    mmacavity Posts: 781
    http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bik ... can-it-be/
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    the LeMond formula inseam x 0.883 will give you pretty much this minus 10cm figure - hardly breaking news, saves a calculator I suppose :)
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    I was having terrible ITB problems until I lowered my saddle to the Lemond recommended height.

    It's been fine since and I have done two pain free 100s in the last two weeks.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    All the formulas as said are a guide line , the lemond method and the holmes method both give similar results but for me heel on pedal and the guide in Cobb cycling of .889 both give a result 1 mm out of where i have my saddle height .A result that could be accounted for by measuring error and the fact i put it a round number of 69 cm from BB .
    http://www.cobbcycling.com/content/seat-instructions
    FCN 3/5/9
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    It just about works for me.

    Inseam is 32" which is 81.3 cm (crotch to floor, none of this ankle bone malarkey)

    Which suggests a saddle height of 71.3 cm (again, top of saddle to centre of BB. I think the people who are confusing the boxer dog are measuring to / from somewhere else)

    My preferred saddle height is 72 cm. This was initially determined during a bike fit when purchasing; I've tinkered with it a few times but keep returning to it as the most comfortable and effective (in terms of balancing use of quads and glutes)
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    Inseam = 870 mm - 100 mm = 770mm. My saddle height is 753 mm by one fitter and 770 by another. I currently have it at 760mm maybe Ill try 770 again. Where is this info taken from?
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo

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