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Your Bicycle Seat Position is Wrong

Your Bicycle Seat Position is Wrong (Maybe)

The correct position of your bicycle seat is essential for maximizing your riding efficiency, comfort, and safety. An appropriately adjusted saddle allows you to maintain a neutral posture with proper pelvic support while accessing as many pedaling muscle groups as possible efficiently. Whether you are a casual rider or a competitive cyclist, having your bicycle seat properly positioned can significantly enhance your overall riding experience from a comfort and performance perspective. If you haven’t undergone a high-quality fitting, your bicycle seat position likely needs adjustment.

What is the Right Seat Position on a Bicycle?

While the saddle position on this custom bike is suitable for its specific rider, it may not be the right fit for you.

The ideal position of a bicycle seat is one that takes your specific needs into account. This optimal position enhances your endurance by providing comfort and promoting efficient power transfer through the balanced use of your muscles. On the other hand, an improperly adjusted saddle can increase the risk of repetitive motion injuries and muscular favoritism. If a rider pedals at 80 RPM for two hours, their joints go through their full range of motion approximately 9,600 times. At that rate, the likelihood of injury increases if the bicycle seat is not positioned correctly.

Outside of a small number of exceptional cases, a properly adjusted saddle will have a height and setback tailored to your body, allowing your knee to move through a scientifically proven range of extension. This setup ensures quality power output while minimizing strain on your joints.

What Are The Factors to Consider For Bicycle Seat Position

The position of a bicycle seat consists of two main measurements: seat height and setback. Saddle height is the distance from the center of the seat to the center of the bottom bracket. Setback is the distance from the nose of the saddle to the center of the bottom bracket. While various bicycle disciplines may have specific rules regarding these measurements, using standard terminology and reference points can be helpful.

Can I Figure Out My Bicycle Seat Position Myself?

Maybe. However, like trying to cut your own hair, it usually comes with risks and complications. Related, it is unlikely that online fitting systems can match the personalized service offered by a qualified fitter. While generic seat height calculations may work okay for a percentage of riders, at Fit Werx, we don’t like gambling on important variables and know that the whole is a sum of the parts – seat position is only part of the individualized fitting equation. Our fitters bring over 40 years of experience and have worked with thousands of riders. Our fitting process is dynamic, allowing your fitter to observe how your body responds in real-time, under load, as adjustments to the position are made. This also allows us to address crucial postural and technique variables with you – without the right technique, the correct seat position can only get you so far.

For instance, in a recent fitting, the rider did not exhibit the typical “wobbling hips” when the saddle was raised too high. Instead, they flexed their ankles at the bottom of the pedal stroke to adapt to the increased distance between the saddle and the pedal. Such a nuanced response would unlikely be captured by a “formula” fit or an online program. Once the issue was identified, the saddle was lowered and the rider was coached through the remainder of the session to change their technique to enhance comfort and stroke quality.

What Tools Do We Use?

Fit Werx has made substantial investments in advanced fitting tools to equip our fitters with the ability to capture and provide you with the best information. One of our key pieces of fit equipment is the Purely Custom Fit Cycle, a fully adjustable device that enables our fitters to make real-time positional adjustments without requiring the rider to dismount. Unlike automated fit tools, we like that the Purely Custom unit is quickly adjusted and done manually by the fitter.

Our Purely Custom Fit Cycle is equipped with a gebioMized Pressure Scanner that maps the rider’s pressure distribution on the saddle. By integrating this data with the readings from both left and right power meters, our fitters gain a comprehensive understanding of the rider’s pedaling performance and muscular tendencies. Furthermore, we use motion capture cameras to document changes in real-time and to show the rider exactly what is transpiring as they pedal and why we are changing their position.

How is Fit Information Used?

Our fitters work closely with the rider to determine the best riding position. This position is “rider first” – meaning that the fitter looks at the rider’s needs independent of any particular bicycle. This personalized riding position can then be used to set up an existing bicycle as closely as possible to the optimal, or it can be used to suggest suitable bike options for the rider without any risk that they won’t fit well. Our fitting process takes the risk out of bicycle selection.

The experience and capability of the fitter is the most important factor in a fitting. While tools can provide additional information and support the fitter’s observations, the fitter’s expertise remains essential. Fit Werx has been fitting riders and publishing articles on fitting for almost 25 years – you can access our archive here. Fit Werx is not about any particular fit protocol or piece of bicycle fitting equipment; we create the process that becomes the standard.

What Else Happens in a Fit Werx Fitting

A Fit Werx fitting goes beyond simply determining the correct bicycle seat position. The most important aspect of our fitting process is coaching the rider to engage their muscles effectively for comfort and power. Along with having mechanics and components on site to adjust bicycles to riders, the coaching aspect of a Fit Werx’s fitting is a big part of what sets us apart from many standard fittings. While many fittings typically adjust the bike to accommodate the rider, they often overlook whether the bike truly suits the rider’s needs. In contrast, a Fit Werx fitting not only adjusts the bike but also focuses on helping the rider improve their performance. We want you to ride better – end of story.

When it comes to bicycle seat position, a crucial coaching aspect is helping riders identify when their pelvis is properly supported. Proper pelvic alignment allows the supporting muscles in the back and legs to function more effectively. Once these supporting muscles are engaged, the rider’s drop and reach to the handlebars can be adjusted accordingly. By guiding riders to modify their riding style, our fitters prepare them for long-term success in their cycling journey.

After completing a fitting, the rider receives documentation that outlines their optimal riding position, along with before-and-after snapshots. This documentation includes notes on the fitter’s adjustments and highlights important observations and technique goals. In some cases, the fitter may recommend physical therapy, chiropractic work, and/or structural integration to help the rider effectively change dysfunctional and risky muscle patterns.

Getting a bike fitting is one of the best ways for cyclists to enhance their riding experience. The better the fit, and the more committed the rider, the better the results. Fit Werx continues to work hard to provide bike fitting services that are not readily available elsewhere – online or in shop. Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a fitting.

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