The right height for the saddle

[draikin]

Hi everyone,

Just received my folding bike and riding it with the saddle set at one inch below my private parts when standing on the ground above my saddle. This is the height recommended in many pages because it prevents injuries in the privates parts in case of accident.

However I find it quite uncomfortable in the sense that I have the feeling of riding a child bike, with my knees too high in the high position.

Is it so important to maintain this specific saddle height ?

 

[Old Plodder]

....& generally, with your knee perpendicular to the pedal axle when it is at the 3o'clock position.

 

[TheDoctor]

Hi everyone,

Just received my folding bike and riding it with the saddle set at one inch below my private parts when standing on the ground above my saddle. This is the height recommended in many pages because it prevents injuries in the privates parts in case of accident.

However I find it quite uncomfortable in the sense that I have the feeling of riding a child bike, with my knees too high in the high position.

Is it so important to maintain this specific saddle height ?

I've never heard that one, or seen it recommended anywhere. A good starting point is to put your heel (or instep) on the pedal at the bottom of its travel, then set the saddle such that your leg is straight. This will give you a slight bend in the leg when the ball of your foot is on the pedal. Then tweak the hight a little till it feels right. If your bum ends up sliding slightly from side to side as you pedal, then you've gone a bit too high.

 

[srw]

Isn't the OP's setting roughly what's recommended as a maximum height for a crossbar on a conventional bike? Far too low for a saddle.

On my trek folder the right saddle height is roughly in line with my hip-bone. On the Brompton it's simply at maximum extension.

 

[Becs]

The saddle on my folder happens to come up to my belly button when I have it at a comfortable height - handy for unpacking at the station, although I might look a little daft poking at my belly on the platform!

 

[TheDoctor]

On my Brommie, I carefully fiddled with the Pentaclip so with the seatpost right out, the saddle's at the correct height.
Took me a good few goes to get there, mind...

 

[draikin]

Isn't the OP's setting roughly what's recommended as a maximum height for a crossbar on a conventional bike? Far too low for a saddle.

Ahhh you're right, the recommendation is for the crossebar not the saddle lol. That's why I had the impression of riding a child bike. Anyway from the answers I now know where to set my saddle, thanks all.

 

[JC4LAB]

Sat on the bike touching the floor with both feet on stretched tip toe is a good rule of thumb guide to correct height.That helps to avoid knee trouble more than other bits..Folding bike stems can slip slowly.say an inch after a couple of hours of riding , on some models so need correcting on route.Telescopics and longer stem options are available for the taller rider on Bromptons

 

[Kailash Elmore]

That's not right, it's max then backed down a tad.

I've never heard that is a requirement?
I've got a brommie with a larger sized extended seat pillar and max has always felt comfortable so if you have any further info - please share. Would to do damage through ignorance.

 

[gavintc]

I've never heard that is a requirement?
I've got a brommie with a larger sized extended seat pillar and max has always felt comfortable so if you have any further info - please share. Would to do damage through ignorance.

Standard for seat height is to have the leg slightly bent when at full extension. Adrian's comment was spot on - full extension for leg then back off a bit top give the leg a slight bend.

 

[cyberknight]

Sat on the bike touching the floor with both feet on stretched tip toe is a good rule of thumb guide to correct height.That helps to avoid knee trouble more than other bits..Folding bike stems can slip slowly.say an inch after a couple of hours of riding , on some models so need correcting on route.Telescopics and longer stem options are available for the taller rider on Bromptons

Obviously the actual set height /leg extension can vary by a big amount dependant on the height of the bottom bracket.

I've never heard that one, or seen it recommended anywhere. A good starting point is to put your heel (or instep) on the pedal at the bottom of its travel, then set the saddle such that your leg is straight. This will give you a slight bend in the leg when the ball of your foot is on the pedal. Then tweak the hight a little till it feels right. If your bum ends up sliding slightly from side to side as you pedal, then you've gone a bit too high.

Docs method is the generally recognized non calculated method that works , interestingly the lemond method of inside leg x.883 to give saddle height from bottom bracket comes very close to heel on pedal method for me but it relies on having the right size cranks , are folders cranks smaller than average ?

 

[TheDoctor]

...are folders cranks smaller than average ?

It depends, is the only simple answer to that.
Some have shorter cranks, some don't. My Daewoo Shuttle has about 150mm cranks IIRC, but the Brommie has 170 mm.

 

[Kailash Elmore]

Thanks. I was worried that having the post fully extended might mean that there is less grip on the post by the brommie frame as most of the post is stuck out.
So I did a little test just now and it appears that there is a about 2-3 inches of seat post left in the frame when fully extended. Not a hell of a lot - it might be better then to keep the post in a bit more.
That said brompton's are pretty sturdy and the seat post appear rugged so I might keep on it with it.

 

[srw]

When I weighed over 20 stone I had my Brompton seatpost fully extended. I was commuting for an hour every working day, and had to replace the seatpost when it bent - after about 5 years of use.

 

[jay clock]

I've got two O rings below the pentaclip. Why are they there? If I were to loose them I could drop the pentaclip down a tad. Whether or not this would be the same tad as I ease the seatpost down by is another matter though.

i emailed Brompton about those rubber rings and the answer was that they don't do a great deal but were theoretically designed to stop it bumping when you lower the seat post