Correct Saddle Height - 100 Level
Why is it important to set proper saddle height?
Setting a saddle to the correct height will ensure that the rider has the most efficient pedal stroke possible. Our muscles can fire in the proper sequence and with maximum force while a minimum of negative forces effect the joints and soft tissues minimizing the chance for injury.Research is always a good place to look for some guidance, as long as you take each study with a grain of salt -- all of them have their limitations. A 2014 study found that even small changes in saddle height had negative effects on efficiency and leg kinematics in trained cyclists. A 2011 review of research found that a 5% change in saddle height resulted in changes in joint motions of up to 35% and forces on the joints changed by 16%.So establishing correct saddle height is important to overall efficiency on the bike and also may help us avoid injuries. Now we need to figure out a way to get to the correct saddle height.In this article we'll explore which is the easiest method to get us there? That's not exactly true. There are easier methods than this. We could simply use one of the calculators to determine our saddle height; ones where all we have to do is plug in our inseam and that directly determines how high our saddle should be. But these stupid-simple metrics don't account for any of the individual aspects of the rider: how fit they are, how well they move, what their flexibility and strength is like, what their motor patterns are, what functional imbalances they have etc etc. Of course, accounting for all of these things is akin to having a professional bike fit done, which is certainly beyond the scope of a 100-level (or even 200-level) course.Is there a way we can use a very simple test that still accounts for some individualization? The test we want to use should be at the intersection of "ease" and "effectiveness" -- essentially the minimum effort that produces the greatest likelihood of a successful saddle height determination.The test I favor that is extremely simple to do and yet still accounts for a small amount of the rider's individual issues is the Heel-Pedal Test:
Heel-Pedal Test
The more common form of this test has been around for many years. It has the rider begin on the bike and with the pedal in the most distant position -- just in front of dead bottom center (DBC). The test simply has the rider place their heel on the pedal and still be able to reach without shifting their hips off the saddle. It is generally done in a static nature -- meaning we sit on the bike and test with the pedals always at DBC. This is the part that I feel can be easily improved upon.There are slightly different procedures depending the pedals you intend to use, but the general form of the test is mostly the same.
How-To : Platform Pedals
Begin on the shoes you will normally ride in. It's important to remain consistent because different athletic style shoes can have signifcantly different thicknesses to the shoe sole. Not convinced this is really that important? After a few thousand repetitions, your body will certainly let you know if you have the wrong shoes on in the form of saddle sores and discomfort (numbness, tingling, pain), back aches, and knee pains among others.So always stick with one or two pairs of similar shoes to ride in.Begin with the bike held in place on a stationary trainer or have a friend (or friends) hold the bike stable by the front and rear wheel. Assume your preferred hand and saddle position and place the rear half of you foot (from heel to mid foot) on the pedal on both sides.
Now very slowly pedal backwards. You should be able to pedal completely through the cycle with the knee straightening fully at the bottom of the stroke. You need to be especially aware of not having your hips rock up and down to reach for the pedal -- they should be resting solidly on the saddle.If you're reaching and your hips rock up and down you need to lower the saddle slightly and try again. If your knee doesn't straighten fully at the bottom of the stroke, you need to raise the saddle. Once you find the balance point you're ready to try pedaling normally. You should be able to place your feet normally on the pedals (front half of the foot on the pedal) and spin easily.If you have clipless pedals the process is very similar but there are a few things to do differently:
How-To : LOOK - TIME - Shimano SPD-R pedals
These larger interface pedals can be done very similarly to platform pedals. Make sure the pedal is right side up and set the heel in the cradle of the pedal as in the picture below and repeat the test.
How-To : SPD - Speedplay pedals
The SPD and Speedplay pedals are very different in their function and in the engagement of the cleat, but they are similar in size and that is the most important differentiation in the case of our test. Their small size makes them very difficult to keep our heel in place as we test, so we need to compensate in some way for this.We can either find a street shoe (a non-cycling shoe) that has about the same sole thickness as our cycling shoes and use those instead. I don't recommend this method because it can be very difficult to accurately measure sole thickness on the different shoes, and generally it's a bad idea to test without the shoes you plan to do the actual riding in.Instead I would recommend finding some material to enhance grip on the pedal, like perhaps the rubber discs we use to help us open jars, or any other thin rubber material.
Just place the material between your heel and the pedal and continue with the test in the same way.
It is possible to do the test without it, but I find the instability in many situation leads to a poor assessment and outcome.
The Benefits and Shortcomings of the Heel-Pedal Test
So is this a perfect or fool-proof test? Of course not. As a 100-level fix it is extremely simplistic and absolutely will not catch small issues or fit everyone perfectly. There are many reasons why this method won't work perfectly: it doesn't fully take into account the rider's flexibility and strength, imbalances are usually glazed over and missed, and neuromuscular deficits aren't accounted for in any way.But this test isn't worthless. In fact, I think it's actually a decent "quick and dirty" test when done right and for many people will get them within a few millimeters to a centimeter or two of their ideal saddle height. Not bad for something that's free and only takes a few minutes and no special equipment. It takes into account at least how the rider sits on the bike and a little bit about their flexibility.Certainly better than predicting saddle height based purely off inseam which doesn't account for any of these factors.So check your own saddle height and see how this test does for you.In the next article we're going to go more in depth in a 200-level fix. This will still be something that any athlete could tackle while it's also a good starting point for new or aspiring bike fitters to begin learning from.