The position of the seat, or saddle, on a new or used bike is almost always wrong for your size and body dimensions. A seat that is in the right position makes bicycling more comfortable, appealing and fun, and lessons the chance of repetitive motion injuries. A seat that is properly positioned also increases your efficiency.
Types
The ideal seat position depends on the type of bike and the type of riding. For young children first learning to ride, the seat should be a little lower so their feet can touch the ground. Generally, adult bike seats should be set so your feet barely touch the ground.
Sizes
Wide saddles are common on comfort bikes, recumbent bikes and cruisers. Wide seats provide additional support for your "sit bones." Narrow saddles are best on racing, road and commuter bikes, where you lean forward and place less pressure on your sit bones. The wrong type of bike seat, no matter how well positioned, can cause chafing and saddle sores.
Considerations
On all bikes except recumbent bikes, the seat should be completely or almost completely horizontal. A former technical editor at "Bicycling Magazine," Jim Langley, notes that women tend to prefer the nose of the saddle tipped down as much as 3 degrees from level, while men frequently prefer the nose tipped up 3 degrees.
Solution
To find the best height for your bicycle saddle, the website Bicycle Tutor recommends asking a friend to hold your bike while you mount it and put your heel on the pedal in its lowest position. Set the saddle height so your leg is completely straight when your heel is firmly on the pedal in the lowest position.
Expert Insight
To determine the best front-to-back position for your saddle, the late bicycle mechanic and writer Sheldon Brown recommended sitting on the bike with the pedal cranks balanced parallel to the ground. Put the ball of your foot on the front-pointing crank. Hold a weighted string at the side of your knee, in line with the bony protuberance at the front of your kneecap. If the weight does not bisect the pedal spindle, adjust the saddle's lateral position until it does.
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