How to Adjust a Bicycle Seat

That’s a nifty bike you got there – too bad it’s not comfortable to ride. If only you could make it a little bit bigger. While there’s nothing you can do about the size of the frame or the tires, you can certainly adjust the bike to fit your height. The fastest way to do that is by adjusting the seat. Here’s how.

Find the Seat Stay Toggle

First, take a look at the seat post where it joins the frame. Most bikes will have a toggle bolt here. All’s you do it pop open the lever, and you can raise or lower the seat to your liking. When it’s in the right spot, squeeze the bolt shut and you’re good to go.

Older bikes might have a nut here. You’ll need a metric wrench, either a socket or a box-end. You can get a set of those from places like Home Depot or Harbor Freight. Just make sure you get a metric set, and not an inch set. 

Like the toggle bolt, turn the nut counterclockwise to loosen the seat post, and then adjust away. When it’s just right, turn the nut clockwise to lock the post in place.

So, when is the seat just right? 

Adjust the Seat to the Right Height

The rule of thumb for a street bike is that you want the seat high enough that you can just reach the ground with your tippy-toes. Lower than that and you won’t get a full leg extension during cycling.

For a mountain bike, or on a crossover, you want to be able to stand flat-foot – but just. You don’t want your knees bent. Again, it’s about reaching the full extension of your knee when you’re riding. 

Adjustable Saddles

You can also adjust the saddle itself – some saddles can slide back and forth on rails to give you more or less distance from the handlebars. 

On older saddles, a nut controls the angle of the saddle relative to the frame’s top tube. If you tilt the seat forward, you will tend to slide towards the handlebars. Tilting it the other way will give you a more laid back posture. Be careful with this adjustment – you don’t want to hurt yourself.

Seat Tube Extension

One more point about adjusting the seat: there’s a mark on the seat tube that indicates the farthest the seat tube can be raised out of the frame. Don’t extend the tube beyond that mark. You risk bending the tube and seriously injuring yourself. 

Always make sure you’ve firmly locked the seat adjustments down before you go riding. 

Once you get the seat at the right height and the right angle, you’ll find that cycling is much more pleasurable.

And congratulations – you did it!

Please Note: Do not use this procedure if you are not certain that you can complete it safely, or if it does not seem accurate. Skippity Whistles provides this information as advice, and cannot accept any liability from your usage of it.

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