How To Size A Mountain Bike Saddle

Width for bike saddles.

How to size a mountain bike saddle. Mountain bike saddle fit is arguably the most contentious of saddle sizing arguments and the one where personal preference seems to hold the most sway. Right saddle height has a very important role. Effective top tube ett describes the horizontal distance between the head tube and the seat tube regardless of whether you have a straight top tube or one that slopes down. The two firmest points underneath you are your sit bones and the distance between them determines the best size for your saddle.

Once you have your measurements use them as a guideline to find the right size bike. Torso angle is often overlooked a more aggressive rider needs a different type of saddle than someone who just likes to cruise. The first thing to consider when fitting a bike saddle is sit bone width. Differences in rail material affect things like cost weight strength and flexibility.

A bike seatpost clamps to the rails. In mountain bike racing i have experienced that when the saddle falls one inch down from its normal position i lose about 25 50 of my force. The saddle does more on the mountain bike than on any other riding style but all behind the scenes where it goes unnoticed. When you ride a mountain bike or road bike the saddle is higher than the handlebar.

These guidelines are road and mountain bike specific. The rails on a bike saddle are the connection points to the bike. There are variations between mountain bike and road cycling saddles mountain bike saddles are usually made from stronger more durable materials and road bike saddles tend to be lighter for. Mountain bike saddles typically have a bit more padding to help absorb the bumps as well as have a thicker more durable cover to help prevent the more frequent crashes from ruining the saddle.

You can measure this distance yourself or you can go to a professional bike fitter to have the distance determined. If it s too low you won t have enough power in your feet. Stopping to fix it can cost me my position and about 15 seconds too but then with the correct saddle height it s not that hard to catch up. The majority of mountain bikes have 170mm or 175mm cranks which do the job perfectly well for most riders.

Climbing descending or riding flat surfaces changes how your pelvis is positioned on your saddle. Ett is a common measurement to look at when sizing a bike and is a good indicator of how long a bike will feel while you re seated. To size a mountain bike measure the height for the seat tube by standing up straight with your back against a wall using a tape measure to calculate the distance your pubic bone and the floor. Mountain bike saddle height.

Most saddles come pre measured for different proportions.