Basic Seat position?

[markshells]

Setting up like I have never ridden a bike before..what is the proper way to initially set up the seat position.

[keydates]

You could get professionally fitted, which is worth the cost. Otherwise, one common technique to find an approximate proper seat height is to sit on the bike with the shoes you're going to bike with. Then, put your heel on the pedal, and slowly rotate backwards. If you have the proper seat height, your leg should fully straighten, but your hips shouldn't rock. If hips rock, lower seat. If not fully straight, raise seat.

[mjw_byrne]

Originally posted by keydates
You could get professionally fitted, which is worth the cost. Otherwise, one common technique to find an approximate proper seat height is to sit on the bike with the shoes you're going to bike with. Then, put your heel on the pedal, and slowly rotate backwards. If you have the proper seat height, your leg should fully straighten, but your hips shouldn't rock. If hips rock, lower seat. If not fully straight, raise seat.

I've also seen it written that this should be done with bare feet. But since this is only a general rule, it shouldn't matter too much. Another common tip is to ensure that your knee is directly over the pedal axle when the crank is pointing vertically downward.

[RC2]

Originally posted by mjw_byrne
Another common tip is to ensure that your knee is directly over the pedal axle when the crank is pointing vertically downward.

I thought it was: front of knee over pedal axle when your crank is pointing straight forward.

Not at home w/my bikes so can't figure this out through observation, I'm willing to be dead wrong on this...

[eric_the_red]

Originally posted by RC2
I thought it was: front of knee over pedal axle when your crank is pointing straight forward.


That's what I thought too.

[Postie]

Originally posted by RC2
I thought it was: front of knee over pedal axle when your crank is pointing straight forward.

Not at home w/my bikes so can't figure this out through observation, I'm willing to be dead wrong on this...

I promise you are dead right. :)

To alleviate confusion; straightforward = parallel to the ground = forward pedal at 3 O’clock.

[markshells]

ok, that takes care of height, what about fore/aft position?

[Postie]

Originally posted by markshells
ok, that takes care of height, what about fore/aft position?

The nice thing about the plumb line test is that it also takes care of fore/aft. Rising the seat is similar to adjusting the seat back. Clearly the reverse is also true.

A more technical way of establishing seat height and fore/aft is to maintain a 150 degree +/- a few degrees bend in the back triangle of your lead leg when you're front crank is parallel with your seat tube. The plumb line test is then used to establish fore/aft (however keep in mind that the plumb line is where the cranks are parallel to the ground).

However it's much simpler to put the seat close to the middle and use the plumb line to establish the correct height. You were asking for a basic solution and this will get your setup very close.

Cheers.