How To Size A Road Bike Seat

Road bikes can come in both standard s m l sizes and numerical sizes.

How to size a road bike seat. Next using these charts below determine which size bike will work for you. Road bike height charts should not be used as the only resource for sizing a road bike but are a good starting point for the basic frame size you should be looking for. You adjust the angle and fore aft position by moving the saddle before tightening the bolt. Saddles for cruising bicycles are wider than seats for racing bikes and each style comes in variations.

The same size across different brands can fit very differently and the number may not correlate to a common measurement. Bike seats are frequently placed into one of these five categories. Some road bike charts are more specific with up to 6 or 7 categories of bike frame sizes. If you sit upright while pedaling a cruiser urban or commuter bike and prefer short rides try a saddle designed for recreational cycling.

Some brands such as moots even mix the two. Setting your seat to the right height is a key measurement for a good riding position. Seat post clamps come in many designs some of which make fine adjustments easier than others. This is how you tell what size a bike is.

Measure between the center points of the pads. The saddles are often wide with plush padding and or springs and sometimes sport a short nose. Bikes are measured from the bottom bracket to the top tube along the seat tube. This seat post above is a traditional one bolt clamp on an integrated lay back head.

Find a seat that looks like it might be comfortable and look for the pads on the part of the seat where your bottom sits. Shop bike saddles consider the type of riding you do. Road bikes sizes are usually given in centimeters while mountain bike and hybrid sizes are usually given in inches. Lean your bike against a wall so you can mount it without tipping over and drop your pedal to the lowest position in your cycling stroke so the crank is pointed down at the floor.

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. Adult bicycle frames are normally measured from the middle of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube. The bolt tightens the clamp to hold the saddle in place. Most bikes whether road or mountain are now measured in metric units but you may find some manufacturers that still size mountain bikes in inches.