Measuring Saddle Height

[SolidSnake03]

Hey all,

So I recently had this discussion with a friend about how saddle height is commonly measured/reported and if there actually is a right way to do it. The discussion ranged from measuring:
-From the middle of the saddle (on the top side of the cover) to the ground
-From the top of the saddle to the middle of the BB along the seat tube
-From the top of the saddle in the area that you actually sit to the middle of the BB along seatube
-From the top of the saddle (most rearward point) to the middle of BB along the seatube
-From the nose of saddle straight down to imaginary line through the BB

So that all said is there really a right way and a way that people tend to default to?

[ultraman6970]

check out lemond and pretty much thats what everybody uses because is the simplest one.

But if you want to use another one as long as you use the same contact points and a fix point all the time at the time to move the measurement to another bike it wont make any difference.

Forgot this... you cant use the the ground because some bikes have the BB higher or lower resulting in the wrong numbers.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake03

Hey all,

So I recently had this discussion with a friend about how saddle height is commonly measured/reported and if there actually is a right way to do it. The discussion ranged from measuring:
-From the middle of the saddle (on the top side of the cover) to the ground
-From the top of the saddle to the middle of the BB along the seat tube
-From the top of the saddle in the area that you actually sit to the middle of the BB along seatube
-From the top of the saddle (most rearward point) to the middle of BB along the seatube
-From the nose of saddle straight down to imaginary line through the BB

So that all said is there really a right way and a way that people tend to default to?

Depends on what you want to get out of it.
For comparing apples to apples saddle height one bike to the next, I go top of saddle where it intersects the ST to BB ctr along the ST. If I want to know how much (handlebar) drop there is, I measure top of saddle to ground, and then bar top at ctr to ground.

[pdmtong]

Center BB parallel to ST (since I run 7.5-8.0cm setback) to top of saddle parallax accounted for.

[fa63]

I measure from the pedal to the top of the saddle along the seat tube to factor in the crank length.

[SolidSnake03]

Getting a couple different answers here, I like that since it lends support to the idea that there isn't so much a right way but as long as you are consistent with how you do it it should work ok.

[elliott]

I work with multiple custom builders and bike fitters. The "standard" seems to be from top of saddle, inline with the seat tube, to the center of BB.

[rustychisel]

Originally Posted by fa63

I measure from the pedal to the top of the saddle along the seat tube to factor in the crank length.

This. top of saddle to centre of pedal spindle, parallel to seat tube.

[Wilkinson4]

It gets tricky if you have different bikes with different saddles, shoes, etc... I will usually measure from the pedal spindle center to the saddle where my sit bones come in contact.

You would be surprised at some differences when running different saddles. I have seen as much as 1cm on a saddle with a deep hammock.

I have also measured from shoe foot bed when clipped in to saddle sit bones location when replication positions from bike to bike.

Mike

[jtakeda]

I do top of saddle along the ST to the center of the bb.

I run two different length cranks on different bikes so it helps keep it a little more simple.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by elliott

I work with multiple custom builders and bike fitters. The "standard" seems to be from top of saddle, inline with the seat tube, to the center of BB.

this, how can it be any easier

[Kontact]

Sit bone contact point to center of BB. The angle is only approximately the same as the seat tube, because ST angles vary. Correct set back will provide the angle correction. That's the way custom makers and fitters do it.

Rear of saddle, nose of saddle, ground are all essentially random points because of variations in saddles and frames.

[audiojan]

Here's how I've always measured it... center bb to center saddle rail at the center of the saddle clamp plus the center of saddle rail in a vertical like to top of saddle measured at the center of the saddle clamp. When changing saddles, I set the saddle nose at the same distance to the center of the handlebars at a vertical line.

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by audiojan

Here's how I've always measured it... center bb to center saddle rail at the center of the saddle clamp plus the center of saddle rail in a vertical like to top of saddle measured at the center of the saddle clamp. When changing saddles, I set the saddle nose at the same distance to the center of the handlebars at a vertical line.

Given that the saddle rails are angled compared to the saddle top, your method sounds like it introduces a lot more imprecision through complication than just measuring to the top of the saddle.

[smokersteve]

Originally Posted by fa63

I measure from the pedal to the top of the saddle along the seat tube to factor in the crank length.

That's how I do it since some of my bikes have different length cranks