So, you’ve bought your awesome new eBike. You’ve ridden it around a bit, and you’re having a great time, but you’re likely thinking “How high should my bike seat be?”. This is quite a common question we get asked and, more often than not, most people don’t know the correct methods you can use to determine this.
Fear not, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll be discussing why positioning your eBike seat heigh correctly is so important and how you can figure out the best height for you. Let’s dive in.
Why is eBike seat height important?
We’ll keep this as simple as possible. If the saddle is improperly positioned, it will affect pedal efficiency. Although maximizing each pedal movement's power isn't a top priority for e-bike riders, you'll want to ensure that your saddle is correctly positioned if your battery dies, and you need to manually pedal your electric bike home. Correctly positioning your saddle will also provide more comfort and control.
If the saddle is too high, you'll use more of your calf muscles, and you won't be able to generate as much force using your heel. If the saddle is too low, your power output will be significantly reduced, and you may experience knee pain. The most powerful portion of the pedal motion is between 12 and 3 o'clock. Starting this motion from a negative position will not be as forceful as starting from a neutral position.
How to find the correct eBike seat height for you
There are several great methods to determine the best saddle position for your eBike to ensure optimal pedalling efficiency and comfort. Two of these require a bit of maths to correctly figure out, so we’ll start with these.
The Hamley Method
The Hamley Method involves determining your inseam – the distance from your crotch to the bottom of your leg.) Once done, your bike seat height should be 109% of your inseam. There are some handy calculators out there that can do this for you!
The LeLond Method
The LeLond Method is pretty similar to the Hamley Method, except in this one, you multiply your inseam by 0.883 to determine the distance that should be between the top of your saddle to the middle of your bottom bracket.
The Heel-Toe Method
Alternatively, a method that requires no maths at all is the heel-toe method comprised of three simple steps:
- Rotate the crank so the pedal with your heel on it is in the down position and the crank arm is parallel to the seat tube.
- When seated, if your leg is locked straight at the knee whilst your foot on the pedal is in the down position, your seat is too high. If your hips have to rock for your heel to reach the pedal, your seat is too high. If your leg is bent at the knee with your heel on pedal, your seat is too low.
- With a torque key or allen key, loosen the seat clamp so that you can move the seat post up or down the inside seat tube. Adjust the saddle height so that when seated and with the pedal at the bottom of the crank rotation, your leg is straight and comfortable.
With any of these methods, you’ll be ready to adjust your eBike seat to ensure a comfortable and safe riding experience. Looking to purchase your first eBike or upgrade from your current one? Check out our range of eBikes today!
