This article explains how to adjust your bicycle so that it fits you
perfectly and rides as comfortably and efficiently as possible. It’s essential to do this to any bicycle that you plan to ride regularly. It’s
a relatively easy seven-step process requiring only basic tools and a
helper.
For troubleshooting the fit of your bicycle to solve aches and pains
please see my bike fitting problems and solutions.
Step 1) Level and center the seat
Start adjusting fit by placing the bicycle on a level surface and checking
that the  seat
is level (photo). A good way to check is to place a carpenter’s
level on top of the seat. If you don’t have this tool, place a yardstick
on top of the seat and compare the edge of the yardstick to a horizontal
sight line, which you know to be level such as a windowsill or the top
of a building. While adjusting, ensure that the seat is centered on its
rails over the seatpost, too.
Notes
A level seat supports your full body weight, offers optimum pedaling
efficiency and makes it easier to move around on the seat when necessary.
(It’s logical to think that tilting the seat down will ease pressure
on sensitive areas. But, when you do this, it causes you to slide forward
when riding, which puts extra pressure on your arms, hands and knees,
which can lead to injury.)
Most riders do fine with level seats. If you experience discomfort, tip
the seat slightly (no more than 3 degrees) up or down. Women typically
tip it down; men tip it up.
If the seat won’t move after loosening the bolt(s), the parts are
probably stuck. Tapping the seat with the heel of your hand should free
the parts.
If you're having trouble getting comfortable on your seat even when
it’s adjusted correctly, please see my extensive bicycle
seats guide.
2) Adjust seat height
The easiest do-it-yourself seat-height adjustment is done on a trainer
or indoors in a doorway and requires a friend or spouse to help. Put
on your cycling shorts and shoes, mount  your
bike in the trainer or place your bike in the doorway, get on and hold
onto the doorjamb to support yourself. Have your helper stand behind.
To find seat height, place your heels on the pedals and pedal backwards.
You’ve found the optimum seat height when your legs are completely
extended at the bottoms of the pedal strokes with your heels on the
pedals (photo A). Have your helper watch for rocking hips, the
sign that the seat is too high. Now, when you’re actually pedaling,
you’ll have the perfect bend in your knees (photo B).
Notes
This is a starting position. If it feels too low or high, adjust the
seat up or down. But, only slightly to fine-tune the adjustment.
When you’ve found the perfect position, mark it with an indelible
marker (or wrap electrical tape around the post to mark it) so you won’t
have to go through the fitting process again.
Consider memorizing the measurement, too (measure from the top of the
seat to the middle of the crank).
3) Adjust the shoe cleats
If you’re riding in cycling shoes, it’s important
that the cleats on the soles are positioned correctly. There are two
important adjustments, fore/aft and angular. The former is
easy to find, the latter takes some careful trial and error.
Fore/aft
The cleat should be positioned so that the balls of your feet rest
over the centers of the pedals (the axles) when you’re pedaling
(photo A). Sight from the top when you’re on the bike to
check this (hold your feet level). The balls of your feet form protrusions
on the insides of the shoes and these should rest right over the axles.
If not, adjust the cleats as needed.
Angular
Ideally, your cleat position allows resting your feet in a natural position
on the pedals. Otherwise, you could injure your knees. Usually, aligning
the cleats with an imaginary line that bisects the soles provides a
safe starting position (photo B). But, go for some very easy
rides to check the position and ensure it’s right for your knees.
If you feel any stress or strain, change the angle slightly to eliminate
discomfort.
Notes
When you’ve found an ideal cleat position, trace lines around the
cleats so you can easily replace a worn cleat and reposition a loose one.
Use quality tools and work with care so you don’t strip the cleat
bolts. Also, check your hardware to make sure it’s still tight after
about 5 hours of riding.
If you’re using toe clips and straps, make sure the clips hold
your feet in the optimum position (balls of the feet over the centers
of the pedals). If not, get different-size clips. If you’ve got huge
feet, place spacers between the clips and pedals to “lengthen”
the clips.
For even more tips, see my cleat positioning page.
4) Find fore/aft seat position
This adjustment requires a helper, too. Place your bike on
a level surface next to a wall or post so you can hold yourself upright
(or put it on a trainer, but be sure to  level
the bike). Put on your biking shorts and shoes, get on and pedal backwards
until you’re sitting in the “sweet spot” on the seat.
Move your feet into the position shown in the photo. The forward
crankarm and pedal must be level with the ground. The fore/aft seat
adjustment is correct when a plumb line (any piece of string with a
weight on the end) hanging from the bony protrusion just below your
kneecap, bisects the pedal axle.
Notes
As with the other adjustments, this is a safe starting position.
If you’re over 6-feet tall, ride long distances, climb a lot and
pedal at about 90 rpm, you may prefer to be as much as 1 to 2 cm behind
the pedal axles.
If you’re less than 6-feet tall, spin at 95 rpm or faster and
like to sprint, you’ll probably prefer to be directly over the
axles.
5) Check handlebar height
Changing handlebar height can require know-how and parts
you may not have. So, I recommend using these tips only to gauge adjustment.
If you discover that you
need a change, you should visit your local bike shop to check what parts
you need.
The first bar-height check is comfort. If you’re sore during or
after rides particularly in the lower back and/or neck, the bars may
need adjustment. Inspect bar height by standing your bike on a level
surface and viewing it from the side comparing the height of the seat
to the height of the bars (photo). For road riding, a difference
of 1 to 4 inches is optimal, even slightly more, if you’re a flexible
racer. For off-road use and recreational riding, bar height should be
equal to or up to 2 inches below the seat height. Keep in mind that
these are guidelines that work for most people. Sometimes it takes a
little experimentation to find the most comfortable position.
Notes
If you’d like to measure the difference between your seat and bar
height, rest a straightedge on the seat (if the seat’s not level,
level the straightedge) so it extends over the bars and measure the difference
with a ruler.
It’s important to realize that there’s a limit to how much
you can raise the handlebars. The amount of adjustment depends on the
frame and component design. In some cases, it may be necessary to install
longer cables and housing to raise the handlebars, too.
Tall riders (long arms and large hands) usually favor lower handlebars
and short riders prefer higher ones.
Achieve a comfortable back angle of approximately 45 degrees (depending
on your degree of flexibility).
When the bars are the right height, it should feel natural to look ahead
(no neck craning).
Another way to “raise” mountain-bike handlebars is to replace
your flat bars with a riser model. These can be an inch or two higher
than flat bars.
It’s usually not a good idea to raise the handlebars too much.
Once they’re higher than the seat, your body weight is shifted
more over the rear of the bike, which can mean greater jolts from bumps
in the road. This can lead to discomfort and pain.
6) Check handlebar reach
A proper reach to the handlebars is the key to enjoying comfortable
rides. If the bars are too close or too far away, you may experience
neck, shoulder, back and
hand pain. And, it can cause you to scoot backward or forward on your
seat all the time. On most bikes, to change length, you must replace
the stem. And stems come in a variety of types and diameters.
To check reach at home, put on your cycling clothes, mount your bike
on a trainer and make sure the bike is level. Get on and pedal until
you’re comfortable with your upper body relaxed. Look ahead as
if you were looking down the road. For dropped handlebars, rest your
hands on the tops of the brake levers. For flat bars with bar ends,
use the regular grip position. Now, have a helper look at you from the
side (photo) to gauge where a plumbline dropped from the tip
of your nose would fall. Optimally, there should be about an inch between
the plumb line and the center of the handlebar.
Notes
If you don’t have a helper, photograph/video yourself from the
side and check the picture.
If you feel the need to scoot forward on the seat while riding, your
stem is probably too long (and vice versa).
Indicators of proper reach include: being able to always comfortably
bend the elbows while riding, no hump in the back, a natural neck angle
and equal pressure on the hands and seat.
7) Check handlebar size
Most bicycles today come with handlebars that suit the person who fits
the bike. So, it’s likely that your handlebars fit adequately.
There are lots of different handlebar sizes  and
shapes, however, and changing might fine-tune your fit providing additional
comfort.
Width
Check width first. For optimal control and efficiency, drop handlebars
should be about the same width as your shoulders (photo). These
bars come in sizes ranging from about 38- to 44-cm wide. So, if the
distance between the bony protrusions on top of your shoulder blades
is 42 cm, that’s what the handlebar width should be.
Flat-bar widths vary, too. Usually, riders who enjoy demanding, technical
trails appreciate a little additional width (24 to 27 inches), especially
if they’re using dual-suspension frames. All-round riders prefer
a more standard width of about 22 inches. Also, if the trails you ride
cut through tight spaces such as neighboring trees, you’ll want
to be sure the bars aren’t too wide to clear the obstacles.
Shape
Handlebars come in various shapes, too. Flat bars have different bends
and may include rise to help you sit more upright. Drop bars often feature
anatomic bends in the hooks for more comfort. And they’re sometimes
bent differently on the tops to accommodate your wrists. Another consideration
with drop bars is reach, the distance between the bar tops and bottoms.
Usually, taller riders appreciate more reach.
Notes
If your flat handlebars are too wide, you can shorten them with a tubing
cutter or hacksaw. But don’t overdo it. Measure carefully and be
sure to leave ample room for the brake and shift levers, etc. |
