Saddle height calculator
Saddle height follows your inside leg measurement, not your height. With a 32.3 in (82 cm) inseam the LeMond method gives 28.5 in (72.4 cm) measured from the bottom bracket, while the Hamley method gives 35.2 in (89.4 cm) measured from the pedal axle. This calculator shows both, adds the heel method, and explains where the difference comes from.
The heel method (a check without numbers)
Sit on the saddle, steadying yourself against a wall, and put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke. Your leg should be fully straight without your hips tilting. When you then place your foot normally, with the ball of the foot on the pedal, the knee ends up with the right slight bend.These are starting points: settle the final height over a few rides. Pain at the front of the knee usually means the saddle is too low; pain behind the knee or hips rocking side to side means it is too high. A professional fit measures knee flexion angle instead (the Holmes method, 25-35 degrees).
How is saddle height calculated?
Both numeric methods multiply your inside leg measurement by a constant derived from research and practice. What differs is where they measure from:
LeMond: height = inseam x 0.883
(bottom bracket centre -> top of saddle, along the seat tube)
Hamley: height = inseam x 1.09
(pedal axle at its lowest point -> top of saddle)The Hamley method, from Hamley and Thomas's 1967 study, measures the whole chain from the pedal, so its result includes crank length. The 0.883 factor was popularised by Greg LeMond in the 1980s; it measures from the bottom bracket, which is far easier with a tape measure against the seat tube, and it is the one most fitting guides quote. Which should you use? If you are setting the saddle with a tape measure, use LeMond. If you would rather check without numbers, use the heel method. And if you have knee trouble, consider a professional fit measuring knee angle directly (Holmes, 25-35 degrees), because any formula averages away your individual proportions.
Worked example: a 32.3 in (82 cm) inseam with 172.5 mm cranks gives 28.5 in by LeMond and 35.2 in by Hamley. The 6.7 in gap is almost exactly one crank length, because both describe the same leg position measured from different points. Crank length matters for the same reason: fitting longer cranks means lowering the saddle by the difference, and this calculator applies that correction against a 172.5 mm reference.
Saddle height is not the whole fit
Before you start chasing millimetres, make sure the frame itself is the right size: check it with the bike size calculator. Comfort on long rides also depends on tire pressure, since over-inflated tires are a common cause of numb hands, and you can set that in the tire pressure calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I measure my inseam for saddle height?
- Stand barefoot with your back to a wall and your feet about 6 in (15 cm) apart. Pull a hardcover book up between your legs, spine upward, firmly enough to mimic sitting on a saddle. Measure from the top edge of the book to the floor. Take the measurement two or three times and average it: every 1 cm of measurement error becomes almost 1 cm of saddle height error.
- What is the difference between the LeMond and Hamley methods?
- Both multiply your inside leg measurement by a fixed factor, but they measure different distances. LeMond (0.883) gives the distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle along the seat tube. Hamley (1.09) measures from the pedal axle at its lowest point to the top of the saddle, so it includes the crank. That is why the numbers differ by roughly one crank length while describing the same position.
- How do I know if my saddle is too high or too low?
- Too low: pain at the front of the knee, a cramped feeling at the top of the stroke, knees tracking outward. Too high: hips rocking side to side on the saddle, pain behind the knee, reaching with your toes at the bottom. Change saddle height in 2-3 mm steps and judge each change over several rides, not one.
- Does crank length change saddle height?
- Yes. Saddle height is set by how far your leg extends at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and that position moves with crank length. Longer cranks mean a lower saddle by the difference in crank length; shorter cranks mean a higher one. This calculator applies that correction automatically against a 172.5 mm reference crank.
- What is the Holmes method?
- It measures knee flexion angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke, targeting 25-35 degrees. It needs a goniometer or video analysis, which makes it the professional bike fitting standard rather than a home method. The LeMond and Hamley results usually land inside that range, which is exactly why they work as a starting point.