Bike Saddle Height Calculator
Measure your inseam and pick your riding style. The calculator applies the LeMond factor (0.883 for road, softened for city and MTB) and gives the saddle height in cm and mm - the single bike-fit number worth more than everything else combined.
Shop fits price like a service and generic charts skip the method. This one shows the arithmetic, the measurement that makes it work, and the knee-pain table that tells you which way to nudge it.
How to use
- Measure inseam barefoot against a wall: press a firm book into the crotch and measure floor to book top.
- Enter the figure and choose the factor for your bike type.
- Set saddle top to bottom-bracket distance to the result, ride a week, then adjust in 2-3 mm steps by how your knees report.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LeMond formula?
Saddle height equals inseam × 0.883, measured from saddle top to bottom-bracket axle - popularised by Greg LeMond's coach and still the best one-line fit in cycling. Upright city bikes run 0.87, mountain bikes 0.88 for clearance and control.
Is my knee pain from saddle height?
Usually: front-of-knee pain points to a saddle too low (compressed angle at the top), back-of-knee or hip rocking to one too high (overreaching at the bottom). Fix height first in 2-3 mm steps before buying insoles or new pedals.
How do I measure inseam correctly?
Barefoot, back to a wall, firm book or spirit level pressed into the crotch at sitting-bone level, measured straight down to the floor. Jeans and soft fabric add a centimetre of error - and 1 cm of inseam error becomes 0.9 cm of saddle error.
What is the heel check?
A cross-check, not a formula: put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke - the leg should be perfectly straight without your hip dropping. Then ride on the ball of the foot; if you now point at the bottom, the saddle is a touch high.