Does seat height matter?
The wrong bike seat height can cause knee and or back pain, not to mention stiff shoulders if you’re too far away from the handlebars, says Bradley. Specifically, you want to avoid your knee going too far forward, past your toes on the downward half of your pedal stroke as this puts pressure on the knee joint, he says. Whether it is too high or too low, injury becomes inevitable due to the incorrect muscle groups at work, and in turn reduced power output. As a result of a suboptimal saddle height, you may be experiencing symptoms of lower back, knee, neck or shoulder pain, yet, cannot pinpoint the cause.An improperly set saddle height can result in knee injury (1) and low back pain. Saddle heights that are too low or high alter the knee angle and, thereby, the mechan- ical work (2) and pedaling efficiency (6,7).If your saddle is too low, you may experience knee pain. As you get more comfortable riding, raise the saddle closer to its proper height. Try and learn to extend your toe; you may need to develop some flexibility in your ankle to make this comfortable, but this will happen in time.What are the signs of an incorrect saddle height? The most common red flags are knee discomfort and a drop in power. A saddle set too high often causes pain in the back of the knee, while one that’s too low can make you feel sluggish, especially on climbs.
What happens if a bike seat is too high?
Experts often point to pain behind the knee as a sign of a saddle that’s too high. But it’s not limited to knee pain—a high saddle can also cause discomfort where the hamstrings meet the glutes, as well as saddle sores, numbness, and other issues. There are some specific signs that can indicate your saddle is too high. Experts often point to pain behind the knee as a sign of a saddle that’s too high. But it’s not limited to knee pain—a high saddle can also cause discomfort where the hamstrings meet the glutes, as well as saddle sores, numbness, and other issues.