Why Saddle Height Formulas Don’t Work for Most Cyclists
Our Coach’s Corner series is your chance to have your biggest cycling questions answered — right from longtime cycling coach Darryl MacKenzie. In these short Q&As, Coach Darryl speaks from his 35+ years of cycling and coaching experience to help you become a stronger, smarter cyclist.
Curious Cyclist:
Coach, I’m trying to get my saddle height set just right. Are saddle height formulas like the LeMond 0.883 method actually reliable?
Coach Darryl:
The Thinking Cyclist knows that saddle height is the single most important bike measurement. Get it wrong, and you’ll never pedal at your full potential, especially on climbs. Even if your legs are strong, you won’t be able to transfer 100% of that power to the pedals.
In my experience fitting over a thousand cyclists, very few arrive with their saddle too high. Far more common — about 80% of riders — is a saddle set too low. That robs you of strength and speed. Just last week, I raised the saddle several centimeters for a 6-foot-2 rider. The very next day, he rode his usual 70-mile loop and recorded seven lifetime personal best times. That’s how critical proper saddle height is.
With that in mind, it would be nice if there were a perfect, easily-replicable formula for setting saddle height, just as the LeMond method claims. But does the LeMond 0.883 formula work? Not as well as you’d hope.
Why the LeMond Formula Falls Short
Greg LeMond, a legendary American racer, created his formula for saddle height in the 1980s. It involves pressing a book against your crotch, measuring to the floor, and multiplying by 0.883 to set saddle height (from saddle top to bottom bracket). It sounds precise — but it ignores real-world variation.
Different body types: Two riders may be the same height with identical inseam measurements, but their bodies aren’t the same. A lean 140-pound racer — like LaMond created his formula for — has far less tissue between sit bones and saddle than a recreational rider carrying 30–100 pounds more. That added thickness means the saddle must sit lower to maintain the proper knee angle.
Crank length and pedal thickness: LeMond’s formula measures only to the bottom bracket. But you don’t connect to the bike there — you connect at the pedal. Change the crank arm length or switch to a thicker pedal (like one with added power-meter electronics), and suddenly your saddle-to-pedal distance changes. Unless you account for it, the formula won’t match how your body actually meets the bike.
The Gold Standard: Knee Angle Measurement
The most precise way to set saddle height is by measuring your knee angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke. In other words, this is the bend in your knee when your leg is extended as far as possible on the pedal stroke. The ideal is about 35 degrees of bend. Using a goniometer (a simple pro tool) — ideally with a helper or a mirror — lets you measure this directly. Adjust your saddle until the angle is right, and you’ll maximize power transfer while minimizing discomfort.
The Bottom Line
Formulas are convenient, but they can’t account for differences in body shape, crank length, or pedal design. If you want to climb faster, ride longer, and feel more comfortable, think cyclist, not formula. Use knee angle as your guide — or get a professional fit to be sure.
Image by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash
