12
13
NOTE:
Some bicycles have a sight hole
in the seat
tube, the purpose of which is to make it easy to see
whether the seat post is inserted in the seat tube far
enough to be safe. If your bicycle has such a sight
hole, use it instead of the “Minimum Insertion” or
“Maximum Extension” mark to make sure the seat
post is inserted in the seat tube far enough to be
visible through the sight hole.
If your bike has an interrupted seat tube, as is
the case on some suspension bikes, you must also
make sure that the seat post is far enough into the
frame so that you can touch it through the bottom of
the interrupted seat tube with the tip of your finger
without inserting your finger beyond its first knuckle.
Also see NOTE above and fig
.
5
).
WARNING: If your seat post is not inserted
in the seat tube as described in B.1 above,
the seat post may break, which could
cause you to lose control and fall.
2. Front and back adjustment. The saddle can be
adjusted forward or back to help you get the optimal
position on the bike. Ask your dealer to set the
saddle for your optimal riding position and to show
you how to make this adjustment. If you choose to make your own front and back
adjustment, make sure that the clamp mechanism is clamping on the straight
part of the saddle rails and is not touching the curved part of the rails, and that
you are using the recommended torque on the clamping fastener(s) (Appendix D
or the manufacturer’s instructions).
3. Saddle angle adjustment. Most people prefer a horizontal saddle; but some
riders like the saddle nose angled up or down just a little. Your dealer can adjust
saddle angle or teach you how to do it. If you choose to make your own saddle
angle adjustment and you have a single bolt saddle clamp on your seat post, it
is critical that you loosen the clamp bolt sufficiently to allow any serrations on the
mechanism to disengage before changing the saddle’s angle, and then that the
serrations fully re-engage before you tighten the clamp bolt to the recommended
torque (Appendix D or the manufacturer’s instructions).
WARNING: When making saddle angle adjustments with a single bolt
saddle clamp, always check to make sure that the serrations on the
mating surfaces of the clamp are not worn. Worn serrations on the
clamp can allow the saddle to move, causing you to lose control and fall.
Always tighten fasteners to the correct torque. Bolts that are too tight
can stretch and deform. Bolts that are too loose can move and fatigue.
Either mistake can lead to a sudden failure of the bolt, causing you to lose
control and fall.
on your heels. If your crotch touches the
frame, the bike is too big for you. Don’t
even ride the bike around the block. A bike
which you ride only on paved surfaces
and never take off-road should give you
a minimum standover height clearance of
two inches (5 cm). A bike that you’ll ride
on unpaved surfaces should give you
a minimum of three inches (7.5 cm) of
standover height clearance. And a bike
that you’ll use off road should give you four
inches (10 cm) or more of clearance.
2. Step-through frame bicycles
Standover height does not apply to bicycles with step-through frames. Instead,
the limiting dimension is determined by saddle height range. You must be able to
adjust your saddle position as described in
B
without exceeding the limits set by
the height of the top of the seat tube and the ”Minimum Insertion” or “Maximum
Extension” mark on the seat post.
B. Saddle position
Correct saddle adjustment is an important factor in getting the most
performance and comfort from your bicycle. If the saddle position is not
comfortable for you, see your dealer.
The saddle can be adjusted in three directions:
1. Up and down adjustment. To check for correct saddle height (fig. 3):
• sit on the saddle;
• place one heel on a pedal;
• rotate the crank until the pedal with your heel on it is in the down position and
the crank arm is parallel to the seat tube.
If your leg is not completely straight, your saddle height needs to be adjusted.
If your hips must rock for the heel to reach the pedal, the saddle is too high. If
your leg is bent at the knee with your heel on the pedal, the saddle is too low.
Ask your dealer to set the saddle for your optimal riding position and to show
you how to make this adjustment. If you choose to make your own saddle height
adjustment:
loosen the seat post clamp
raise or lower the seat post in the
seat tube
make sure the saddle is straight fore
and aft
re-tighten the seat post clamp to the
recommended torque (Appendix D or the
manufacturer’s instructions).
Once the saddle is at the correct height,
make sure that the seat post does not
project from the frame beyond its “Minimum
Insertion” or “Maximum Extension” mark
(fig. 4).