How to Change a Bike Seat [Seat Replacement and Positioning]

How to Change a Bike Seat – There are a number of reasons a cyclist might have to change their bike seat. Their current seat could be worn after several years of extensive use, it could have sustained damage that has made it unusable, or they might simply be looking for an upgrade. Whatever the reason, youâ€™re going to need to know how to replace your bike seat.Â

The following will break down exactly how to change the seat of your bike, as well as how to adjust the seat for maximum comfort.Â

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Table of Contents

What Equipment Do You Need To Replace A Bike Seat?

You wonâ€™t need much equipment to replace your bike seat, but it still helps to have a few tools handy. Youâ€™ll likely need to have a hex wrench because the majority of bike seats railed will be secured to the clamp with a hex bolt.

Of course, youâ€™ll also need a new bike seat. These can be purchased either from your local bike shop or online. Remember to make sure that the saddle is the right size.

The only other things youâ€™re likely to need are cleaning supplies like paper towels or rags. You may also find a carpenterâ€™s level and plumb bob will make adjusting the seat a little easier, as well as bike lube.Â

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How To Replace A Bike Seat

The first step to replacing your bike seat is unfastening the clamp bolts of your current saddle. Unscrew the bolt thatâ€™s securing the clamp to the seat post by turning it a few times with your wrench.

Itâ€™s possible thereâ€™ll be more than one bolt. If so, unscrew them both simultaneously (which simply means not doing one whole bolt and then the other whole bolt), otherwise, you risk stripping the thread.Â

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If it looks like your bike seat doesnâ€™t have any bolts, look for a knob somewhere between the bike frame and the seat.

Now that youâ€™ve unscrewed the bolt, you can remove the bike seat. Lift the upper clamp jaw and this will free the thin metal rails of the saddle.

Pull the bike seat up to remove it. If youâ€™re working with two bolts and the seat wonâ€™t come free, you may need to remove one of those bolts entirely.

Itâ€™s recommended that you now clean the clamp, to get rid of any grime, dust, dirt, or any other particles. A clean clamp will greatly reduce or eliminate creaking while you ride.

You can clean the clamp with moist paper towels or rags. Be sure to wipe all of the clamp channels, and the sides of both clamp jaws.

Now you can prepare your new saddle. Lubricate its bolts and rails, and spread the bike lube across the threading using paper towels. To lubricate the insides of the holes, insert the bolts through the saddleâ€™s clamp holes.Â

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Once your saddle has been prepared, you should position its rails on the channels of the bottom clamp jaw. The front of the seat should be facing the handlebar and must be in line with the frame of the bike.

Next, fit the upper clamp jaw to the rails. The holes on the top and the bottom jaw clamps should be aligned while youâ€™re holding the saddle.

Now, put the bolt through the top and bottom holes. Tighten it by turning it clockwise with your wrench. If your saddle has two bolts, secure them evenly.

Tighten the bolt (or bolts) until the seat is no longer moving by itself. Donâ€™t screw the bolts so tight that you wonâ€™t be able to adjust the seat, though.

Next, youâ€™ll be determining the best height for your new bike seat. You can either do this using your memory of how high the previous seat was, or you can measure the length of the inseam of your pants by standing up against a wall and marking roughly the height of your groin.Â

Measure the distance between this mark and the floor, and then multiply this by 0.887. This should give you the ideal bike seat height, but you may prefer it to be a little lower or a little higher.

To achieve this ideal height, youâ€™ll need to loosen the post bolt of your saddle. At the section where your bike frame connects with the seat post, there will be either a metal ring or a clamp.

Within this component, there will be a bolt, and loosening said bolt (by turning it left) will allow you to adjust the height of your bike seat. Once youâ€™ve adjusted the seat, secure the bolt so the seat wonâ€™t slide.Â

To ensure that the seat of your bike is parallel to the ground for maximum comfort, you may want to use a carpenterâ€™s level. To do this, take a seat on the bike saddle and turn the pedals so theyâ€™re at the same height.

Hold the plump bob behind your kneecap, and move the seat either backwards or forwards until the string of the plumb bob is lined up with the pedal axle. At this point, your seat should be perfectly parallel to the ground.Â

Frequently Asked Questions on Bike Seats

What Does It Mean When A Bike Seat Has A Cut-out?

The cut-out or groove in the centre of some bike seats is there to alleviate the pressure on the genital area and on the perineal area or the pubic bone arch. Not every saddle will feature a cut-out like this, though.

How Do I Choose The Right Saddle For Me?

The right bike saddle for you depends on a number of factors: the type of riding youâ€™re planning on doing, your anatomy, the width of your sit bones, your flexibility, your budget, and whether or not you can take the seat for a test ride.

Even a short test ride should give you an indication of whether this seat is going to be comfortable for you in the long term.

Conclusion: How To Change A Bike Seat

When replacing your bike seat, itâ€™s important to know how to do it properly, otherwise your ride will be very uncomfortable- or even dangerous.

The saddle should be parallel to the ground, which you can ensure with the use of a carpenterâ€™s level, and the seat should be at a height that will be comfortable for even the longest rides.

Now that you know how to replace a bike seat, you can upgrade to a more comfortable saddle.