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Fitting Your Bike > Seat Height

If your seat is too low, your bike will strain your knees and Achilles tendons. A seat that's too high will make it hard to pedal or put your foot on the ground. A seat that’s just right? Well, it’s perfect. Here’s how you can find that sweet spot:

• Sit on your bike and push one pedal all the way down (figure 2). Put the ball of your foot on the pedal. If your seat is high enough, your knee should be slightly bent with your foot parallel to the ground.

• If your hips rock from side to side when you pedal backwards, or if you feel like you are stretching at all to reach your pedals, your seat is too high.

• Don't raise your seat so high that fewer than two inches of your seat post extend into the frame (figure 3).

Considerations In Fitting Your Bike