# The seat on my hybrid bicycle is TOO HIGH!



## DonVA (Oct 5, 2013)

*Can I have the seat and seat post changed to lower the seat? The one on my bike is as low as it will go. * I hate :mad2: the seat height on my Palisade bicycle bought at a bike store, upon their recommendation, and fitted there. For me, the seat is just too high, no matter the "rules" of fitting. I went to a different store for a tuneup and asked to have the seat lowered, but they said it is all the way down. I feel very unsure and find it hard to mount and dismount. In an urban setting on roads or on bike paths I want to be able to easily mount and dismount and stop quickly without falling. For now this is more important than a perfect fit. I feel it will be easier to learn with the low seat and then raise it to a regulation height. If I can't do this, I suppose I can buy a different bicycle. Thanks.


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## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

What sort of bike store did you buy it at? Is it a 300$ ish bike?


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

is it because the post is too long... usually a post has a minimum level it needs to be.. so I see nothing wrong with cutting the said post as long as you have that min distance in the frame.

having a seat to low is not good for the knees either.


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## DonVA (Oct 5, 2013)

Cutting it with a hacksaw? I thought I would see if there was one that is shorter, I could just buy it. I realize that the fit might not be great, but figure for awhile it won't hurt.


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## DonVA (Oct 5, 2013)

It is a good store, a franchise of a catalog bicycle. I'm not sure about the name and only remember they have a "President's Club." Yes, The bicycle probably was about $300 and seems nice enough, with good construction and functioning. So, I would like to keep it until buying something better.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

DonVA said:


> Cutting it with a hacksaw? I thought I would see if there was one that is shorter, I could just buy it. I realize that the fit might not be great, but figure for awhile it won't hurt.


Yes, you can buy a shorter post. Pull the post from the frame and measure it, then look at the bike shop or online for a shorter post. Being able to put your feet flat on the ground while sitting on the saddle is a recipe for knee injury, or at a minimum VERY inefficient pedaling.


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## DonVA (Oct 5, 2013)

OK, Thanks, I will give it a try (pulling it out and taking it to the store.) Otherwise, I am liable to do some serious damage to more than my knees. Hopefully, it won't take too much to lower it enough. Maybe I won't want it as low as I described. Just enough to feel safe and then see if I can bring it up, if necessary. Lots of flat roads and cool weather are now available and getting me upset if I can't get some good exercise.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm confused, have you lowered the seatpost all the way down into the frame? A shorter or "cutoff" post won't help that.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Hack saw, pipe cutter, chop saw with a metal-cutting disc. Whatever. Doesn't even have to be a nice cut. I'd remove the minimum so that I might be able to go back to my correct saddle height later, but this is only a $15 part if you want it to be, so it's not the end of the world if you have to replace it once you learn to ride.


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

You can cut the post, with a hack saw or with a pipe-cutter... I'd go with the pipe-cutter which is like $10 at any hardware store, cleaner and quicker.

The biggest down side to a super low saddle is that your knees will be going up in the air a bit far, but if that doesn't bother you, then comfort is paramount.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Randy99CL said:


> I'm confused, have you lowered the seatpost all the way down into the frame? A shorter or "cutoff" post won't help that.


I also understood the OP to say that the seat post has been pushed down into the frame as far as it will go. How will cutting it make it go any lower?

The OP wants to be able to have both feet flat on the ground when stopping while seated. If he can't do that with the saddle as low as it will go, the bike is much too big for him or the wrong kind of bike. He needs a smaller or a so-called "crank-forward" bike.


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

A picture is worth a thousand words in this case.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

On my old mountain bike, the bottom of the post hits a water bottle bolt before I run out of exposed post. Probably the new one too, but I haven't tried to set it up for dirt jumping.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Can you post a picture of your bicycle?

Usually when you stop, you should get off the saddle and when you decide to ride again, just stand up on the pedals and sit down. This is the case for most bicycles adjusted to the right saddle height for the rider. But I may be wrong if you have a bicycle with a low bottom bracket.


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

AndrwSwitch said:


> On my old mountain bike, the bottom of the post hits a water bottle bolt before I run out of exposed post. Probably the new one too, but I haven't tried to set it up for dirt jumping.


same here... it's important to keep in mind that the post on a hybrid is 2x as long as a standard road bike (250mm vs 400+mm).


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Randy99CL said:


> I'm confused, have you lowered the seatpost all the way down into the frame? A shorter or "cutoff" post won't help that.


You and wim are confused about the situation. We assume that the post goes only so far into the frame and then bottoms out on something. At this point there is still exposed post above the seat post collar. The saddle is not all the way down sitting on the frame.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

brianmcg said:


> A picture is worth a thousand words in this case.


Yeah, I am kind of confused here to be honest. I would like to see a picture. Also, the huge bold letters hurt my eyes lol.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Kerry Irons;4472316 At this point there is still exposed post above the seat post collar. The saddle is not all the way down sitting on the frame.[/QUOTE said:


> How do you know this? I would think that the shop mentioned by the OP would have sold him a shorter post or shortened the one he had if that would have been the case.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

wim said:


> How do you know this? I would think that the shop mentioned by the OP would have sold him a shorter post or shortened the one he had if that would have been the case.


You would think so, wouldn't you. Between the inability of the OP to explain his situation, his desire for a clearly ineffective and maybe injury-causing seat height, and the inability of the bike shop to articulate a solution, we're left to guess.

If the OP's seat is too high with it essentially resting on the seat collar, then the only solution is a smaller frame. All this to ride in a grossly incorrect position.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Kerry Irons said:


> All this to ride in a grossly incorrect position.


Agree completely. But there are many adults who are terrified at the prospect of having to get off the saddle to safely bring a correctly-fitting bicycle to a stop.

As someone who has taught adults who have never ridden a bike before how to ride one, I can tell you that getting them off the saddle while the bike is moving is a huge step forward in teaching them how to start and stop correctly. Some simply refuse and go buy a "crank-forward" bike or continue to ride with their knees coming up to their ears.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

The OP hasn't been back in a bit...

I learned to ride when I was a child, like most of us, I think. I think the OP's desire to learn something new is admirable. If slamming the saddle helps, who am I to judge? I had training wheels. And I could probably plant both feet, though I don't remember.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

wim said:


> Agree completely. But there are many adults who are terrified at the prospect of having to get off the saddle to safely bring a correctly-fitting bicycle to a stop.
> 
> As someone who has taught adults who have never ridden a bike before how to ride one, I can tell you that getting them off the saddle while the bike is moving is a huge step forward in teaching them how to start and stop correctly. Some simply refuse and go buy a "crank-forward" bike or continue to ride with their knees coming up to their ears.


Yes, but we should be trying to help this guy rather than abet him in bad choices.


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

Kerry Irons said:


> Yes, but we should be trying to help this guy rather than abet him in bad choices.


I disagree, only because the OP already stated that he understands that this isn't the recommended position... our duty to help someone avoid bad choices ends when they acknowledge that it is not recommended. When I bought my first adult bike, I had the shop cut the post to where I was comfortable at the time; I feel that this particular shop failed me by not helping with fit or suggesting that it was a bad idea (on an $800 bike, at that). I wish someone would have told me then, but I figured it out eventually on my own. But once you are aware of it, then it comes down to personal preference; who am I to judge?


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