Why are bike seats such a pain to adjust?

[ebikemom]

Got a new bike seat that I hope will be kinder to my posterior. Tried it out. Seems promising, but it is SOOOO hard to get the angle of the seat adjusted properly. When everything loosens up so that I can adjust it, it's like... wait... what was that angle?

How can I keep this all straight???? (no pun intended)???

Oh, and is there something like a bike seat adjustment wrench that is the right side for that bolt on either side of the clamp?

Here's a photo of the clamp with my inadequate little wrench on it.

 

[linklemming]

Perhaps try a different seatpost.

I am using salsa guide seatpost, the two bolts allow you to easily adjust the angle. Just loosen one a tad and tighten up the other.

https://salsacycles.com/components/category/seatposts/guide_seatpost

There are many other seatpost that allow this.

Make sure you get the correct diameter and offset

 

[Alaskan]

Its all about the seatpost. Some are easy others not so much. My Kinekt Body Float suspension seatpost has two allen screws that you loosen, adjust the angle and tighten. There are marks on the curved post top and a single mark on the seat clamp that you take note of and can always set back to the same angle easily.

 

[Nova Haibike]

Your bike has a budget seat clamp, the kind that comes on Walmart bikes. As others have noted, a seatpost with an integrated clamp will be much easier to adjust. The easiest will use a single bolt, secured with a 6 mm hex key.

As for what you have, a 14 mm combination wrench is best for adjusting the clamp.

 

[ebikemom]

So interesting to see these different types of bike parts. Thanks!

 

[City Commuter]

I replaced the seat on my Pedego with a new seat post like this, it has one screw under the clamp. You can loosen the screw and move the seat one notch at a time, tighten, and see if it is where you want it. Also put a narrower gel filled seat on, and it is way more comfortable that the wide saddle was.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AOA66Y/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/M-Wave-Alloy...554438209&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-29&th=1&psc=1

 

[ebikemom]

A new suspension seatpost is an interesting idea, but does it make the seatpost stick up higher? I'm 5'5" so I have my Pedego Interceptor seatpost raised less than an inch.

 

[City Commuter]

A new suspension seatpost is an interesting idea, but does it make the seatpost stick up higher? I'm 5'5" so I have my Pedego Interceptor seatpost raised less than an inch.

The seat post slides up or down in the frame, you can adjust the height where you want it. There should be a quick release lever where the seat post meets the bike frame, pull that lever open to move it. You may want to put a mark on the post first so you can put back where it was.

 

[6zfshdb]

A new suspension seatpost is an interesting idea, but does it make the seatpost stick up higher? I'm 5'5" so I have my Pedego Interceptor seatpost raised less than an inch.

It isn't so much your height, it's your inseam that really matters. My wife is 5' 2" with a 28" inseam and she is able to use a Thudbuster ST on her Pedego Interceptor.

With the seat properly adjusted for you, measure the distance between the seat rails and the top of the seat post tube. If the measurement is 3.5" or more, you can use several different suspension seat posts including the Thudbuster ST.

These are pictures of my wife's stock Interceptor seat post and the replacement Thudbuster.



As you can see, the dimension of the suspension component of the OEM post is nearly the same as the Thudbuster. With it installed, she still has almost 2" of post showing.

The Bodyfloat is another popular suspension seat post. I sold mine since I prefer the Thudbuster so I don't have that measurement available. I know Alaskan likes the bodyfloat, perhaps he can provide the measurement.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Is there something like a bike seat adjustment wrench that is the right size for that bolt on either side of the clamp?

• Dog bone or dumbbell bicycle wrench: simple and cheap (about $2 each).
• They're easily destroyed but think of that as a safety feature for stopping you from overtightening nuts and bolts!
• Fifty years no cyclist would have left home without one (or two)!

 

[Marci jo]

A new suspension seatpost is an interesting idea, but does it make the seatpost stick up higher? I'm 5'5" so I have my Pedego Interceptor seatpost raised less than an inch.

That’s true, a suspension seat post needs extra length. Several people suggested a Thudbuster for my Vado but like you, the seat post length was insufficient. It needed an extra 5”. Fortunately the Body Float suspension post was shorter. Keep looking, there’s something out there to fit your needs.

 

[rich c]

Its all about the seatpost. Some are easy others not so much. My Kinekt Body Float suspension seatpost has two allen screws that you loosen, adjust the angle and tighten. There are marks on the curved post top and a single mark on the seat clamp that you take note of and can always set back to the same angle easily.

View attachment 31854

It's not all about the seat post. Any bicycle adjustment takes a certain amount of experience and skill. Use blue tape or a marker to show at what position you started making adjustments. Only loosen the bolts enough to move the parts, not enough so it flops all over the place. Use a cheap inclinometer to measure seat angle when you start and where it is adjusted to. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Empire-Polycast-Magnetic-Protractor-36/100165800 Don't make huge adjustments each time. Only move it a couple of degrees or millimeters each time. Sneak up on the fit! A cheap metric socket set will help greatly and prevent rounded over nuts from adjustable wrenches. Write down numbers and distances as you make the adjustments.

 

[ebikemom]

Dog bone or dumbbell bicycle wrench

Wow, thanks!

These are pictures of my wife's stock Interceptor seat post and the replacement Thudbuster.

Amazing! Thanks for this!

Fortunately the Body Float suspension post was shorter.

Great tip, thanks!

cheap inclinometer to measure seat angle when you start and where it is adjusted to

Thanks, Rich C!!!!

A cheap metric socket set will help greatly and prevent rounded over nuts from adjustable wrenches.

"rounded over nuts", um, I plead guilty!!!!!

 

[indianajo]

I threw away the easy-steal snap tight seat adjust screw for my bike and bougth a 6 mm (diameter) allen head bolt 40 mm long, + elastic stop nut. A box of each was about $8 at mcmaster.com, but since they are stainless and won't rust, worth it IMHO. A half inch box wrench from salvation army resale ($1) fits most 13 mm nuts. 9/16" fits most 14 mm nuts. I carry a kids pencil box of tools in my bag. I do mark the seatpost before adjusting with a black sharpie, so I'll know where I was and which way I wanted to go. A set of lisle metric allen wrenches from the auto supply are about the best available at reasonable cost. Bondrus ball head allen wrenches cost more but I can't get those as tight as flat end allen wrenches.

 

[Alex M]

A new suspension seatpost is an interesting idea, but does it make the seatpost stick up higher?

Yes, suspension post makes the minimum height at least 3" higher. Can be a problem for shorter people.

Your seatpost clamp is a department store variety. Measure size of the nut and buy a wrench on this exact size, will be easier to adjust. Many seatposts use an integrated clamp with allen screw, but it is still a pain, you have to loosen a little and move by one notch at a time. Lower-end integrated clamps don't have notches marked on the side like Body Float.

When I upgraded the seat to Cloud 9, it came with the same clamp as yours - I removed it because my seatpost has integrated clamp.

 

[YTOUY]

Its all about the seatpost. Some are easy others not so much. My Kinekt Body Float suspension seatpost has two allen screws that you loosen, adjust the angle and tighten. There are marks on the curved post top and a single mark on the seat clamp that you take note of and can always set back to the same angle easily.

View attachment 31854

I completed two commutes to work (64 miles) on my new bodyfloat. It was like riding on a full suspension mountain bike. My only regret is not buying one earlier.

 

[rich c]

I completed two commutes to work (64 miles) on my new bodyfloat. It was like riding on a full suspension mountain bike. My only regret is not buying one earlier.

Have you ridden a full air suspension mtb? I have a full air suspension Haibike XDURO Full Seven, and a Bodyfloat on a Haibike XDURO Trekking with spring front fork. The ride is light years different in my mind. Dropping off a curb with the Bodyfloat would be bone jarring. Piece of cake on the Full Seven. Could be my body weight makes all the difference with the Bodyfloat, but that little bit of travel is nothing close to the travel in my rear air shock.

 

[Alex M]

Ebikemom, wait a minute...
On your photo you already have a suspension seatpost, only with non-integrated clamp. Suspension post with integrated clamp won't change the minimum seat height, compared to suspension post without integrated clamp. Or will change it very little, by half an inch or so.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

While there are a lot of reasons to like Pedego, their tendency to use some non-standard bike parts is one pet peeve I have about the company.

The whole seat post assembly on the Interceptor is a good example of the problem. If you want to replace it or use a different saddle you will likely have an engineering project on your hands.

Another suggestion: remove the seat post and seat and take it to a hardware store and find a decent wrench that will fit.

 

[ebikemom]

Someone higher up on the thread recommended a bike wrench that fits those metric bolts. Another recommended getting a metric socket set. Yes, definitely taking it into the store would help to get the right fit!

I'm okay with my seatpost. While I bet a higher quality suspension seatpost would be grand, all feels good to me on that score. Maybe someday if the bumps in the road start to annoy.

Changing the saddle was not a problem in terms of getting a different saddle to fit. The clamp seems to be quite standard. The problem was getting the angle right, and not having the right tools to do the job easily.