Correct seat adjustment is critical to proper bike fit and an important factor in getting the most performance and comfort from your Charge Comfort, City or XC electric bike.
Determining the correct saddle height:
1. Start by rotating the crank so the pedal with your heel on it is in the down position and the crank arm is parallel to the seat tube.
2. When seated on the saddle: If your leg is locked straight at the knee with your foot on the pedal in the down position, the saddle is too high. 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.
3. Using the torque wrench supplied with you Charge bike or an allen key, loosen the the seat clamp so that you can move the seat post up and down inside the seat tube. Change the saddle height so that when seated and with the pedal at the bottom of the crank rotation, your leg is straight.
Setting the Saddle Height
1. Use the Charge bike torque wrench or an allen key to loosen the seat clamp bolt; turn it counter-clockwise. Loosen it enough to slide the seat post up and down easily inside the seat tube. There is no need to remove the seat clamp bolt, seat clamp, or seat post.
2. Raise or lower the seat post to the desired seat height.
3. Make sure that the seat post does not project from the frame beyond its “Minimum Insertion” or “Maximum Extension” mark.
4. Make sure the seat nose is in-line with the bike frame.
5. Use the Charge bike torque wrench to re-tighten the seat clamp, fixing the seat post in place. Continue turning the torque wrench until you feel and hear a loud clicking noise indicating that the tightening torque has been reached.
- Always check and make sure the seat post "MINIMUM INSERT" marks are below the seat clamp and cannot be seen.
- Ensure that the seat clamp is tightened and the saddle cannot move.
Improperly adjusted saddle (seat) height could affect the rider's ability to reach the handlebar and pedals resulting in unexpected movement, loss of control and serious injury or death.
Saddle Front and Back Adjustment
The saddle can be adjusted forward or back to help you get the optimal position on the bike. Make sure that the seat 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).
Saddle Angle Adjustment
Most people prefer a horizontal saddle; but some riders like the saddle nose angled up or down just a little. A bicycle 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 seat clamp on your seat post, which is what will have come on your Charge Comfort, City or XC, it is critical that you loosen the seat 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 seat clamp bolt to the recommended torque (See manufacturer’s instructions).
NOTE: If your bicycle is equipped with a suspension seat post, follow the recommended service intervals for your suspension seat post. See manufacturer’s instructions. Small changes in saddle position can have a substantial effect on performance and comfort. To find your best saddle position, make only one adjustment at a time.
If, in spite of carefully adjusting the saddle height, tilt and fore-and-aft position, your saddle is still uncomfortable, you may need a different saddle design. Saddles, like people, come in many different shapes, sizes and resilience.
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.
After any saddle adjustment, be sure that the saddle adjusting mechanism is properly tightened before riding. A loose saddle clamp or seat post binder can cause damage to the seat post, or can cause you to lose control and fall.
A correctly tightened saddle adjusting mechanism will allow no saddle movement in any direction. Periodically check to make sure that the saddle adjusting mechanism is properly tightened.