Just bought a masi speciale fixed recently, and had the LBS fix a few things. when i picked it up, noticed the seat height was set very high. I know some riders like to set it exaggeratedly high (i.e. massan); which may hurt their back, but their riding rocks. Thoughts on what is the way to properly set the height?

ps. apologies if this is a lame/newbie type question.

at the crank's 6 o'clock you should have a slight bend in your leg--should not be fully straight. the seat should be set back enough so that when your foot is at the 3 o'clock, your knee is above the ball of your foot.

it's not a precise science, use these guides as a starting point. people usually find their sweet spot from there.

they set it high because they clamp the seatpost to the bike stand, not because it's suppose to be like that. like the other poster said, keep trying until you find that sweet spot where your leg is bent just a little bit at the 6oclock and make sure when you're riding your hips are not shifting left and right (it's too high) or that your knees are not hurting (too low). you'll find it as you ride more. Bring an allen wrench to adjust on the road. Then never let anyone ride your bike because they'll **** up the size and you'll take months finding it again (like i did). yeah, u could mark the seatpost but i prefer to not let anyone ride it.

Just throw some electrical tape on your post at the collar to mark the height, then you never need to dial it in again.

another good rule of thumb (ie: starting point) is 88% of your inseam length. lemond's number, i think.

measure your actual inseam while barfoot, don't use pants size. and the saddle height is measured from the center of the bottom bracket (crank spindle) to the top of the saddle, along the seat tube (ie: not straight vertical).

man, this is some great advice. thanks!

If you're going to measure your inseam for cycling, the right way to do it is to get up against a wall, push a hardcover book against the wall, and then slide it up into your crotch, pushing hard enough for it to be somewhat uncomfortable. (Not kidding). Then, measure the height of the book from the floor. The fit formulas all assume a measurement of this type.

Another method to find the right ball park is, get seat height so your heels can barely touch the pedals at the bottom of the downstroke.

Really though, the only way to get fit perfect is to experiment. Once you have your saddle in the right ballpark, moving it up or down 1/8" can make a huge difference (good or bad) so remember to keep adjustments small.

Sheldon Brown's wisdom:

massan's frame is too small...

I like mine as high as possible without discomfort from having my leg straightened out too far.

As for discomfort from being hunched over, that's a fit issue to be resolved by changing the position of the bars, not the seatpost. The seatpost adjustment is for your legs, period.

Use mander's method of obtaining your inseam. Multiply this result by .883. This is your seat height, measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle, approximately in the middle. This is known as the LeMond formula, but is actually the Renault/Gitane formula taught to LeMond when he rode for Cyrille Guimard. The number is not cast in stone, but does guarantee that your seat height will not be incorrect. In can be adjusted up and down a centimeter or so if desired.