How do I determine the ideal nut width?

Before buying a bicycle, the saddle width should be determined because a comfortable sitting position is crucial when cycling. Whether you are a city or mountain bike rider – if you sit uncomfortably, sooner or later you will have problems in your back and wrists. The distance between the sit bones is different for each person, which is why there are also different saddles. In short, if your back hurts on a bike ride, you’ve usually fitted the wrong saddle.

Seat bone measurement

It’s very easy: place a piece of cardboard or corrugated cardboard on a flat chair or a step. Then sit on the cardboard with your back straight and press down or pull on the chair with both hands so that the buttocks are pressed into the cardboard. Then, using a ruler or a metre rule, measure the distance from centre to centre between the two imprints.

• Triathlon – very stretched: Uses the most effectively applicable saddle width
• Road bike – stretched riding: +1 cm is added
• Mountain bike, trekking bike – moderate riding position: +2 cm is added
• Trekking and city bikes – slightly bent: +3 cm are added
• City bike or Dutch bike – upright: +4 cm are added to the measured value

In case of doubt, always round up to the next larger value.

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