Benefits of a good bike seating position

Here at Frog, we understand that different cycling disciplines such as mountain biking, racing and cycling to school, require different riding positions.

Within each different cycling discipline, a preferred rider’s seating position can be influenced by various factors, including personal preference, experience, comfort, musculoskeletal constraints, safety requirements and aerodynamics.

Frog bikes are used for many purposes, including learning to ride, leisure, exercise, track riding, mountain biking and cyclocross. And, we have used the knowledge gained from independent scientific research to inform our bike frame designs and to give guidance to find the optimal riding position for the child, depending on their experience and personal preference and purpose.

We understand that when you purchase a bike for your child that you want the best product that is easy and comfortable to use so that it continues to encourage their love of cycling! That’s why we invest so much time and effort into the research and development to ensure that we are creating the best bikes possible!

Adopting a good riding position

Frog Bikes are designed based on scientific research to accommodate the specific needs and anatomies of children. This ensures children will be able to adopt a riding position that is safe, comfortable, ergonomic and efficient, providing them with the best cycling experience.

Ergonomic position - Frog bikes are designed to allow a child to adopt a comfortable riding position with the pelvis tilted slightly forward. A forward-tilted pelvis can help reduce the pressure on the child’s lower back. It also creates a small amount of pressure between hands and handlebars, which gives the child greater steering control and a more stable and enjoyable ride.

Efficient pedalling – Our bikes are designed to ensure that children get the most power each time their pedals go around. The frame’s seat tube angle (74-75 degrees) ensures that the child’s knee will be above the pedal spindle when the crank is in the furthest forward position. This in turn will result in an efficient pedal stroke.

Greater control & safety - Our smaller bikes in the first-pedal and hybrid ranges have a low bottom bracket position. This ensures that the child has their feet closer to the ground to improve bike control and increase safety.

Getting the right size bike

Using the right size bike is fundamental to the success and enjoyment of cycling. Too big and the rider may feel volatile, uncomfortable and out of control. Too small and they may feel awkward, unsteady and unsafe.

Our free FrogFit bike fitting app enables children to get sized for cycling success. It offers suggestions for the ideal bike size for a child based on their measurements, which includes leg and arm length and experience.

It also takes results from our independent scientific research and makes recommendations on seat height and reach and considers the experience level of the rider. This ensures that all riders always adopt a safe riding position that is appropriate for their measurements and abilities.

5 point seating position checklist

To ensure the best possible riding experience for your child here is our 5 point seating position checklist:
1. Check the free FrogFit App for bike set up based on the child’s measurements
2. Adjust the saddle to the suggested height
3. Check if the reach is within range and comfortable for the child. If not, install a different handlebar stem that moves the handlebars to a more appropriate position
4.Check the knee is above the pedal spindle when the crank is in the furthest forward position. If not, adjust the saddle forward or backwards accordingly
5.Ensure the upper body is in a comfortable position. If you feel your child is sitting too upright you can lower the handlebars by moving the headset spacers above the stem. If you feel they are leaning too far forward you can add a stem riser to raise the height of the handlebars

Bike shops are there to help
Our local Frog stockists are always on hand to help. If you are unsure about implementing any of the above bike adjustments, get in touch with your local bike shop who will be happy to help.

It’s also worth noting that Frog Bikes components use standard dimensions so that they can easily be swapped out when required. Your local store can also help with these adjustments.

Header image provided by @Cyclopark.kent