Best Bike Seat Height for Kids (Finding the Right Fit)

I’m trying to figure out how to set up my son’s first bike and I never knew there was a proper seat height. I don’t mean to sound like the grumpy old man complaining, “back in my day…,” but I don’t think I can remember ever setting up my bike seat. I’m pretty sure my dad randomly picked something that looked right and I was happily on my way (no judgement to my dad. He did a great job!).

So the question I ran into is, how high should I set my child’s bike seat height? After a lot of research, I can now tell you fellow dads the best way to find the right fit for your kid’s bike seat. 

A child’s bike seat height will be different for a balance bike, first pedal bike, and every bike after. A balance bike should be about 1-1 ½ inches below your child’s inseam. A first bike should be the same height as their inseam. Every bike after will be between 2-4 inches above their inseam. 

Example: Child Inseam vs. Seat Height Range

Inseam	Balance Bike (-1-1 ½ in)	First Pedal Bike (at inseam)	Every Pedal Bike After (+2-4 in)
12 in	10½ to 11 in	12 in	14 to 16 in
14 in	12 ½ to 13 in	14 in	16 to 18 in
17 in	15 ½ to 16 in	17 in	19 to 21 in

Of course this isn’t an exact science and you’ll need to make some adjustments to find the right fit for your child. Let’s take a look at how to figure out your child’s inseam and the factors to look for when finding the right height for each bike. 

How to Measure Your Child’s Inseam (In 3 Easy Steps)

I know gentlemen, you’re probably thinking this is a mom thing. (And for those of you who don’t know what an inseam is, it’s the distance between the crotch and the end of your pant leg opening.) And regardless of what you saw on that episode of Friends, it doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable situation.

First off, do not just grab a pair of their pants and measure the inseam there. You’re kids are growing like weeds so those pants can be anywhere from, “you just bought them and you got them long so they can last a couple months,” to, “I really need to get them new pants, they look like highwaters.”

1. Have your kids where the shoes they’ll ride their bikes in. 

2. Put a hard cover book between their legs and (gently) raise it up to the crotch

3. Measure to the top of the book

Bike Seat Height for a Balance Bike

Generally, a balance bike seat should be about 1 to 1 ½ inches below their inseam. A balance bike seat is going to be lower than a pedal bike seat because the rider needs to be able to use their legs to move the bike. A lower seat allows for the feet to reach the ground easily and for the knees to bend enough to push the bike. 

Once you’ve set the seat to below your inseam measurement, have your child sit on the seat. You child should have flat feet with knees bent somewhere between 100 and 130 degrees. 

Bike Seat Height for a First Pedal Bike

As a general rule, the seat height of your child’s first pedal bike will be about at their inseam. Learning to ride their first pedal bike is exciting but it’s also a bit intimidating. Becuase your child is learning the mechanics of pedaling while balancing, they should be able to put their feet on the ground easily to catch themselves. 

After you set the height at your child’s inseam height, have them sit on the bike seat. While sitting on the seat, your child should still be able to put the balls of their feel comfortably on the ground.

Your child’s knees should be lightly bent, but not too much. If their knees are too bent, they’re likely to hit the handle bars. Also, it take a lot more effort to pedal when the seat is too low.  

Bike Seat Height for a Second Pedal Bike (and After)

The bike seat for your child’s second pedal bike (and every bike they’ll have after) will be about 2 to 4 inches above their inseam. At this point your child is likely to be a more experienced bike rider with a stronger sense of balance on a bike. They will not need their feet closer to the ground because they no longer need to catch themselves as much. They will also be more confident in their riding and will not need to catch themselves as often. 

The main reason the bike seat is higher for a more advanced rider is a higher sitting position gives more pedaling efficiency (think about how you can pedal harder and faster when you’re standing on a bike versus sitting on a bike).  

To check the height of your child, adjust the seat to above their inseam, and have them sit on the seat. Your child should be able to touch the ground with their toes with a slight break in their knees. 

If your child’s heels can touch the ground, raise the seat. If they can barely get their big toe to touch the ground, the seat is too high. You want to find that sweet spot of being able to just touch the ground comfortably.

Ultimately, if you’re looking to find the right size bike for your child, it’s more than finding the right height of the seat. If you need help picking the right size bike, check out Picking the Right Bike for Your Kid (Find the Perfect Fit).