Call it odd, but one thing most people notice when they set their eyes on a BMX for the first time is their low seat. So, why do BMX bikes have low seats?
BMX bikes generally have low seats to enjoy better clearance for easy stunts. Moreover, low seats offer riders more grip and momentum when doing the tricks. Additionally, they help in casual riding and seat post protection.
So, the next time you see a BMX with a low seat, you should recognize that the bike manufacturers know what they are doing.
Just try and raise the seat high, and you’ll notice a drastic change in the overall biking experience, whether it’s a race or freestyle BMX. Thus, there is a massive difference between using a low seat for BMX and a high seat. In most cases, the former wins when it comes to riding comfort.
Let me explain the reasons behind a low seat a little more to help you understand it.
5 Reasons BMX Bikes Seats Are Low
Generally, BMX bikes have low seats because of these five reasons:
1. Better Clearance for Easy Stunts
BMX bikes are stunt bikes. They are all about performing the most dreading but fun acrobatic moves. Usually, it’s hard to complete the tricks with a raised seat, and as a result, BMX seats must be below.
A low seat offers you better clearance to perform the moves, and you don’t have to risk an injury when attempting them.
Besides, a high seat only reduces your pedaling efficiency. So, you don’t need an elevated seat but a low option.
2. Low Seats Offer Additional Grip
You need as much contact with your bike as possible when riding a BMX. The seat is one area where you can enjoy additional grip for performing the tricks and racing.
Unfortunately, you cannot enjoy enough contact with the high seat. That means the seat has to be low to allow you to hold the bike mid-air easily.
If it’s high, you may scratch a part of your body trying to get hold of it.
3. Low Seats Boost Your Pedaling Momentum
Typically, with better clearance and extra grip comes more power. So, a low seat offers you more pedaling leverage.
It makes it easy for you to pedal harder with lots of power. Your pedaling momentum generally improves. This is important when racing with a BMX.
Just try racing with a bike with a high seat, and you’ll see how difficult it is to reach for the pedals and power up fast. So, it makes sense to have a low seat on a BMX.
4. Low Seats Enable You to Ride Casually.
Though BMX moves don’t require sitting, a BMX is like every bike. So, you can pedal it like any regular bike.
In that case, if you ever want to ride it casually, you’ll need to sit down, and that’s where the low seats come in. It allows you to temporarily sit and relieve your back from the exhaustion of standing when racing or freestyling.
5. Low Seats Offers Protection
Nothing is irritating like a bike seat scratching your perineal area when you accidentally rub against it. That’s likely to happen if the seat is raised.
However, you can do tricks with a low seat and toss your body around without fearing that the seat will rub against your peritoneum and cause an injury.
Why Do BMX Have Seats
It’s normal to wonder why BMX has seats, yet nobody uses them as you ride the bike mostly while standing.
Well, the seat is there for a reason. For one, the seat is there to serve you like any other, and that provides you with somewhere to sit when you want to ride the bike casually.
The seat also offers you an extra contact point which you can use to perform stunts depending on your creativity.
Additionally, the seats cover the bare seat post to protect your perineum from injuries when doing stunts or racing.
Depending on your BMX bike and seat needs, check out the best BMX seats on Amazon!
Can You Sit Down On A BMX Bike?
Nothing forbids you from sitting down on a BMX bike. You can, however, only do it when riding the bike casually.
Remember, a BMX bike is for stunts (freestyling) or racing, and you cannot do both when seated. So, unless you want to run an errand with your BMX, you don’t need to sit.
Can You Adjust A BMX Seat?
While BMX seats are generally low, it doesn’t mean that you have to use them that way. These seats are adjustable, and you don’t need an expert to help you do it.
All you need is an Allen wrench which you can use to adjust the seat height to your preferred height and even tilt/angle.
How to Raise A BMX Seat
Now that you know it’s possible to raise a BMX seat, here are the steps for doing it:
- Locate the clamp on the bike seat and use an Allen wrench to loosen it
- Use the wrench also to release the bolt holding the seat
- Once the seat loosens, lift it to your preferred new height
- Using the Allen wrench, tighten the clamp to hold the seat in position
- Also, adjust the seat angle before tightening it with the Allen wrench
- Don’t raise a BMX seat too much, as that risks breaking the seat post and damaging the frame. Besides, since the BMX seat is designed to be low, you shouldn’t pull it up too much.
People Also Ask
1. Why Are BMX Seats So Low?
BMX Seats are so low to offer you more clearance for doing the stunts, boost your pedaling momentum and offer you additional grip for maneuvering the bike.
Moreover, the low seat protects your sensitive perineum area from possible scratching and allows you to ride the bike casually.
2. Do BMX Bikes Have Adjustable Seats?
Most BMX bikes come with adjustable seats. You can confirm if your BMX seat is adjustable by trying to raise it using an Allen wrench.
Try adjusting the clamp, holding the seat to loosen it up and if it does loosen up, try pulling it up to confirm that it’s adjustable.
3. Do BMX Riders Sit Down?
BMX riders ordinarily don’t sit down as they don’t need to when performing stunts or racing. BMX riders only sit down when they ride the bikes casually like regular bicycles.
4. Why Do BMX Bikes Have Slanted Seats?
BMX bikes have low seats, but the seats are also slanted well. BMX bikes are inclined to offer you complete bike control, essential when performing stunts.
A slanted seat also offers you additional clearance for executing the stunts. Moving on the bike without hurting the perineum becomes easy if you slam your body against the cycle.
5. Are You Supposed to Sit On A BMX Bike?
Even though a BMX comes with a low-slanted seat, you should not sit when freestyling or racing.
Sitting down offers you less leverage. You become lazy, thus unable to do stunts or race with the bike effectively.
You can, however, sit when casually riding a BMX, for example, when running an errand or short-distance commuting.
6. What Height Should My BMX Seat Be?
You can set the BMX seat at whatever height you are comfortable with. Just ensure you don’t feel any knee pain when riding. If there’s pain in the knee, lower the saddle slightly.
Why Do BMX Bikes Have Low Seats? Closing Thought
In summary, you can know why BMX seats are low and the advantage of keeping them that way.
So, the next time you notice your BMX having a low-slanted seat, you shouldn’t trouble yourself trying to pull it up. It’s there to your advantage. But if you must raise it, do it when riding the BMX casually.
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