• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.417-423
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare two saddle height determination methods by the effectiveness of pedal reaction force. Ten male subjects (age: $24.0{\pm}2.4years$, height: $175.1{\pm}5.4cm$, weight: $69.3{\pm}11.1kg$, inseam: $77.8{\pm}4.5cm$) participated in three minutes, 60 rpm cycle pedaling tests with the same load and cadence. Subject's saddle height was determined by $25^{\circ}$ knee flexion angle (K25) when the pedal crank was at the 6 o'clock position (knee angle method) and 97% (T97), 100% (T100), 103% (T103) of trochanter height (trochanteric method). The RF (resultant force), EF (effective force), and IE (index of effectiveness) were compared by measuring 3D motion and 3-axis pedal reaction force data during 4 pedaling phases (phase1: $330^{\circ}-30^{\circ}$, phase2: $30^{\circ}-150^{\circ}$, phase3: $150^{\circ}-210$, phase4: $210^{\circ}-330^{\circ}$). Results showed that there were significant differences in EF at phase1 between T97 and K25, in EF at phase4 between T100 and T103, in IE at total phase between T97 and K25, between T100 and T103, in IE at phase1 & phase2 between T97 and K25. There was higher IE in the K25 than any other saddle heights, which means that K25 was better pedaling effectiveness than the trochanteric method. Therefore it was suggested the saddle height as 103.7% of trochanter height that converted from K25.