Alongside saddle height, the horizontal saddle position determines how your power gets to the pedal and how much load your knee carries. The classic reference point is KOPS — "Knee Over Pedal Spindle".
With the crank horizontal and pointing forward (3 o'clock position), the front edge of the kneecap should sit roughly directly above the pedal spindle. Traditionally this is checked with a plumb line: a string at the kneecap, weight hanging down — the string should pass through the pedal spindle.
| KOPS value | Meaning | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| ±1.5 cm | Neutral range | Balanced power transfer |
| > +1.5 cm (knee ahead of spindle) | Saddle too far forward | More pressure on the kneecap, "quad-dominant" |
| < −1.5 cm (knee behind spindle) | Saddle too far back | More glute/hamstring load, often less punch |
Time trialists deliberately sit further forward, climbers often further back. KOPS is the proven neutral starting point — from there you adjust deliberately instead of shifting blindly. Also note: moving the saddle forward/back effectively changes saddle height too (about 3 mm of height per 1 cm of horizontal shift) — always re-check height afterwards.
The plumb line method is fiddly and depends on the exact crank position. Video analysis does it automatically and correctly:
The result: "Knee +2.1 cm ahead of pedal spindle → move saddle back about 2 cm." It doesn't get more concrete than that.
Measure KOPS now for free by video →