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How to Size an eBike (Without Overthinking It)
Getting the right eBike size makes a huge difference in comfort, control, and confidence. The good news? You don’t need a PhD in bike geometry—just a couple quick measurements.
Depending on the brand, sizing may be shown as seat height or recommended rider height. See specs for specifics.
Step 1: Measure Your Inseam (The Golden Rule)
Your inseam is the distance from the ground to your crotch, measured while standing in socks with your feet about shoulder-width apart. (Place a book in between your legs to simulate an ebike seat.)
Book = saddle height (your inseam)
- Book should be pressed gently upward to where the seat will support you
- Measure from the floor to the top of book
- This tells you what saddle height range works for you, so you can sit on the saddle and have the balls of your feet on the ground.
- Many eBikes also have adjustable seats and handlebars, so there’s wiggle room—but starting with the right frame is key.
Step 2: Match It to the Frame Size
This measurement also helps determine the stand-over height, meaning you should be able to stand over the bike frame with a little clearance—no awkward tiptoeing or frame-to-thigh encounters.
Rule of thumb:
Have 1–2 inches of 'stand-over clearance' above the frame height. This is the distance between you and the top tube when standing over the ebike.
How to size for frame height :
- Use the inseam measurement above (from floor to the top of the book)
- Subtract 1–2 inches → this is your target stand-over height
- Compare that to the bike’s frame (top tube) height → you want the frame’s standover height at or just below that number (at step #2 above)
- This step is about safety when standing over the e-bike at stops
Most eBike brands size frames by rider height, but inseam fine-tunes the fit. If you’re between sizes, your inseam usually tells you whether to size up or down.
- Longer inseam → you may be more comfortable sizing up
- Shorter inseam → sizing down often feels better
Step 3. Rider Height Ranges
- For brands that refer to Rider Height Ranges, Measure Your Height: Stand flat-footed and measure from the floor to the top of your head.
