I see people, particularly novice cyclists and those returning to the sport after absence, obsess about bike seats all the time as a key to comfort. And I’m not going to debate the special joy of a good bike seat — I have been using the same brand and model for more than 10 years now, and resist change because I like this seat.

But the seat is often the least of people’s worries relative to comfort. The number one most important factor for comfort on a bike is size/fit of the bike. A lot of people think standover height is the be-all and end-all of selection, and that is unfortunate and wrong.

Here are a few of the areas where fit tweaking can be the difference between fast and poky, happy and ouchy, 10 more miles or ibuprofen. These tips are almost universally true for road and mountain bikes, with some variance that occurs when discussing cruiser-style bikes or recumbent trikes, which have their own rules:

• Seat height: Okay, swell, you have a nice seat that suits your type of riding and your tuchus. Where’s the seat post set? You need to be able to get full extension of your leg on the pedal downstroke without locking your knee. At the fullest point of extension, you want just the tiniest kink in your knee. This is the best way to get maximum stroke power and prevent knee injury.
• Reach: Standover is just one element of fit. How far you have to stretch your torso from the seat to the bars is another, and is based on the length of your torso. Too short a frame and you hunch up. Too long and you have to streeeeetch out. Neither is good. There are ways to tinker with this beyond the frame using the handlebar stem length and height. Any good shop should be able to help adjust what you have, or help you install longer/shorter options.
• Crank length: Yeah, the pedal cranks. Again, these come in multiple sizes to accommodate multiple size people. Having the right size increases your pedal power and comfort.
• Handlebar width: Width of your bars should equal your shoulder width, or thereabouts. Lots of people ride bars that are too wide or too narrow. They often adapt via hand placement, which can limit brake access in emergency situations. Putting in new bars is easy and it makes a difference in how your shoulders feel post-ride.
• Gearing: Gearing isn’t usually included in discussions of bike sizing, but I think it should be. Most sets come in multiple gear sizes. Depending on where you live, your riding goals, and your native power, different gearing setups are available to give you options that increase ability and comfort.

Almost all fit adjustments and suggestions can happen via a good local shop. A good shop will work with what you have and help swap in parts.

Many tweaks can be done on an existing bike. While they may not bring a bike up to perfection of fit, they can bring the level up considerably. When a bike feels better, you ride it more. When you ride it more, you start thinking of a new bike that fits your new fitness, ability and goals. And then… you buy something perfect. Or maybe you don’t, if your present bike meets your goals, and the added comfort from adding stem adjustments or additional gears takes you where you want to go.

Advocates for programs like Complete Streets and Safe Routes to Schools will tell you that the programs encourage healthy activity for children and can be a key tactic to combat childhood obesity. Now, a new survey reported by TechWorld suggests that children five years old and younger are acquiring computer skills at higher rates than they are acquiring the ability to participate in healthy activities – like cycling.

The survey spoke to 2,200 mothers in 10 countries. Findings include:

• 69% of children ages two to five can operate a computer mouse

• 58% can play some form of computer game
• 28% can make a mobile phone call
• 52% ride bikes
• 20% swim

Computer use is typically a sedentary activity. While such skills are essential for long-term success in school and society, basic childhood skills such as cycling and swimming should not be neglected, and have many benefits, ranging from fitness and weight control, sunlight exposure for vitamin D production, and even helping tire out the lil’ buggers so they’ll nap or go to bed on time.

Results such as those in this survey are likely to increase as parents who are largely sedentary raise children, and as schools continue to eliminate recess and physical education in favor of increased classroom instructional time. Continued awareness of the impact of building livable communities to combat obesity and inactivity should be included in all advocacy efforts towards these goals.

CNN is presently carrying a Mental Floss article on the role of the bicycle in promoting mobility for women – both physical and social.

So, Jon and I went for a ride Sunday and saw a number of cyclists of varying abilities and equipment.

Most of them needed to raise their seats. I am increasingly convinced, solely through anecdotal evidence, that more people need to check their seat height.

When your bike seat is too low, you don’t get extension of the leg. This is missed power on the downstroke. It also tires the legs faster. When a seat is at the right height, you get more power from less work. It’s awesome.

Some people worry about knee over-extension. As the queen of premature knee arthritis, I assure you this is not the case. The seat should be high enough to fully extend your leg without locking the knee. No knee lock = no overextension.

Even if you’re aware of seat height, like me, it’s good to check it regularly. On many bikes, seat posts can ‘sink’ with use. Just check the height before taking off every time.

Try it. Really. Trust me.