Measuring the angle of the rider area in relation to the ground can be tricky, and it’s rarely necessary, but it offers you another way to check your setup or set up a new bike.

Angle between your hands and feet

For a BMX or mountain bike that’s optimized for handling, the angle of the rider area is usually about 60 degrees from horizontal:

Less angle (55-60°)

Pro:

As the bars get farther away from the rider (within reason), the rider gains more potential sprint power. The rider can pull the bars farther before they hit the hips. Some pro BMXers say moving the bars away gives them more “pull.” This is what they’re feeling.

For a cross country mountain biker, less angle moves the bars farther away and might feel more familiar when pedaling in the saddle. It also allows you to climb steeper hills while remaining extended and balanced. If you specialize in climbing the Slickrock Trail (and walking down the hills), this might be smart.

This might have been a bit easier with less angle, but how often do I climb anything this steep? Mostly in Moab, that’e when.

Con:

The rider gives up range of motion on steep rollers, jump landings and in corners.

More angle (60-65°)

Pro: As the bars get closer to the rider (within reason), the rider gains more range of motion for rollers, jumps, etc. BMX freestyle bikes tend to be closer to 62°. Two degrees makes a noticeable difference!

Con: Potential sprint power is limited because the bars will hit the hips with less arm pull. Very steep climbing gets trickier for the same reason. 

For most riders, more angle makes more sense than less angle. This makes is easier to maintain balance (and safety) on steep drops and landings. You can’t go wrong around 60 degrees.

My bikes have been around 58 degrees for a while, but I’m starting to move them toward 60. 

How to adjust the angle between your hands and feet

This angle is a function of reach (horizontal distance between bottom bracket and grips) and rise (vertical distance between bottom bracket and grips).

If your bike is the right size and has a short stem, the angle should be OK.

You can fine-tune the angle by adjusting these factors:

• Stem length.
• Stem height, handlebar rise and spacers.
• On BMX bikes, by rotating the bars forward and backward (but no more than a couple inches).
• Frame length (this is the last resort.).

Here are some ways the same rider area can yield different angles:

This can get tricky.

The easiest way to get a correct angle: Ride the correct size bike and use a short stem.