Til tross for at sykkelstyret sitter lavt, er setehøyden riktig.

It means even though, although, or more literally despite the fact that.

• til tross for = despite / in spite of
• at = that, used when a full clause follows

So til tross for at sykkelstyret sitter lavt introduces a contrast: one thing is true, but another thing is still true as well.

Because til tross for and til tross for at are used in slightly different ways.

• til tross for + noun phrase
  • Til tross for regnet = Despite the rain
• til tross for at + clause
  • Til tross for at det regner = Even though it is raining

In your sentence, what follows is a full clause: sykkelstyret sitter lavt. That is why at is needed.

This is because Norwegian is a V2 language in main clauses. That means the finite verb usually comes in the second position.

Here, the whole opening clause Til tross for at sykkelstyret sitter lavt counts as the first element. So the verb in the main clause must come next:

• Til tross for at ... , er setehøyden riktig.

If you remove the opening clause, the normal order is:

• Setehøyden er riktig.

So the inversion happens because the sentence begins with another element.

Here sitter does not literally mean sits in the human sense. In Norwegian, sitte is often used about how something is positioned, mounted, or located, especially if it is attached or placed in a certain way.

So sykkelstyret sitter lavt means something like:

• the handlebars are positioned low
• the handlebars sit low

Using er lavt would be understandable, but sitter lavt sounds more natural when talking about the physical placement of bike parts.

This is a very common learner question.

In expressions like sitter lavt, Norwegian often uses the neuter form of the adjective: lavt. This is especially common when the adjective describes position or manner after verbs like:

• sitte
• stå
• ligge

Examples:

• Vinduet sitter høyt.
• Skapet står løst.
• Byen ligger lavt.

So lavt here is the natural form in this kind of expression.

Also, sykkelstyret is a neuter noun (et styre), which fits well with lavt.

It is a compound noun:

• sykkel = bicycle / bike
• styret = the handlebar(s)

Together, sykkelstyret means the bicycle handlebars or the bike handlebar area.

A useful thing to remember is that Norwegian often forms compounds where English would use separate words. So instead of something like the bicycle’s handlebar, Norwegian often makes one word: sykkelstyre.

In the sentence, it is in the definite form: sykkelstyret = the handlebars.

Because Norwegian very often makes compound nouns out of ideas that English may write as two words.

• sete = seat
• høyde = height

So:

• setehøyde = seat height
• setehøyden = the seat height

This is completely normal in Norwegian. If you are ever unsure, it is often a good guess that Norwegian will prefer one compound word.

Because Norwegian usually marks definiteness by adding an ending to the noun.

• en høyde = a height
• høyden = the height

So:

• setehøyde = seat height
• setehøyden = the seat height

There is no separate word like English the here, because the definite meaning is built into the noun ending -en.

Because riktig is a predicate adjective agreeing with a singular common-gender noun.

• setehøyden comes from en høyde, so it is common gender
• with a singular common-gender noun, the adjective stays in its basic form: riktig

Compare:

• Høyden er riktig.
• Huset er riktig plassert. → neuter can trigger -t in many cases
• Målene er riktige. → plural gives -e

So setehøyden er riktig is the correct agreement.

Yes, that would be understandable, and grammatically it is possible. But sitter lavt is more idiomatic when talking about how a physical object is placed or adjusted.

The difference is roughly:

• er lavt = describes it as low
• sitter lavt = describes it as being positioned low

For bike fit or mechanical setup, sitter lavt sounds more natural.

Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause, and that clause is separated from the main clause with a comma.

Structure:

• Til tross for at sykkelstyret sitter lavt, = subordinate clause
• er setehøyden riktig. = main clause

This is standard Norwegian punctuation.

Here it means something like correct, appropriate, or proper.

It does not mean right in the sense of the opposite of left, and it does not mainly mean morally right either.

In this sentence, setehøyden er riktig means the seat height is properly adjusted or suitable.

In Norwegian, styre often corresponds to English handlebars, even though English usually uses the plural.

So sykkelstyret is best translated naturally as the handlebars, not the handlebar, even if the Norwegian form looks singular. This is one of those places where the most natural English translation does not match word-for-word.