Bicycle seats for a comfortable fit

The single biggest complaint for bike riders is that hard, uncomfortable bicycle seat. The seat that comes standard with most new bikes is rarely adequate for your needs. Everybody knows the type: hard, cheap, small, with very little padding. The awkward pressure and poor balance hurts your back and gives you sores. Of all bicycle parts, a good saddle is definitely top of the list of importance. What good is cycling if you’re always sore? You need to be comfortable, and it needs to fit you well.

When you look at the typical generic seat, you’ll probably wonder what demented individual invented such a torture device. However, your seat is actually a finely tuned accessory, the product of 150 years of research. The long narrow shape allows the cyclist to pump his or her thighs without interference. The length allows the cyclist to shift back or forward and adjust their body weight when needed. The protruding front is actually like a secondary steering wheel. When you adjust the motion of your bike, you will probably unconsciously press one side of the seat with your thigh to help in stability and adjustment. The back of the seat is designed just enough to support a typical person’s pelvis and padded just enough to absorb impacts. This seat will weigh less than 200 grams and last thousands of miles.

Of course, nobody has a “typical person’s pelvis.” Like a good shoe, bicycle seats must be designed to your body. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of bike seats available. A woman’s pelvis is slightly wider than a man’s, so most bicycle models come with a men’s and women’s style seat. The difference is that a woman’s is a bit wider and shorter. Test a few out at a shop to see how you fit into it. Also, think of how you’ll be cycling:

• Fast riding – You will want a long, narrow seat with minimal padding. This allows you to shift forward, placing most of your weight on your hands and feet, not on your pelvis. As you peddle faster, you don’t want the seat to get in the way.
• Gentle cruising – On a bike with wide handlebars, you’ll be sitting upright, forcing most of the weight onto your seat. Since you won’t be peddling very fast, you’ll want a wide seat with lots of cushioning.

 

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