QUESTION: Why is my bike saddle so uncomfortable? I bought a new bike almost a year ago, and the saddle is so uncomfortable that I can barely stand to ride it. I’m about ready to give up on cycling. Any advice? —R.C.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: New bikes have to come with a saddle, but because of the uniqueness of each person’s sit-down area, no generic saddle works for everyone. However, there are at least three things you can do to improve bike saddle comfort.
The first is to get your saddle adjusted to match your anatomy, insofar as possible. You didn’t say where you bought your bike, but if it was from, for example, a discount department store, you likely received no guidance on adjusting the saddle. The staff at most bicycle shops will not only advise you about getting the saddle to fit you properly but will likely adjust it before you leave the shop. These may not be the final adjustments, because some fine-tuning may be needed as you get used to the saddle, but they are a place to start.
All saddles can be adjusted in four directions: height, setback (distance from handlebars), tilt and rotation, all of which are important. If you happen to have a leather saddle, there’s one additional adjustment to consider: tension. If any one of these settings is set wrong for your physique, it can make extended riding agony. Here’s a good explanation of the adjustments and how to make them.
The second thing you can do is try some different saddles. The seat that is comfortable for one person may seem like an instrument of torture for another person. Some bike shops have a “library” of saddles that you can try to find one that best suits you. Other shops may let you purchase a saddle and swap it for another if it doesn’t feel right. (You usually need to ride for several miles on a saddle before deciding if it is right for you.) Some saddles also come in male and female versions, designed to better match the differing anatomy of the sexes.
You can find wide specialty saddles padded with layers of foam or gel, but I don’t recommend them. They may feel great — for about the first five minutes you are on them. After that, they feel no better than the harder seat they replaced, and sometimes feel worse, because the foam disperses the support the saddle ought to provide. A small amount of padding is generally okay, but wide saddles can become a problem if they force you to sit too far forward and cause chafing on your inner thighs.
The third path to saddle pain relief is to wear padded bicycle shorts. The compression effect of the spandex adds comfort, and the padding — unlike the plush layers on the specialty saddles — works better in the shorts than directly on the saddle.
Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.
Dr. Matt Wachsman, MD PhD says
Bicycle saddles… about 100 years; saddles about 2500..
The relevant parameter is force divided by surface area. bicycle seats are small. having some support spread to even lower back and thighs helps. I’m at one of the major areas of saddlery and tack and I can’t get one made for a bicycle. Good luck. Good article.
Michael says
Try a Selle Anatomica leather saddle. It’s like a hammock. Has cutout too. Very springy over bumps and comfy. Can adjust the tension to make it tighter or looser, too.
Chris says
Two things: 1) Sometimes a “female” saddle is the answer even if you’re a guy. It’s pretty much trial and error. 2) Shorts with gel padding. They feel a little weird at first, but you’ll really appreciate them at the end of a century.
Ron Neher says
My wife and I have standardized on the — Specialized Power Comp saddle (155mm). Measure your sit bones to find right size.
Specialized’s lightweight Power Comp saddle is Body Geometry designed for both men and women to have top performance in a more aggressive position. Proven through blood-flow testing and pressure mapping, the extra wide and elongated Body Geometry channel and proper sitbone support allows for all day comfort.
Details here:
https://www.bobcatbicycles.com/product/specialized-power-comp-232349-1.htm
How to measure sit bones:
https://www.bing.com/search?pc=U710&q=how+to+measure+sit+bones+for+bike+saddle&form=BWMFDF
John C says
I’ve been using Terry Liberators for 20+ years and they work well for me…
https://www.terrybicycles.com/Liberator-Y
bike fitness coaching says
The real answer is that most saddles are too narrow for most cyclists
Ron Neher says
My wife and I standardized on — Specialized Power Comp.
Specialized’s lightweight Power Comp saddle is Body Geometry designed for both men and women to have top performance in a more aggressive position. Proven through blood-flow testing and pressure mapping, the extra wide and elongated Body Geometry channel and proper sitbone support allows for all day comfort.
Search for: “ow to measure bicycle saddle sit bone”
https://www.bobcatbicycles.com/product/specialized-power-comp-232349-1.htm
Allan Griffith says
I’ve had no pain since switching to nose-less saddles and have tried many. Most of the good ones are better than any standard saddle with a nose. I’ve got a box full of saddles with noses to give away. Do not think the answer is in the padding. Nose-less saddles have a wide price range just like standard saddles. The ones sold at walmart, etc, are all bad and will cause more discomfort than a standard nose saddle. Classic comfortable ones are the 3 models of the Hobson seat, much better than a standard saddle.. Cheapest and just as good is the generic “C” shaped seat that you can get from Ebay for about $22 if you shop. But I personally have found the best of all is the Spiderflex. Can only be bought new directly from the company. I’ve gotten mine used because new ones cost too much at $120 plus S&H. Also 2 other factors not mentioned on this site are 1.) Tilt the front end of the seat downward which makes some feel like they are sliding forward. So what, you get more arm exercise and it definitely reduces bottom discomfort. Also 2.) Purchase a lycra/nylon NON-padded seat cover. They reduce friction and increase the longevity of your saddle – but I have found none that are made to to fit any nose-less model, so you just have to pull the nose part down and tuck it in then clamp or safety pin the nose portion back under the seat. The last caveats are that I find very few riders who appreciate any nose-less saddle in the first few rides. It takes getting used to the unusual feeling a rider is never used to, but once you do, it will make your ride so much more comfortable. I’ve ridden my Spiderflex over 160 miles in a day with no discomfort more than sitting on a comfortable lounge chair at home for 15 hours straight. One big negative if you liike to ride no-handed. You can with a nose-less saddle if you’re riding straight but you can’t turn because you have no nose to use your thighs against the nose to turn if no hands on the bar and even if riding straight ahead, you don’t feel as stable because you don’t realize how much you’re constantly but subconsciously correcting with your thighs on that nose.