Bike Saddles, “Seat Parts,” and Comfort

By

James Thompson

Bike fitting is an art and science, with variables specific to each rider and style of riding.  One of the most obvious variables from a rider’s perspective is saddle comfort.  

Common sense advises a soft saddle to cushion road bumps and protect the seat parts.  That common sense works for short recreational rides or commutes on very upright bicycles like a cruiser or hybrid.  On longer performance rides or tours, however, we are looking for a saddle with some slightly unconventional or at least counter-intuitive characteristics.

First and foremost, we want a firm saddle that is only slightly wider than the space between the ischial tuberosities (“sits bones”).  Too narrow, and the sits bones will want to slide off the side of the saddle, shoving the seat into the “seat parts” or perineum, the center channel for nerves and blood vessels in the middle of the crotch.  

We also want a saddle that is traditionally longer than it is wide.  “Split-seat,” “noseless,” and “chair” style saddles yield a great portion of your steering ability, making all but the slowest cruiser bikes dangerous to ride.  Moreover, there is little evidence to support that they improve seat comfort for riders, unless the rider has a swollen prostate or some other inflammation. 

Bad Steering, Bad Width, Bad Saddle.  

Only for special medical conditions.

Contemporary science has proven that for performance riding, initial bruising beneath the sits bones is almost unavoidable on any kind of longer ride or performance bike.  Even experienced riders, when changing saddles, will experience a period of “breaking themselves in” to their saddle.  You’ll feel a slight tenderness on the “cheek” underneath the sits bones when you sit in a chair the next day after a ride.  That is a good pain.  It means you are resting the appropriate seat parts on the saddle.

This is all well and good, but even the perfect saddle will cause discomfort if it is not fit properly by a professional.  Bike fitting is no longer available only to wealthy or professional riders.  With relatively little training, someone who is “body aware”--a mechanic or sales staff--can learn basic safety fitting for recreational riders.  Performance riders (riding for exercise, intensity, speed, or competition) will need a more elaborate fit, prices ranging from $130 to as much as $1000).  Without a good fit, a good saddle won’t really work.

Some basics you can do at home include making sure the saddle is level (the middle or front portion if it has some curve to it).  We only point a saddle down for extreme racing positions, such as the time trial or “aero bar” fit.  We never point them up unless someone is racing competitively in the Downhill or Dual Slalom events.

Saddle height is critical.  Too high and you’ll be rocking on the soft tissue in the perineum, stressing the IT band on the outside of the upper thigh, and damaging connecting tissue towards the back and side of the knee.  Too low, and you’ll get a nasty patellar tendinitis (inflammed tendons around the knee bone).  

At home, the traditional measure of saddle height is a fully extended leg when the heel is on the pedal and the pedal is closest to the ground.  Even for a free safety fit, a bike shop will be able to get much more accurate with a plumb line and goniometer (angle measure).  If you are completely unsure of the saddle height, err on the low side.  Tendinitis goes away with rest and anti-inflammatory medicine.  Damage to the middle and back side of the knee, and IT band syndrome, can be dangerous, chronic, and take much longer to heal.

Even after a good fit, riders sometimes need to try different saddles.  Men are more uniform in the shape of their seat parts, and women tend to be more variable.  We’ve had women try as many as four saddles before settling in.  A good shop will let you “demo” saddles until you find the right one.  Often we move riders from original equipment saddles to “cutaways” with a hollowed center channel can solve chafing problems with women, and penile numbness or perineal discomfort in men.

Selle Italia Flow, Italian Leather with cut-out channel. $45 MSRP.

My favorite affordable entry level performance/recreational saddle.  

Men’s and Women’s sizes available.

While you are riding, you can do a lot to relieve saddle pressure.  Change positions on the handlebar frequently.  Stand up occasionally to relieve inflammation.  Make sure you do light stretches after a warm-up (which cyclists rarely do) so your hips, IT band, and hamstrings can articulate properly around the saddle.  And have a fitter show you how to avoid arching your back or tensing your upper body while you ride.

Keep in mind there are special medical conditions, which can be addressed with a bike fitter and your physical therapist or doctor.  Some of these conditions throw the above advice to the wind.  A good example is a rehab for knee surgery.  Because it is difficult for many knee rehab patients to bring their heel up on the upstroke, we often put the saddle a little high and recommend shorter rides to avoid damaging tissue.  

James Thompson is the Advocacy Director and Newsletter Editor for the Gainesville Cycling Club.  He works at Bike Works in Tioga Town Center as a sales staff and bike fitter.

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