One of the things that a newbie cyclist has to adjust to is the bike saddle. Those first couple of rides can really make your bottom sore, until your body gets used to it. A major question that pops up is the question of Soft Vs Hard Bike Seats- which one is better?
In most cases, hard bicycle seats are better because they require you to sit in a slightly aggressive position which helps increase cycling speed and reduce chafing. Softer seats with padding can cause chafing, because they redistribute some of the pressure from the sit-bones to adjoining areas.
Now, all that is well and good, but how do you get used to a hard bicycle seat?
You simply have to try it for a couple of rides before your body gets used to it. In due time, you won’t feel any pain. When I started out, even riding a cycle with the soft foam saddles would hurt my bottom, but you get used to it over time.
And what if you don’t care much about riding fast? Well, if a leisurely ride is all you care for, and you don’t intend to cycle long distances, then a soft saddle would be quite ok too.
There are a few more factors to consider while selecting your saddle, though. Let me start with the first thing you should know about:
Types Of Bike Seats
All things considered, bicycle seats can be categorized into two parts:
Bike Seats For Speed
A bicycle seat optimized for speed will be hard and offer minimal or no cushioning support. These seats are generally used on road bikes, where one rides over smooth roads and wants to go as fast as possible.
These type of seats take some time to get used to, as they tend to make your butt sore. However, once you get used to it, you likely won’t want any other type of bike seat.
A mental ‘switch’ that helped me prepare myself to use hard bicycle seats is that they aren’t so much seats as they are a perch.
The difference here is key.
A seat generally provides a bit of cushioning and really allows you to ‘settle in’, so to speak. Whereas a perch, is there to provide you just the required amount of support that allows you to pedal optimally.
In fact, hard bicycle seats, because they don’t allow you to settle in, cause you to sit slightly bent forward (aggressive position), which makes you push the pedals faster.
Ever seen the cyclists, how they’re almost bent over, nose touching the handlebars, when they’re going really fast? Now you know why.
Bike Seats For Comfort
Bike seats that are optimized for comfort are cushioned with either gel or foam, and provide quite a bit of support to your butt cheeks, when you’re on the saddle. These type of seats are used a lot in commuter bicycles, or on touring bikes. Road bike owners also may choose to use these soft bike seats if they’re not very particular about speed.
Mountain bike seats are usually somewhere between road bike seats(hard) and commuter bike seats(soft). This is because mountain bikers ride on uneven surfaces, bumpy trails and hence require a bit of posterior support while riding.
A word of caution for those using soft bike seats though:
You can overdo it, if you’re not careful. These type of seats allow you to sit upright, really settle into the seat and pedal leisurely. If you cycle frequently or cycle long distances using a ‘comfort bike seat’, this can cause chafing.
There also are a couple of other variations when it comes to types of bikes seats.
Wide vs Narrow Bike Seats
Wider bike seats are usually more comfortable as they allow more area for your posterior, as compared to narrow bike seats, which force you to sit forward. The drawback is that wide seats may cause chafing and cause you to go slower than you would on a narrow seat.
There is another thing here though, there isn’t a one size fits all rule as every person’s anatomy will vary. Some people may have naturally wider sit bones and require a wider saddle. There are a lot many articles online on this topic, on how to measure your sit bones and then decide on a bike saddle.
I’ll suggest you simply order a couple of saddle variants from Amazon, test them out for a couple days, keep the one you like and return the rest. I’ve found that there’s no substitute to actually trying out a bike seat on a couple of long rides.
Bike Seats With Holes In The Middle
There are a few bicycle seats on the market that have a hole in the middle. This is meant to alleviate pressure on the perineum, which is the region between your sit bones. Again, it’s a matter of personal preference, whether or not you find it more comfortable or not.
Soft Bike Seats- Foam Vs Gel Saddles
Mostly, soft bike seats have gel or foam padding. Gel padding takes the shape of your buttocks much better than foam, however it gets compressed quickly, and provides less cushioning. Foam padding remains firmer, but doesn’t take the shape of the rider’s buttocks as well.
I personally have used gel padded seats as well as foam padded ones, but have always preferred the gel padded ones.
How To Reduce Pain From Riding A Bicycle
There are a couple of quick tips that you can abide by to reduce your butt soreness after riding a bike.
- Wear padded shorts
This one is really important. Cycling shorts have padding all along the crotch area, and are essential for all bike riders. However, do remember that you are NOT supposed to wear underwear when you wear the shorts. A lot many riders (including yours truly) have made the painful mistake of doing so, only to endure chafed thighs and other ‘unmentionables’ for a few days.
- Choose the right type of saddle
This may sound obvious by now, but it’s really important for you to choose the right saddle. Also, just know that doing so isn’t a day long process. You must try out a saddle for at least an hour long ride before you decide whether it stays or goes.
The best way I’ve found is to buy a couple of recommended ones from Amazon, trial them and return the ones you didn’t like. You could also do this by going to a local sporting goods store with a return policy.
A lot many stores also have a ‘bank’ of saddles that they allow customers to borrow and try out. Once you decide which one you like, you can come back and purchase that model.
- Buy some anti-chafing cream
Despite your best efforts, you may still experience some chafing from time to time. Having some chafing cream really helps fasten the healing process though.
Bike Seat Recommendations
I essentially looked up the best reviewed bike seats on Amazon, and thought I’d leave these here for you to look over. They generally cost approx. 30-35$
Bike Seat For Overweight People.
That’s about it for this article. In the last, upcoming section, I’ve just answered a couple of related queries that people have about bicycle seats.
Why are bicycle seats so uncomfortable?
Usually, people experience discomfort while riding bicycles because their sit bones aren’t used to the feeling of sitting for extended periods of time on a relatively hard surface, such as a bike saddle. Other factors like, saddle width also may cause discomfort.
Why do women’s bike seats have holes?
Most women’s bike seats have a hole in the middle that allows them to sit bent slightly forward on bikes without experiencing pelvic pain. The feature reduces the pressure on the peritoneum.
Are Bike Saddles Universal?
Bike Saddles are universal in the sense that they can be interchanged among bikes, however, the rider may not find them to their comfort, which is purely a personal preference.
What is the difference between male and female bike seats?
As a general rule, male bike seats are narrower than female bike seats. This is because females tend to have wider sit bones, which means they need a wider seat than males.