Over the years, I've gotten to know a lot of riders and got to know all kinds of saddles. Unfortunately, none of them can be called a "perfect fit" because we all have different riding positions, flexibility and sitchbone width.

All of these factors rule out the trouble that we can shelve it and mount it on a bike. Instead, we must learn some information about the seat and its comfort, and then we can narrow down our choices to a few.

I put together a list of 30 saddles that are useful to many riders. But first, let's look at discomfort, body position and saddle characteristics so you can optimize the shape and style of the saddle according to your needs.

Why do we get saddle discomfort?

Rami pubis arteries and nerves

Saddle pain is primarily associated with compression of nerves and arteries, but it can also take the form of wear and tear. Produces acute pain, numbness and tingling. If you experience any of these conditions, your seat pad is putting excessive pressure on the sensitive nerves and arteries in the pubic bone. The pressure here reduces blood flow and impedes the delivery of oxygen to tissues, which in turn can lead to wider medical problems. Often, because a woman's subpubic horn is wider, exposing more of the pubic bone, a woman's perineum is more susceptible to direct pressure.

Saddle discomfort can be eliminated by better body posture and/or better saddle fitting.

Saddle sore

These skin irritations are mainly due to constant pressure and friction between the skin and the bike seat, but can also be attributed to hair follicle infections and skin abrasions. You can eliminate saddle sores with good riding form, a proper saddle, suede cream, and a good pair of cycling shorts.

Have you had a professional install the bike?

One of the biggest factors affecting saddle comfort is the fit and positioning of the bike. First, you need to ensure that your saddle is mounted at the correct height and position relative to the pedals. Discomfort can also occur if you sit too high or too far back.

Next, you need to go for a ride, adjusting your saddle or sitting position according to your pelvis. Unless you are in a riding position, you will sit in the rear of the saddle. That's the widest, flattest part of the seat, and the best place to support your weight.

Waist flexibility

People with a flexible back tend to rotate their pelvis upwards and use their ischium more efficiently. If you have poor flexibility, rotate your pelvis forward and feel pressure on your nerves and arteries. If this is the case, a professional will raise your handlebar height and provide you with a saddle that can relieve your pubic pressure.

Which pressure zone are you in?

Your body position on the bike has a big impact on the way you ride. Bicycle saddles are usually designed to minimize pressure, so a variety of different padding types, contours, curvatures and widths are produced depending on the situation.

The Bontrager chart below plots the pressure zones for different riding positions. A good way to determine where you are riding is to ask a friend to take pictures of you as you ride.

In general:

-- A comfortable/upright body position requires a saddle with more padding, greater width and a flatter top to support your sitting bones.

-- High-performance body postures require saddle pads that are light, curved and narrow to support your sitting bones.

Ischial width

There are natural variations in the width of each person's ischial bone. Anthropometric means that half of the population ischial tubercle point spacing is 20 to 22 cm, but as a designer to add 4 to 6 cm design margin on both sides to improve the riding comfort, so the width of the rear end of the ordinary bike seat is about 24 to 28 cm.

In general, the more upright your position, the wider the saddle you should use. You will find saddle widths of about 125 to 180mm. You can go to a bike shop and use an ischium measuring tool to measure the ischium.

Saddle hardness

Too hard a material will cause all the pressure on the body to concentrate on the buttocks, causing blood circulation. If it is too soft, it will cause large deformation in the process of riding and lack of support, which will make people more laborious and tired in riding. At the same time, it will sweat a lot during a long time riding, so the material needs to have good air permeability.

saddle

The bicycle saddle has a "nose" that balances and controls the bicycle. The benefits of the nose are usually most obvious when descending. Some brands dropped the saddle nose to reduce pubic pressure, but it was not popular because it was difficult to control the bike while riding.

Saddle for women