Taking Your Seat: Saddles and Seat Posts

In This Chapter

^ Looking at the different types of saddles ^ Taking your saddle on and off your bike ^ Improving your comfort by adjusting your saddle ^ Using suspension seat posts

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his chapter is devoted to your butt. In particular, it’s devoted to making sure that your butt is not a source of frustration while you ride.

Your body has three points of contact with your bike and your saddle is the part of the bike where the majority of your weight is supported. If you don’t have a saddle that suits your anatomy or that’s properly adjusted, you can rest assured that your butt is going to be one big pain in the butt after your next long ride.

Every butt is unique. There isn’t one style of saddle or one formula for adjust­ing the saddle that works for everyone. Finding a saddle that fits your anat­omy and finding the position that’s most comfortable both take time.

We start this chapter by covering the various types of saddles available.

Then we tell you how to make adjustments to your saddle so you can find an enjoyable riding position.

Even if you find the saddle type and position that’s perfect for you, it’ll take some time to break in the saddle — and to break in your bum.

Saddle Up! Types of Saddles

No two butts are the same, and there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all saddle. A wide variety of saddles are on the market — saddles made of dif­ferent materials, designed for different functions, and tailored for men or women. In this section, we discuss a few of these differences so that you can find the saddle that’s best for you.

Material

Bicycle saddles are typically covered with leather, plastic, or vinyl. The most popular saddles on the market today are the ones covered in plastic or vinyl. Underneath the plastic or vinyl covers, they’re made of gels and high-density foams. These saddles vary in thickness and weight depending on the type of shell underneath. They don’t require much maintenance, they’re durable, and they resist water — all of which contributes to their popularity. (See Figure 9-8, later in this chapter, for an example of a vinyl-covered saddle.)

The less-popular leather saddles (such as the one shown in Figure 9-1) are built with a single piece of leather stretched across a steel frame. (Brooks is a well known leather saddle manufacturer.) People usually either love or hate leather saddles. Those who use them usually swear by them and wouldn’t consider setting their tushes on anything else.

Figure 9-1: Leather saddles aren’t for everyone, but people who like them swear by them.

Leather saddles are very stiff, but they also provide the maximum support for sit bones without the padding that actually puts more pressure on soft tissue.

But the nice thing about leather is that it’s moldable. A leather saddle may feel like a rock when you first buy it, but over time it’ll begin to shape to the form of your body. Breaking in a leather saddle takes a little time, but when you’re done, you’ll have a seat form-fit to your butt.

Leather products such as conditioners, saddle soaps, and other compounds can speed this process. They also help protect and extend the life of your saddle.

When you ride with a leather saddle, take along a plastic bag in case it rains. You can use it protect the saddle from soaking up water and drying out. If the saddle does get wet, allow it to dry naturally.

The base or foundation of the saddle is arguably the important consideration. It doesn’t matter how much or what type of padding there is on top, if the base is a piece of sheet metal, hard and stiff, or not the correct shape, you’ll have a very uncomfortable ride. Make sure the base or foundation is flexible and the proper fit or style for your butt.

Function

Saddles are built for two main functions: cruising or racing.

Cruising saddles (see Figure 9-2) are wide, extra-cushioned saddles designed for casual riders who sit in the upright position. The extra padding helps sup­port the extra weight on the seat that comes from sitting upright. Sometimes cruising saddles are cushioned with horizontal and/or vertical springs. Most people ride on cruising bikes for leisure, so the wide seat doesn’t cause a problem with the restriction of leg movement as it would on a racing-style bicycle.

Racing saddles (see Figure 9-3) are specially designed to allow a full range of motion when pedaling. They’re normally lightweight, thin (with little pad­ding), and narrow. They’re designed with grooves, channels, and splits in the shell to help reduce pressure on sensitive areas of the pelvic region. These saddles are no longer restricted just to racers — many midrange bikes are now equipped with racing saddles.

Figure 9-2:

Cruising saddles are meant for casual riders who sit in the upright position.

Figure 9-3: Racing saddles are specifically built for racers.

Gender

The last factor to consider when choosing a saddle is the gender of the pri­mary rider. Saddles for men and women are designed for the differences in anatomy between the two sexes. Men’s saddles are typically longer and nar­rower in the back, whereas women’s saddles are shorter and wider to accom­modate women’s wider pelvic bones. A women’s saddle also frequently has a cut-away behind the nose to provide extra comfort.