Bicycle seat: types and recommendations for selection

Relatively recently, special tracks began to appear in megacities for the movement of recreational vehicles. We are talking about scooters, rollers, skateboards and bicycles. If the first 3 proposed options for walking transport do not require special attention, the situation is different with bicycles. During a bike ride, a person should feel calm and comfort, and the main criterion for these characteristics is a comfortable seat.

The history of the first bicycles begins in the distant past, when there was a huge variety of materials, and practically did not pay attention to the usability. But even then, the seat played an important role in choosing the model of two-wheeled transport of interest.

High-quality saddles of past centuries were made exclusively from genuine leather, and with the advent of the 70s, plastic analogues began to appear. But this does not mean that the skin, as the material of the seat, is out of date. Just manufacturers were able to put competitive plastic products on the market at a lower price. These days, the bicycle seat has changed a lot, which means that cycling enthusiasts and cycling professionals have a specific list of saddle requirements.

• The surface of the bicycle seat should have a comfortable and smooth, but not slippery texture.When riding a bicycle, a person should feel the strength and hardness of the seat, he must be sure that after a sharp maneuver he does not slip off the seat.
• On the structural side, the bicycle saddle should be comfortable, flexible and wear-resistant. With constant use, friction of the inner side of the man’s hips against the seat of the bicycle occurs, accordingly, a poor-quality product will soon lose its appearance, the surface of the saddle will crack or burst.
• The bicycle seat should be able to "breathe". This is not about the time when the bike is parked on the street, but about the ingress of air into the saddle structure during movement.
• An important factor in ease of use is the width of the saddle. The most comfortable cyclist will feel if this distance corresponds to the ischial tubercles, which are formed by the pelvic bones during the squat.
• Softness is also an important criterion for a comfortable seat. At the same time, it is important to remember that soft structures are suitable only for small bike rides, with constant use, scuffs will appear on the surface of the saddle.

Novice lovers of cycling probably unfamiliar with the information that there are different types of saddles that have significant differences among themselves, not only in appearance, but also in design characteristics.

In this case, we are talking about the classic type of saddles used for quiet trips within the city, park or square. The trip time on a two-wheeled cruise transport does not last long, respectively, during a short trip, a person should experience a maximum sense of comfort. For this reason, the designs of comfortable models provide additional shock absorbers in the form of soft springs.

Professional cyclists call the presented version of the two-wheeled vehicle seat a “work saddle”. With it, each athlete will be able to drive a decent distance over rough terrain or a direct track. In appearance, the sports seat is an elongated and narrow product, in the set of which there is a minimum layer of lining. And this is not surprising, because during the trip only a small part of the human weight will fall on the sciatic bones.

The tense pose itself, coupled with special clothes, eliminates the occurrence of folds in the crotch.

It is a kind of bicycle saddles, mounted on two-wheeled vehicles used in mountainous areas, where a person needs to spend most of the trip standing on the pedals, leaning slightly backward and, of course, hang a torso over the frame. In all these movements you have to use the most unusual poses, respectively, in the conditions presented, the cyclist fails to fully feel the comfort of the seat.

For this reason Mountain models should be compact, streamlined. And thanks to these features, a person does not have to beat the pelvic part of the body against the seat during steep descents and sharp turns. An important characteristic of the type of saddle presented is the strength and reliability of the outer materials.. Inside, the design is equipped with a pneumatic damper that dampens strong vibration during extreme driving.

Modern people very often travel to different cities and countries riding two-wheeled vehicles. It’s very important for them so that the seat is comfortable and durable. Just for such cases, bicycle saddles made of genuine leather would be the most suitable option. The quality design of the tourist seats should not limit the rider's movements. To understand what is at stake, something in between a mountain model of a seat and a sports bike saddle.

Realizing that a person should experience maximum comfort during long trips, manufacturers were able to create a unique design of a tourist model of a seat. It is a narrow front part and soft inserts located in the area of ​​contact with the ischial bones. An ideal option would be a design with a back, in which a person can lean back without worrying about an accidental fall.

The presented variety of female seats suggests a lot of anatomical nuances that should be paid attention to. For the fair sex, unlike the male anatomy, the structure of the hips is much wider, and this is an undeniable scientific fact, although the body of the ladies is smaller. For this reason the design of the female footprint should ideally fit the described features of the female structure.

Otherwise, the fair sex will experience inconvenience and discomfort.

For the youngest cycling enthusiasts, manufacturers offer unique seating designs. Children's cycling is not only comfortable while riding, but also does not injure the inner thighs of the child, especially takes into account the fact that at a young age, the baby’s skeleton is only forming, and any mechanical effects can affect the future structure of an adult.

When choosing a suitable saddle size for a bicycle, you must remember that each of us has an individual structure of the ischial bones. If the seat on the back side is narrowed, the ischial bones will hang down at the edges, because of which the rider will not be sure of the strength of the seat. If the saddle is too wide with respect to the ischial bones, it will rub the inside of the thighs. In order not to get into trouble during the purchase, it’s best to bring along a sample of the old saddle and use it to select a similar model.

It is important for novice cyclists to know that the initial ride on a new bicycle saddle will not bring comfortable sensations, since the product needs to get used to the human structure, and the person needs to get used to a new seat.

Modern models of bicycle saddles are made from several types of materials, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Everyone knows that the first saddles designed for bicycles were made of genuine leather. The main advantage of this material is that it freely accepts the human structure, passes air into the seat and absorbs the resulting moisture. The first few rides in the new leather seat will not allow you to fully enjoy the convenience and comfort. And in some cases, pain may even occur on the inside of the hips.The reason for these shortcomings is the unformed surface in areas of sciatic bone pressure.

After several trips, the skin will begin to squeeze at the touch points of the human skeleton, so it will acquire the necessary shape corresponding to the physique of its owner. When buying a very It is important to purchase a product made of natural material. But some unscrupulous sellers are deceiving customers and selling under the guise of leather models seats, trimmed with dermantine.

If you want to purchase a sports version of a leather seat, you need to know that natural material in this case is used as a thin coating.

Many modern bicycle seats are created from a polyvinyl chloride base, as well as foam paddings, the surface of which is covered with artificial materials. Seats of this option are installed on almost all budget bikes, and are also sold additionally according to the average price position. And this is not surprising, because plastic in itself does not have a high cost.

Experienced cyclists advise novice riders to stock up on special cycling uniforms or wear thick clothes for riding, otherwise, corns may appear on the inner side of the thighs, as you will have to fidget along the slippery surface of the product. Despite the fact that plastic is mainly used for the manufacture of budget seats, this material is used in the manufacture of high-quality seats.

This type of material is used in the production of budget models of seats. Their cost fluctuates at a low level of pricing policy. Each individual seat seems very beautiful and aesthetic, but upon the fact of operation, all their shortcomings will be revealed.

• Dermantin. The presented version of leather substitute strongly resembles a natural leather material, even to the touch. A well-crafted counterpart seems like a great original. But despite its external qualities, in the process of operation, dermantine is very quickly erased, and all because of the constant friction of a person on a seat.
• Polyvinyl chloride. This material is used in the manufacture of budget bicycle seats. It is characterized by wear resistance, but the texture is very slippery, because of which it will be extremely difficult for a person to freely sit still. In addition, polyvinyl chloride can not boast of the presence of a moisture passage system. In simple words, getting up from a bicycle after a long trip, a person may have a wet pelvic part of the body.
• Stretch leather. The material is quite durable, in appearance it can be confused with genuine leather. Its only drawback is slippery texture, because of which the rider will not be able to feel comfortable.

Today, there are many companies and large holding companies engaged in the production of parts and spare parts for bicycles of all types. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers can boast of a high-quality product line. The products of small firms are not in great demand by consumers. And professional cyclists prefer to purchase components of well-known brands for their two-wheeled horses.

• Velo. The history of the company began in 1979. The founder of the brand was a swift lady who dreams of giving the world the opportunity to ride on the highest quality saddles for a bicycle.It is worth noting that for such a short period of existence, Velo has acquired several factories in Taiwan and China. To date, the brand owns 17 patents, but this is not the limit. Thanks to the stubbornness and desire of engineers, Velo is able to create the latest modifications of bicycle seats.
• Stern. The brand is quite young, initially conquered the world market with high-quality bicycles, and after a short period of time began to produce components for bicycle structures. Moreover, the coverage of consumer demand occurs not only with adult bicycles, but also with models for children. It is worth noting that one of the main reasons for the rapid gain of trust is the close relationship between Stern and the Sportmaster brand.
• Stels. Cyclists living in the Russian Federation and the CIS countries are very familiar with the brand. Moreover, the history of the company is hidden in secrets and mysteries. Initially, two brothers began to sell bicycles of foreign manufacturers, after which they decided to engage in their own production of two-wheeled vehicles. And already the first Stels factory was launched in 2003. Today, the domestic brand is highly regarded among cyclists, and not only for bicycles, but also for high-quality components, especially comfortable saddles.
• Brooks The brand is proudly taking first place in the ranking of manufacturers of bicycles and accessories for them. And this is not surprising. From the very first days of its appearance, Brooks has been trying to give its customers the best products for bike rides. Leather seats are in great demand today.

Buying a new saddle should not expect the old seat to wear out. Perhaps the cyclist will have a desire to acquire additional seating. In order to choose the right design, it’s not necessary to take off an existing saddle and go shopping with it in search of a similar option. It is enough to take advantage of a few tips of experienced cyclists, thanks to which it will turn out to choose the perfect model.

To begin with, remember that Universal saddles for bicycles do not exist, so each individual seat must be considered individually. First of all, it is necessary to decide how much time the cyclist will spend with two-wheeled vehicles, how often he will ride around the city or train on the road.

Next, you need to remember that human weight while riding a bicycle is distributed between two sciatic bones. By measuring the exact distance between them, it will be easy to find a saddle that is suitable in width. And in order not to run with the ruler, you just need to pay attention to the characteristics indicated by the manufacturer, where this information will be written.

The next nuance that you will need to pay special attention to is stiffness of the saddle. In order not to delve into scientific anatomical studies, it is enough to say that a soft footprint is not entirely useful for the human body. The pelvic bones will fall on soft material, which causes discomfort during long trips. If women can endure such an unpleasant state, this factor negatively affects men's health. But this does not mean that it is necessary to choose a saddle with a rigid base. It is preferable to pay attention to sports models of saddles.

As for the nose of the saddle, it should not be short, like the seat platform itself. During the ride, the cyclist very often has to get into an uncomfortable position and move in this position for a long distance. An elongated spout will create additional protection. Choosing a saddle for men is much easier than for the fair sex. This is not only about tourist models. And ladies will probably spend more than one day searching for mountain and road seats.

Each bike with its design characteristics should be as adjusted to the structure of the owner’s body as possible, otherwise it will be extremely inconvenient for a person to use two-wheeled transport. Unfortunately, not everyone knows the intricacies of properly adjusting a bicycle, especially seats.

Most often, novice cyclists try to deal with the fear of falling from the height of two-wheeled vehicles. Accordingly, they lower the saddles as much as possible, so that at any moment they can manage to reach the ground with their feet. It turns out that cyclists intensively bend their knees during the ride. This means that fatigue occurs, but it is more unpleasant that joints suffer during such trips. For this reason, a low seat installation is considered a gross error. To make the correct setting of the seat, you must follow the step by step instructions.

1. Turn the pedals so that one is at the lowest level of the wheel.
2. Choose the height of the seat at which it will be possible to straighten the leg and reach the pedal located at the lower level.
3. To check if the seat is too high, try to touch the toe of the foot to the bottom of the released pedal.

If the nose of the seat is raised up, then it will put pressure on the crotch. In the opposite situation, when the nose is too low, during the ride the cyclist will constantly slide forward, thereby creating tension on his hands.

Ideally, the tilt of the saddle should have a zero position, which corresponds to the parallelism of the road. It is worth noting that it is much more pleasant to ride on a flat saddle, especially if you have a long journey.

The design of modern bicycles allows you to shift the seat a little further or closer to the steering wheel. And to set the seat in the most suitable position, you must use the advice of experienced cyclists. The knee should be above the pedal axis.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to install the saddle in a suitable longitudinal position. The reason for this is the anatomical features of the cyclist and the characteristic design of the bicycle frame. In such cases, you need to install a curved-shaped seatpost with a slight backward movement.

You will learn more about how to choose a saddle for a bicycle from the following video.