How To Choose The Best
Bicycle Seat For Your Body
And Your Bike

It may be necessary to get a different bicycle seat. The seat that comes with your bike will usually be the most commonly used saddle for that type of bike. (For instance, a road bike will have a very different saddle than a cruiser.) But, this is no guarantee that it will be the right one for your body.

If you find that you are still getting sore after frequent rides, over a period of weeks, you should re-check your seat position. (see bicycle sizing). A good pair of quality bicycle shorts will help a lot. Also, it’s good practice to change position often like standing to pedal up a hill and standing when you go over bumps. If you are riding on flat terrain shift to a higher gear and stand to pedal occasionally. If you still have a problem you should consider a different bicycle seat.

Before choosing a bicycle seat I suggest that you sit on a curb, or a low step, and see where you feel pressure. This will tell you about where your sit bones are (these are the ischial tuberosities points commonly known as sit bones) and this is where you need support on your saddle.

If the saddle is too narrow it causes pressure on the soft tissues between your sit bones. If the seat is too wide you will get chafing from the friction as you pedal.
Women usually have wider sit
bones and need wider saddles.



On a road bike your hands support some of your weight and the pressure angle on your sit bones is different. Plus, faster pedaling calls for a narrower performance seat to minimize friction.
Road bike seat


Generally speaking, the riding position and the pedal speed will account for much of the difference in the saddles. On bicycles where the riding position is more erect, such a comfort bike, or a cruiser, your body weight is directly on your sit bones and you can use a wider comfort seat.

Comfort bike saddle. Suitable for all but road bikes

A common mistake in choosing a bicycle seat is looking for the softest one. This will not give you the support that you need for your sit bones and will actually put more pressure on the soft tissues between them. Many saddles have a cutout to relieve the pressure on the soft tissue and this appears to be the trend in saddle design.

The available options are amazing. Some of the comfort saddles are inflatable and come with a pump so you are riding on a cushion of air that you can inflate to suit.

Air Rider Comfort Saddle


A growing trend in bicycle seats is the ergonomic comfort seats that are actually two seats in one so each half moves with you as you pedal. Some are even adjustable side to side so you can adjust the seat to fit your sit bones. They are a bit heavier than a more conventional saddle but the trade-off may be worth it.

Ergonomic comfort saddle

These basic guidelines will help you to select the best saddle but there is really no substitute for actually riding to make sure that zero in on the perfect seat for you.

Click here for information on seat set-up and adjustment.