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How to find the best bicycle saddle (2019) – 10 saddles in comparison


10 bicycle saddles in comparison (2019) – comfortable on the road!

If you like to ride a long bike or have already done a long tour, you know: nothing beats a comfortable bike saddle.

After all, you do not want to run the risk of biking a wolf, because this can have unpleasant consequences, up to a seated bone infection.

To find the right saddle is important for everyone and every claim.

As so often, we compare apples and pears to a certain extent below. So, look it up if I mark more than two categories today.

Best and most comfortable (touring) bicycle saddle – SQlab 621 Active
(now on Amazon)

Cheap Bicycle Saddle – Fischer Saddle with Memory Foam
(now on Amazon)

Good Leather Saddle – Brooke’s Flyer
(now on Amazon)

Best MTB Bicycle Saddle – Selle SMP
(now on Amazon)

The most comfortable bike saddle in the world …

Gladly I think back to the bike of my grandfather, a coarse, simple bike, today you would say “City-Rad”, on which you rocked like a small dinghy high above the asphalt back and forth.

Even the tall, handsome (not to say “overweight”) Grandpa appreciated the very wide and sprung saddle.

But that means the broader the better?

And are feathers better, or is a gel padding the non-plus ultra?

The right bicycle saddle

Now I can tell you a lot about my favorites, but that does not mean that these saddles are the best for you. Bicycle saddles are like bicycle sizes very individual, since it depends on other factors, of course, on the physique.

But how do I find the right saddle for me and what should I pay attention to when buying?

As with our cycling helmets and bike bags, we give you this time a list of criteria to help you find the most comfortable and best bike saddle for your needs.

But before we get to the guidebook, we first introduce you to 10 bicycle saddles in comparison.

For the sake of comparability, we have concentrated our examples on men’s or unisex bicycle saddles and these divided into touring and mountain bike bike saddles.

1st recommendation – SQlab 621 Active saddle

  • Driving style: leisure, trekking
  • Material: CroMo, water repellent
  • Upholstery: foam
  • Width: different widths
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: middle price segment

In contrast, the SQlab 621 Active saddle comes in a variety of sizes, and that’s important, as I’ll explain below. So that’s a big advantage.

Another big plus is that the saddle promises not only a relief for the sit bones and the perineal area, but also – thanks to the damping, a relief of the back and the intervertebral disc. Since the potholes can come quietly.

The nose is a bit more pronounced at (average) average width, so that this saddle is ideal for trekking and longer tours as well as city trips.

advantages

+ Combi construction Discharge and damping
+ different sizes

disadvantage

2. Cheap – FISCHER Tours / City Saddle MEMORY FOAM

  • Driving style: leisure, trekking
  • Material: N / A, water repellent
  • Upholstery: Memory Foam
  • Width: wide
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: Budget

The Fischer touring saddle is rock solid. It is wide with a relatively short nose and is therefore ideal for easy and short tours, for example in the city.

The foam, or memory foam, promises indiv >

Practical is the material, which is easy to clean and at least water repellent. For the price you get a rock solid, comfortable bike saddle. Therefore, the Fischer touring saddle with memory foam is my price-performance favorite.

advantages

+ price
+ recess
+ Memory foam

disadvantage

– only available in one width

3. Velo trekking saddle

  • Driving style: Trekking
  • material: Synthetic leather
  • Upholstery: foam
  • Width: middle width
  • Bracket: steel
  • Price: Budget

The Velo Trekking saddle offers everything you would want for a longer tour. A medium-length nose and medium width (although the 26 cm unit size may not suit everyone).

The processing of both the substructure and the foam seat with recess in the perineal area should suit everyone at this price.

However, the upper is rather less suitable for heavy downpours. A bicycle saddle cover that protects against rain is recommended.

advantages

+ price
+ solid trekking saddle

disadvantage

– not water repellent
– only available in one width

4. Brooks Flyer – bicycle saddle

  • Driving style: Trekking
  • Material: leather
  • Upholstery: N / A, m but sprung
  • Width: middle width
  • Bracket: steel, black enamelled
  • Price: middle price segment

Let’s get to our first leather saddle. A retro saddle that is still very popular. And rightly so, as I discuss below.

The Brooks Flyer is so classically beautiful, as high quality. After you have retracted this saddle, and that unfortunately takes its 300 kilometers, you get a solid, well sprung saddle.

This is anything but easy to maintain. You have to treat well and should not expose it to extreme weather.

advantages

+ material
+ individual adaptation
+ design

disadvantage

5. Lepper Primus core leather saddle

  • Driving style: Trekking
  • Material: leather
  • Upholstery: N / A, suspended
  • Width: middle width
  • Bracket: steel
  • Price: upper price segment

With the Lepper Primus we introduce you to a core leather saddle that is a little less caring (!) Than the Brookes Flyer, but also much more expensive.

Of course everyone has to decide for themselves >

Above all, the Lepper Primus is significantly more sprung. In addition, this beautiful bicycle saddle has a recess in the middle seat and the leather is re-tensioned.

A great saddle, which is located in the premium segment. For the average driver – and the Lepper Primus is not a racing bike saddle, but rather a trekking saddle – this purchase may be worthwhile.

advantages

+ feathers
+ recess
+ restressable

disadvantage

6. Wittkop Vito Medicus

  • Driving style: leisure
  • Material: Plastic
  • Upholstery: gel and suspension
  • Width: middle width
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: middle price segment

From the premium version to the budget variant. The Wittkop Vito Medicus is a gel saddle that is very popular. Why, I am not quite sure, as gel padding in the long term, in contrast to good foam subside, but good.

Apart from the fact that I would personally recommend this saddle only for upright driving, so as a “city” – leisure saddle, it hapert in this very favorable saddle, especially on the material and processing.

advantages

disadvantage

– gel
– bad processing
– Plastic not waterproof

7. Selle Royal Show gel

  • Driving style: leisure
  • Material: Plastic
  • Upholstery: foam
  • Width: wide
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: Budget

With the Selle Royal we still have a cheap city saddle, but this time a very robust, well-made bike saddle, which is definitely worth its money.

But attention!

The Selle Royal is definitely a leisure saddle for upright driving. The saddle is relatively wide and a relatively short nose. In addition to the foam padding is a sprung bicycle saddle.

He reminds me personally of Grandpa’s wide, simple saddle, with which you can easily drive to the market, but not necessarily would like to undertake a bike ride.

An all-round comfortable bicycle saddle.

advantages

+ price
+ very comfortable construction

disadvantage

– only for upright driving

8. Terry Figura GTC gel

  • Driving style: Trekking, Sport
  • Material: Microfiber, waterproof
  • Upholstery: gel
  • Width: narrow
  • Bracket: steel
  • Price: middle price segment

With the Terry Figura we are against athletic. The bicycle saddle is relatively narrow with a long nose, which places it between trekking and fast, long driving.

For an upscale price you get a solid workmanship and good material in this gel saddle, which is available for ladies in a slightly wider version.

For those who want a lot more sporty cycling, the Terry with its extra opening in the dam area is worth considering.

advantages

disadvantage

– only available in one width

9. XLC bicycle saddle MTB

  • Driving style: mountain bike
  • Material: Plastic
  • Upholstery: N / A
  • Width: narrow
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: Budget

Last but not least two mountain bike saddles. I start with the budget variant, the XLC bicycle saddle.

At MTB saddles are made very special demands. But the XLC can easily keep up with the Selle SMP, except for a very serious difference, apart from material differences.

The XLC bike saddle has no recess, and is therefore more pressure intensive.

advantages

disadvantage

10. Selle SMP

  • Driving style: mountain bike
  • Material: carbon-reinforced plastic shell
  • Upholstery: N / A
  • Width: narrow
  • Bracket: N / A
  • Price: middle price segment

Finally, my comfortable MTB saddle test winner. You may have to spend a little more on the Selle SMP, but it’s worth it.

All bicycle or saddle layers can support the saddle well. The overall narrow, longer shape not only has a recess which provides pressure relief and ventilation.

The back end is also, and much more pronounced than the XLC for example, so pronounced that I can slip well and comfortably to the rear.

However, the sportiness also unfortunately makes the cut in the comfort noticeable, as so often.

This saddle is much harder than the other trekking saddles discussed above.

advantages

disadvantage

– relatively hard saddle

The best bike saddle …

… is definitely different for everyone. It depends mainly on how you want to ride a bike and also how often and how far you drive. And of course the physique.

So it’s hard to compare bike saddles. Nevertheless, the different criteria, which I will discuss in detail below, paired with qualitative features of the individual saddles, help us come to our conclusion.

All in all, the comparison winner is for us across all material and riding styles the SQlab 621 Active.

I think it is the best bike saddle in our big comparison because it offers the biggest common denominator in terms of riding styles and demands, it is beautifully crafted and can be ordered in different sizes. A round thing.

… and the cheapest bicycle saddle

That cheap does not always mean “cheap” has been illustrated by several of the saddles presented above. For similar reasons to the SQlab 621, I have to choose the Fischer saddle with Memory Foam as a price-performance winner.

Buy Bicycle Saddle – Our 7 Criteria

Basically, you can not go wrong if you consider the following points and take the resulting aspects into account when buying.

  1. Convenience,
  2. driving style,
  3. width
  4. material,
  5. upholstery,
  6. saddle shape,
  7. price.

The right bicycle saddle

The most important thing is probably whether the bicycle saddle is comfortable or not. Now you can not just buy a saddle and once a long test drive – over different routes, with different demands.

So how can I find out before the purchase if a saddle is comfortable??

Well, we should first consider which factors contribute to comfort. The following points should help you to think about it before buying.

1. Convenience – what influences you?

Comfort is subjective and should necessarily be tested according to the criteria below. But even though my dearest saddle means torture to your neighbor, you can still gather a few common factors.

A bicycle saddle can be uncomfortable because the altitude is not right, the angle needs to be adjusted, you should change your driving style or because health factors may be detrimental.

So how to adjust the bicycle saddle?

Height – adjust the bicycle saddle

If the bike saddle is too high, you automatically slip from one side to the other. So the weight is permanently shifted. It’s so easy to drive a wolf if you do not damage your back in the long run.

It depends on the “right attitude”, that applies to the height as well as the angle.

corner

So I should always set my bike saddle properly for me, even if several people use the bike, it is worth adjusting the height and angle accordingly. I do that in the car every day as a matter of course.

The bicycle saddle should be adjustable in angle, that is, you should be able to tilt the angle of the saddle forward or backward. This is not a fancy extra, but usually a simple screw directly under the seat, which can be easily loosened.

And that can work wonders. Even a small change can reduce the pressure. If your saddle is too flat and too uncomfortable, it should be tilted forward.

driving style

Permanent vibrations, for example, when driving too fast or on bad roads like in said hometown, can of course quickly become uncomfortable. To prevent the trouble, you can

  • stand on the pedals briefly every 10 minutes,
  • get up easily with bumps, so that the legs become shock absorbers,
  • Get good shock absorbers, for example, in a mountain bike, or equal to a bicycle saddle, which has good shock absorption, so good suspension,
  • Of course, get a recumbent.

Other factors

Finally, health factors may play a role.

Diabetes, obesity, smoking or high blood pressure can contribute to blood circulation in the buttocks.

And if you ride a bike for exactly these reasons – very well, you are on the right track.

2nd driving style

If you are thinking about buying a new bicycle saddle, think about when you want to use the bike and for what type of cycling.

Recreational cyclists

If you want to cruise comfortably through the city or countryside and, above all, cover short distances, you are currently sitting on your touring bike. Then we recommend a well padded saddle.

Ideally, the bicycle saddle is wide and padded as mentioned, ideally it even has pronounced springs. Whether sprung saddle or not, the nose is always rather short.

Road bike saddle

If you want to drive fast and cover many kilometers, then you should look for a saddle that is long, narrow and only minimally padded.

Then, at first glance, it may seem paradoxical. Although you drive longer and more intense bike, but the attitude is different. The sitting bones are only slightly loaded when racing.

The bicycle saddle must be narrow in order to minimize friction losses (as well as friction and pressure points).

For beginners, a soft bike saddle is still recommended, after all, one must first get used to this style of driving.

The comfortable mountain bike bike saddle

If you are on the mountain bike, and really drive on appropriate routes, then the driving style is influenced in a very special way.

Alternately one stands, sits back far or hardly on the saddle, or sits almost bent.

So the challenge is that a good mountain bike saddle has to meet different demands. You need both upholstery for the sit bones, a streamlined saddle for freedom of movement and an extremely durable surface.

The best trekking saddle

On the long haul you need a saddle that is made of leather. As for the shape, it should be between a road bike saddle and a MTB saddle.

The best bike saddle for long trips should therefore be a well padded saddle with a relatively long, narrow nose.

Woman thing Woman saddle?

We know what to think about generalizations. However, generalizations can sometimes be helpful.

So if I say that women usually have wider hips, but at the same time smaller bodies, then that is of course only partially true – you only have to look around once. And I think the key differences are less in bone than in adipose tissue.

Nevertheless, these differences in hip width, whether gender specific or not, should be kept in mind.

3. Very important: the width

Basically, the bicycle saddle, whether saddle or saddle, should have the correct width. If the bicycle saddle is too wide, it is easy to pressure and chafe. If it is too narrow, the saddle quickly becomes uncomfortable on the sit bone.

Ladies (and gentlemen) are best off with a bicycle saddle that has the appropriate width for their buttocks bones. From experience I can say that one should measure the distance of the sit bones and then simply add 2 cm.

But the width is again related to the driving style. Again a rule of thumb: the more upright you sit, the wider the saddle can be.

Bicycle saddle for heavy guys

In summary, one can add that for longer distances, drivers over 90 kilos or drivers with pronounced sit bones should prefer the firmer foam. Soft foam and even more gel padding give way too quickly and do not last as long with these parameters.

Saddle pad and covers

But now you can also choose an additional edition, for example, a gel saddle cover, which offers extra comfort. This may be very pleasant, but of course this pad can easily slip when you need it the least.

For a recreational cyclist certainly no problem, but with longer or even faster driving that can easily bother. If the saddle is not always enough, you can invest in padded pants.

And then there are the covers, fluffy for extra warmth or as weather protection, especially for leather saddles.

4. Material: leather saddle – an old hat?

Most bicycle saddles today are made of any plastic compound, from the form over the padding to the bicycle saddle cover. This not only has advantages for the weight of the bicycle saddle, also these saddles are very easy to care for.

Many cyclists, whether racers, touring or recreational cyclists, but swear (still) on a classic brown leather saddle, (see touring saddles by Brooks) the one that shines, are particularly hard-wearing.

Only mountain bikers usually do not want to give up their upholstery.

But why can supposedly old-fashioned retro saddles still hold their ground?

Construction and smart customization

This is mainly due to their construction. A piece of toughest leather is stretched in a metal frame. After a good 300 kilometers, the seat has adapted nicely to its own weight and shape.

So like a good old pair of registered boots that fit for a bit of trouble “as if it’s a glove”.

Leather saddles also often have the slots and recesses that I mentioned above, and also have a spring saddle for more comfort. And leather stays surprisingly cool, even on longer trips.

Disadvantages of Retrosätteln

The disadvantages, which I do not want to suppress, of course, are almost obvious:

  • It is exhausting to retract the bicycle saddle.
  • Leather is not waterproof and weathered easily. So it has to be well maintained.

To extend the life of the bicycle saddle, a cover is recommended if you do not drive.

5. Upholstery styles for bicycle saddles

Now it will be a bit technical. A bicycle saddle is mostly padded. Upholstery is good and comfortable, clear. But it’s not that easy. Because the two conventional upholstery react very differently under pressure.

Gel bike saddle or foam?

On the one hand there is the gel-based upholstery, which gives me an almost plushy comfort.

Most recreational athletes choose this type of upholstery. In fact, a gel bicycle saddle is best suited for the average level of demands – and the average level of stress. Because gel saddles give way faster than foam.

And foam provides upholstery that quickly restores the original shape after use. Foam is not as soft as gel, or to put it positively: foam padding also gives enough hold and W >

6. saddle shapes

Especially for those who are struggling to find the perfect bike saddle, there is also a completely split saddle with almost no nose. These saddles offer the widest comfort at the lowest pressure.

No nose?

Most bicycle saddles have a nose, but there are some without. This of course reduces the pressure enormously. However, it also takes the nose to keep the balance and control the bike. Bicycle saddles without nose are therefore really only for a very comfortable stroll in low traffic.

A hole is in the saddle!

But there are other, special saddle forms. You may have wondered – why do some saddles have holes??

A good bicycle saddle should protect the zone between the buttocks bones. Here many nerve strands and arteries converge.

The holes now additionally relieve this area and also ensure the correct air circulation during longer journeys.

Every anatomy is different, but most cyclists, both men and women, appreciate this relief. The saddles with holes are particularly suitable for women, who are generally more prone to pressure and soreness.

But so embezzled in a very important, urological aspect, which should be unconditionally taken into account. Because it is increasingly noted that this recess and especially in combinations with step padding for the cancer prophylaxis are beneficial. This is sometimes referred to as prostate saddles.

7. Bicycle Saddle Price – How much do you want to spend?

You’ve already noticed it – bicycle saddles are available for every budget, but it can also be expensive quickly. The rule of thumb: Prices rise as soon as the pounds tumble and the material improves.

So a flyweight bike saddle with titanium mount is expected to be more expensive than the average. The same is true – no surprise – for custom-made products.

Further purchase criteria

So, if you think about how, where and how long you want to ride your bike and which material you choose, you can limit the selection once again, and that through

  • test,
  • Inspect bracket,
  • Compare prices.

Bicycle saddle test?

Yes of course! you will call. Every child understands that you should try the saddle.

The specialist shops understand this too. If they do not have the exact model in stock, they certainly have something comparable.

One should test the bicycle saddle by varying positions (angles), driving both fast and slow, and taking a few bumps with it.

Chrome or titanium?

The attachments that attach the bike saddle to the pole are either chrome or titanium.

Chromium is fine enough for most needs, but more demanding riders appreciate the stronger, more resilient but more flexible titanium.

Which bicycle saddle fits me?

You still have to answer that question for yourself. But we hope that we could inspire you with the above comparisons and give you some valuable information and criteria along the way with our guide.

To make it very short: Whatever you decide, the shape and width of the bicycle saddle are decisive. And these are determined by the driving style and your own physique.

Best and most comfortable (touring) bicycle saddle – SQlab 621 Active
(now on Amazon)

Cheap Bicycle Saddle – Fischer Saddle with Memory Foam
(now on Amazon)

Good Leather Saddle – Brooke’s Flyer
(now on Amazon)

Best MTB Bicycle Saddle – Selle SMP
(now on Amazon)

Here are the rules of thumb at the end: The straighter you sit, the more padding you need.

The more “sporty” you lean forward, the narrower and harder the saddle should be. The individual width should be the seat bone distance plus 2 cm, but may be slightly wider in an upright position.

And no matter what gender, recesses in the perineal area are ideal as they minimize the unpleasant pressure significantly.

What are your experiences with the “perfect” bicycle saddle? Have we forgotten important aspects?

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Christina Cherry
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