Picking a saddle (Part II)
Bike fit things that aren’t the saddle, but can cause saddle issues, things that can cause saddle issues, but aren’t the bike/saddle. Why your saddle might not be your forever saddle & saddle database
Hello and welcome to part II of picking a saddle article series! As mentioned in the previous article, I am tackling this topic in phases… Phase one was a saddle experience questionnaire.
I was reviewing the submissions a few days after posting the questionnaire and noticed that only 30% of those who shared their experiences were women. In an Instagram story I posted that women’s experiences matter and if they (we, since I am a women) don’t share, it’s a lot harder to develop and provide resources that can make a difference. The same goes for men too, of course, but as a women who has been involved in cycling for 30+ years, this hits close to home. After posting along side the link to the questionnaire, the stats changed 53% women.
Anyways, regardless if you are a man or a women, if you filled in the questionnaire - Thank you! Your answers help me develop more resources for both men and women who ride bikes.
I have always been picky about the saddles I ride, but when I was racing in the 90’s and early 2000’s there was very little choice - It’s not like there were a lot of saddles to try and choose from… So once I found something that was not horrible, I just stuck with it until the duct tape I used to hold it together needed to be replaced 😂 (I’m actually not joking, there was duct tape involved). The sad part is that ‘not horrible’ is a fairly low bar. I can’t remember the exact brand and model, but I do remember that it was long, narrow, there was no channel or cutout. I shudder just thinking about it now.
Fast forward a few decades and I have ridden every single saddle available in my studio. As soon as I get a new demo saddle, it goes on my bike so I can try it before it gets added to the saddle demo collection. I have 65+ saddles in my studio at the moment, so I have a fair bit of experience with a lot of different saddles.
As someone who is relatively sensitive to saddle related issues and can be pretty picky (probably an understatement), most of those saddles only stayed on my bike for very short periods of time… That said, there are 5 different saddles that I would ride, based on my riding goals, experience level, riding style and mobility considerations. They have these things in common:
They are all 24-26cm in length
Shape is curved (side to side)
Shape is a raised back, with a neutral to flat nose
Have a cutout
Only one of them is a women specific saddle, the other 4 are unisex
There is no way I could ride a saddle without a cutout, or even worse, a totally flat saddle. I can feel the pain and discomfort just typing this.
The web is full of articles, podcasts and videos about selecting a new saddle, and even more pieces of information titled something along the lines of ‘5 best saddles for women’ or ‘the best saddles of 2024’ (spoiler alert - All of them basically say the same thing). Not to mention all the questions on various forums, asking ‘what saddle do you recommend'?’, where it seems like every person replying simply shares what they ride, leading to more confusion.
I am going in a bit of a different direction here. I am not going to use this article to spoon feed you information (that you probably already heard elsewhere) and tell you what to do or what saddle you should get. I am also not going to teach you much about saddle shapes, material and more, at least not today (I do have an online course coming, more below 👀). Instead, I am sharing some stories and hopefully giving you food for thought about things that can affect your saddle comfort so you can make your own, better informed decisions. There are questions for you to think about, but I am not offering specific solutions (saddle brands/models) because saddles are personal… And I can’t give you solutions without having some key information about you and your riding first.
A Saddle Education System
Before we move on, let me share what my obsession with saddles lead to. Think of it as a commercial break, but one that you actually want to sit through.
I have been working non stop on a Saddle Education System! The system includes three things:
A saddle database - An interactive saddle database featuring 306 saddles from 39 brands (not including variations within models). You can sort through the database by 12 categories, including 1) brand/model, 2) weight, 3) price, 4) shape, 5) width, 6) length, 7) women specific, 8) padding level, 9) material, 10) rails, 11) pressure relief and 10) purpose. Each saddle also has information specific for the saddle and variations within the model.
A saddle selection questionnaire - Give me answers to several key questions, and I will point you in the right saddle direction, minus the brand bias! This works really well with the saddle database for additional information on each saddle I recommend for you. It is not designed to replace trying saddles yourself (which is a must), it is to help you narrow down the choice so you don’t spend more time and money than needed.
A saddle education system - Not sure what to do with the saddle database? Want to learn more about saddles, the process of picking the one for you, how your body interacts with the saddle when you ride under various conditions and more? I share it all the saddle education system online course experience.
All three are designed to work well together, but you can get access them separately. The saddle database is available now. The saddle selection questionnaire will be available on November 5th and the saddle education system will be available by November 30th. You can get access to the database and pre order your access to the questionnaire and course (optional) by clicking the button below.
If you are a paid subscriber to this publication, I have a special discount for you at the end… So scroll down to grab it!
And if you want to get a taste of the saddle database, I created a mini saddle database with 20 saddles. It has the same format to give you an idea of what the full database is like. It is free (or pay what you want).
Lastly, there is an Affiliate program for cycling industry professionals. If you are a bike fitter, coach, bike shop employee or work within the cycling industry in another capacity, we have an affiliate program for you! Email hello@ptperformancetraining.com for information.
Ok, commercial break over. Back to it.
What is your saddle problem?
Here is a scenario for you. You need / want to get a new saddle, so you ask your friends, your local bike shop employee, strangers on the internet, your barista at the local coffee shop and hopefully (but sadly less likely) your favorite bike fitter: ‘what saddle should I get?’
Ideally, the answer will not be suggesting various saddles, at least not right away without exploring further first. It should be a question instead - ‘What is your saddle problem?’, or ‘why do you want / need a new saddle?’ Your answer to this question should be a lot more detailed than replying that your current saddle is uncomfortable… And shops shouldn’t just say ‘this saddle is good’. I mean, good for what? Good for who? Based on what?
Lets dive deeper.
Why is your saddle uncomfortable? What are the symptoms? Here are some of the most common problems:
Saddle sores. Follow up questions include:
Where are the sores?
Are they on both side? If yes, on the same spot on opposite sides, or different spots? Are they occurring on one side only?
What type of saddle sore? Folliculitis (inflammation around a hair follicle), boils, cyst, minor chafing, skin ulceration… Narrowing this down can help determine if the fix is even related to the saddle itself, or if something else is to blame (ie. overall position, shorts/bibs, hygiene, grooming, etc).
How often do they occur? Always, or under certain circumstances?
Numbness. I have had people say they are unsure when I ask this… To which I reply - You would know, regardless if you’re a man or women! Follow up questions include:
When does it happen? ie. when climbing? when in an aero position? Indoors?
How soon into the ride?
Does it linger once you get off the bike? If so, for how long?
How long has been going on? If it has been a while, has it led to ED issues? (if you’re a man)
Pressure, including swelling (in particular labia swelling for women)
Sit bone discomfort
Without knowing what the problem is, it is very hard to come up with the best possible solution! Various saddles are designed to solve specific problems, so the first step is to figure out what the problem is and then move forward. The worst thing you can do is throw spaghetti at the wall in the hope that something sticks... Which is to try every single saddle available in a short duration without a plan and hope for the best. I have heard of people trying 40+ saddles in the span of 20 minutes. Avoid that, it will likely not get you anywhere.
Or just as bad, take random advice that may or may not be applicable to you. I has a client come to me after he changed his saddle. He had no issues with his saddle, but he wanted a new one. The conversation went something like this:
Him - I got this new saddle and it’s not working for me.
Me - Did you have saddle problems? Why did you change to this particular saddle?
Him - No, but I wanted a new saddle. You told my friend during his fit that this saddle will work for him, and you said it’s a good saddle, and you have been riding it too, so I got it as well!
Me - That saddle is well constructed, and it works for your friend, but I said the saddle is good for him, not for everyone. And what works for me might not apply to others either…
Him - So, even if a saddle is good, it won’t work for everyone? But it’s a $600 saddle…
Me - Sigh.
We ended up finding him a new saddle that worked for him. His wife was riding a lower end version of that saddle that didn’t work, so she ended up with an upgrade as a result 😂
Your riding goals matter too, as well as the bike you ride. If you ride a TT bike, riding a long, flat saddle will likely be trouble. if you ride in an aggressive position, you want a saddle that facilitated hip rotation without discomfort. If you lack mobility and ride in a fairly upright position… There are several saddle options for that, and so on.
Bike fit things that aren’t the saddle, but can cause saddle issues
I am not here to tell you how your bike should fit, because 1) we will be here a while and 2) it’s personal and I may or may not know you… That said, here are a few things to pay attention to:
Saddle height - Usually saddle that is too high (and/or too far back)
Reach to the handlebars - Usually reach that is too long
Handlebar height - Usually too low
Crank length - Yes, there is a connection. More info is available in my crank length guide (its behind the pay wall, but you can start a free trial. It’s worth it)
Shoes / feet support - Not supported by the feet due to ill fitting shoes, improper cleat position, insole issues, injuries/imbalances that mean your feet are not supported properly (ie. inability to connect the first / second metatarsals appropriately)
Posture / Core stability (also see below)
The perfect saddle with a bike that does not fit you properly will not be so perfect.
Things that can cause saddle issues, but aren’t the bike or saddle
Pelvic floor - A lot of cyclists should see a pelvic floor physiotherapist for an assessment. yes, in case you didn’t know, this is a specific physiotherapy specialty! And no, this is not only for women during / post pregnancy and not just for women. men, you can benefit also! If you have saddle related issues that do not seem to change, please get assessed by a pelvic floor specialist, regardless of your gender.
Muscle tightness / weakness - Problems around the glutes, hamstring, adductors. This can be tightness, lack of strength and/or recruitment issues. These things will likely be noticeable on the saddle, but changing the saddle might not be the fix (although it could minimize the issues, or provide temporary relief).
Imbalances L and R - This is a very big topic and there are a lot of moving parts here, so this is not the time and article to get into details. From a saddle stand point, the solution sometimes includes a different saddle, but more often than not, it’s best solved by off the bike work… And the bike fit as a whole, in some cases (this can be related to all the points above and in the bike fit things that aren’t the saddle but cause saddle issues).
Feet - Also see above… But the feet and saddle are very connected and feet health is really important due to the loading and unloading between feet and saddle while you are riding - The two go hand in hand, so making sure the feet are properly supported, the shoes are well fitting, etc is really important for saddle comfort (and feet comfort and health, obviously)
Posture - Yes, this is a bike fit thing and can often improve with a proper fit. But if your posture is not great off the bike, in every day life, there is very little chance it will be great on the bike… Or you might not be able to hold it for very long on the bike (I am typing this from my couch. talk about bad posture 🤔). It does affect how you interact with the saddle
Your saddle may not be your forever saddle
And that is okay. A lot of people ask me what the perfect saddle for them is and the reality is that there is no such thing. At least not permanently! Your body changes, your riding style and goals change and your position on the bike, saddle included, could change as a result.
Of course, saddles don’t last forever either - They do wear down eventually. The foam density changes (typically, the more padding, the sooner it breaks down, often in an uneven pattern) and I have seen my fair share of broken and/or crooked saddles, causing pretty substantial problems.
It can be a good idea to evaluate your saddle choice (and position as a whole) every few years, depending on riding volume, if there is a substantial change in goals and of course if / when you get a new bike.
When you change your saddle, you change your bike fit
The same goes for your cycling shoes, but that is a topic for another time and my project for December - There is a shoe database coming too!
the different length, the different saddle center, the different shape and stack height are all factors that affect your bike fit, so re-evaluating the position as a whole when changing the saddle is important.
Saddle Database, Selection Questionnaire & Education System
If you scrolled to the end and missed my ‘commercial break’ at the start of the article - I have been working non stop on a Saddle Education System, including:
A saddle database - An interactive saddle database featuring 306 saddles from 39 brands (not including variations within models). You can sort through the database by 12 categories, including 1) brand/model, 2) weight, 3) price, 4) shape, 5) width, 6) length, 7) women specific, 8) padding level, 9) material, 10) rails, 11) pressure relief and 10) purpose. Each saddle also has information specific for the saddle and variations within the model.
A saddle selection questionnaire - Give me answers to several key questions, and I will point you in the right saddle direction! This works really well with the saddle database for additional information on each saddle I recommend for you. This is not designed to replace trying saddles yourself, it is to help you narrow it down so you don’t spend more time and money than needed.
A saddle education system - Not sure what to do with the saddle database? Want to learn more about saddles, the process of picking the one for you, how your body interacts with the saddle when you ride under various conditions and more? I share it all the saddle education system online course experience.
All three are designed to work well together, but you can get access separately. The saddle database is available now. The saddle selection questionnaire will be available on November 5th and the saddle education system will be available on November 30th. You can get access to the database and pre order your access to the questionnaire and course (optional) by clicking the button below.
And if you want to get a taste of the saddle database, I created a mini saddle database with 20 saddles. It has the same format to give you an idea of what the full database is like. It is free (or pay what you want).
If you are a paid subscriber to this publication, I have a special discount for you below ⤵️
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